Stupid management—stupid culture
by Miki SaxonIt’s funny how things happen. Yesterday I wrote abut the talent crisis and referred you to a new report by McKinsey. I also received a link from a client, Emanio CEO KG Charles-Harris, to a fascinating article on Craig Venter’s vision of and breakthrough work on built-to-order bacteria using only man-made DNA.You’d think that the growth in synthetic biology and other life sciences, combined with the talent shortage, would be driving a need for experienced scientists. But that assumption is much too logical for the real world.
I also found a link via a Google alert to a discussion board at Biofind with comments regarding the plight of experienced (read: over 40) scientists who
actually do science.
‘Another reason the older scientists have a hard time in the job market is that hiring managers worry about how they’ll fit in the corporate culture. At 55, I interviewed last year at a tiny but profitable company in northern San Diego. The 2 owners were barely 40 and everyone in the lab appeared in their mid 20’s.’
‘I wish I had a nickel for every time a younger scientist seriously asked me how many micrograms in a milligram (or worse – which is bigger). Even my PhD boss at my last company asked me that!’
‘The only reason younger people get hired these days is because the hiring Company can pay them less, not because they are more cutting edge or can get work done faster…Even worse, they’re a drag on MY productivity because I have to baby sit them for six months until there even capable of doing a single experiment unsupervised.’
Unfortunately, this isn’t limited to biotech, you find similar comments and stories in every field.
Stupid is as stupid does and the executives running these companies are definitely stupid.
What stupidity have you run into lately?
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