Update on Resourcing and Whether There's a Shortage

In previous posts, Where Have All the SampleManager Resources Gone? and Ditto For the LabWare LIMS/ELN, I talked about the fact that there seems to be quite a few people asking for Thermo Fisher Scientific and for LabWare resources but seemingly not finding them when there are actually resources available in the market. Today, I make my update.

First of all, having moved onto working with the LVS system, I'm paying somewhat less attention to all this than I used to. What I do know is that I keep getting calls for LIMS work through recruiters. That is typically not productive for my business because it means that either the recruiter is calling to offer me a permanent job -or- another, bigger consulting company already has the work, has oversold the resources they have, and looking to remedy the situation, which also doesn't help build my business. In any case, what it IS useful for is to provide a rough idea of the work generally going on in the marketplace.

With that said, I vaguely think someone did mention LabWare to me, and only the LIMS, not the ELN - but what I keep getting calls for is the SampleManager product.

The Usual Question: Is There Really a Shortage?
With all the calls I'm getting, is there actually a shortage? If my phone is almost ringing off the hook with SampleManager work, is there a real need in the industry? (and the "ringing off the hook" is an exaggeration, of course, but it's been an extremely active time, just to tell you that)

Here are a few factors to consider:

• Some customers just hire any warm body they can find to recruit for them and there is no coordination. With a limited pool of people in any LIMS area, the likelihood is that we all get multiple calls for the same openings. That is certainly the case, right now.
• Some of these calls are not about work that is a good fit even at the most basic levels. Some calls are for junior resources. When you're a senior resource, you're unlikely to consider taking a spot meant for a junior resource, partly because the rates will stink and partly because the work won't be interesting.
• Even beyond the basics, there are reasons why customer positions sit open for long periods of time. In one case I know of, the customer wants to find a local person. In any part of this country, all the local people are probably working on customers all over the country or world and too busy to work specifically with whomever is looking. So, finding someone local is not always possible. In another case I know of, the customer needs such a wide variety of skills that it's just hard to find anyone that matches the greater majority of requirements they have. In these cases, though, as long as there is enough lead-time, this might not be a problem. If you wait long-enough, you will occasionally find just the right person.

However, I was giving someone I know a little advice on this, the other day, and here is what I said to him, and I'll share it with all of you: I don't know that there is actually a shortage. But to be on the safe side, definitely leave extra room in your project plan.

Gloria Metrick
GeoMetrick Enterprises
http://www.GeoMetrick.com/