z/OS developer jobs (was: Literacy)
-Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sam Golob Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 8:25 AM To: IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU Subject: Literacy Hi Folks, Throughout my career, I was always outside of IBM, except for one short period, when I worked as a consultant at IBM to relieve the Level 2 queues. At that time, IBM was training its Level 2 people out of college on ONE or (maybe) TWO components of MVS, for 18 months, to get them up to speed. I don't know if any of those trainees ever got to see a real data center. When IBM hired us as consultants, we were up and working with ONE WEEK's training. See the difference between one component people and generalists? IBM knew that when they hired us. They only got us because (at that time) it was a bad time for regular sysprog jobs, so they had a pool of unemployed sysprogs to draw from. Just an observation to show (again) that knowledge pays. While I am on this subject, I want to throw in a comment about MVS developers (who are also highly trained and knowledgeable). If you have your own (low budget) software company, FLEX-ES (and the ADCD program) have (until now) provided a way for developers to use their skills to write good system utilites that improve the usability of z/OS. Unless IBM themselves provide us with their OWN good emulator and an affordable low-end hardware solution, THEY will be up the creek as well as us. Don't they know that? Do they secretly have their own S/390 emulator in the works? Otherwise, it would look like they are abandoning a large component of the MVS (and VM and VSE) support structure. Sincerely, Sam I, for one, have just about thrown in the towl with respect to finding employment (either regular or contract) as MVS/OS390/zOS product developer. Forget about the so-called open systems jobs, like Java or Windows, software development. My last job interview in that line of work was a rude awakening; it was obvious after 10 minutes that they were looking for someone younger and prettier (i.e., not a dinosaur), and definitely looking for someone they could pay not more than $40K/year. I had a similar experience a few years ago when I interviewed at that big employer up in the Seattle-Tacoma area, where all the young employees had private offices and the older employees were driving the shuttle buses. eek! Now that FLEX-ES is all but history, a small-time z/OS developer like me has no choice but to change careers with no safety-net. If any of you are in the same boat, I sincerely wish you the best of luck. Cheers Jeffrey D. Smith Principal Product Architect Farsight Systems Corporation 700 KEN PRATT BLVD. #204-159 LONGMONT, CO 80501-6452 303-774-9381 direct 303-484-6170 FAX http://www.farsight-systems.com/ -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: z/OS developer jobs (was: Literacy)
On 20 Feb 2007 09:06:59 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Jeffrey D. Smith) wrote: Now that FLEX-ES is all but history, a small-time z/OS developer like me has no choice but to change careers with no safety-net. If any of you are in the same boat, I sincerely wish you the best of luck. I would not recommend the average kid to go into software at all. Planning for a career you want something less ephemeral. The rate of change in the industry hasn't slowed down enough so that a kid has some idea of what he will be doing in 20 years much less 40. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: z/OS developer jobs
snip I, for one, have just about thrown in the towl with respect to finding employment (either regular or contract) as MVS/OS390/zOS product developer. Forget about the so-called open systems jobs, like Java or Windows, software development. My last job interview in that line of work was a rude awakening; it was obvious after 10 minutes that they were looking for someone younger and prettier (i.e., not a dinosaur), and definitely looking for someone they could pay not more than $40K/year. I had a similar experience a few years ago when I interviewed at that big employer up in the Seattle-Tacoma area, where all the young employees had private offices and the older employees were driving the shuttle buses. eek! Now that FLEX-ES is all but history, a small-time z/OS developer like me has no choice but to change careers with no safety-net. If any of you are in the same boat, I sincerely wish you the best of luck. -unsnip- Had a similar experience on my last interview. I walked in and the first thing out of the interviewer's mouth was Oh, *, another old fart! My kingdom for a tape recorder!!! As things sit, I have to beg for time through the good offices of a friend at an educational institution. I help him out, he helps me out. Management knows but turns a blind eye, as long as I remain discreetly quiet about it. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: z/OS developer jobs
-Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List On Behalf Of Rick Fochtman snip I, for one, have just about thrown in the towl with respect to finding employment (either regular or contract) as MVS/OS390/zOS product developer. Forget about the so-called open systems jobs, like Java or Windows, software development. My last job interview in that line of work was a rude awakening; it was obvious after 10 minutes that they were looking for someone younger and prettier (i.e., not a dinosaur), and definitely looking for someone they could pay not more than $40K/year. I had a similar experience a few years ago when I interviewed at that big employer up in the Seattle-Tacoma area, where all the young employees had private offices and the older employees were driving the shuttle buses. eek! Now that FLEX-ES is all but history, a small-time z/OS developer like me has no choice but to change careers with no safety-net. If any of you are in the same boat, I sincerely wish you the best of luck. -unsnip- Had a similar experience on my last interview. I walked in and the first thing out of the interviewer's mouth was Oh, *, another old fart! The day may yet come when we old farts will be able to say, Deal with us, on our terms, or do without. Here's my card. Of course, the day may also come when the sun rises in the west and sets in the east -jc- -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: z/OS developer jobs (was: Literacy)
On Tue, 20 Feb 2007 10:17:43 -0700 Howard Brazee [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: :On 20 Feb 2007 09:06:59 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Jeffrey D. :Smith) wrote: :Now that FLEX-ES is all but history, a small-time z/OS developer like me has :no choice but to change careers with no safety-net. If any of you are in :the same boat, I sincerely wish you the best of luck. :I would not recommend the average kid to go into software at all. :Planning for a career you want something less ephemeral. The rate of :change in the industry hasn't slowed down enough so that a kid has :some idea of what he will be doing in 20 years much less 40. I have no idea what I will be doing a year from now. Change is good. -- Binyamin Dissen [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.dissensoftware.com Director, Dissen Software, Bar Grill - Israel Should you use the mailblocks package and expect a response from me, you should preauthorize the dissensoftware.com domain. I very rarely bother responding to challenge/response systems, especially those from irresponsible companies. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: z/OS developer jobs
Binyamin Dissen wrote: [snip] Change is good. Well sure. And big change is better than small change. And big currency is even better. -Steve Comstock -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: z/OS developer jobs
snip- I have no idea what I will be doing a year from now. Change is good. --unsnip At my last job, long term planning consisted of having some idea where you'd eat lunch when you got there in the morning. NOT a good way to run a IT shop! G -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: z/OS developer jobs
At my last job, long term planning consisted of having some idea where you'd eat lunch when you got there in the morning. For over 15 years, I have been snarking: Planning's 'til lunch! NOT a good way to run a IT shop! Unfortunately, many do run that way! - Too busy driving to stop for gas! -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: z/OS developer jobs
Jeffrey D. Smith wrote: [snip] I, for one, have just about thrown in the towl with respect to finding employment (either regular or contract) as MVS/OS390/zOS product developer. Forget about the so-called open systems jobs, like Java or Windows, software development. My last job interview in that line of work was a rude awakening; it was obvious after 10 minutes that they were looking for someone younger and prettier (i.e., not a dinosaur), and definitely looking for someone they could pay not more than $40K/year. I had a similar experience a few years ago when I interviewed at that big employer up in the Seattle-Tacoma area, where all the young employees had private offices and the older employees were driving the shuttle buses. eek! Now that FLEX-ES is all but history, a small-time z/OS developer like me has no choice but to change careers with no safety-net. If any of you are in the same boat, I sincerely wish you the best of luck. Cheers Jeffrey D. Smith Principal Product Architect Farsight Systems Corporation 700 KEN PRATT BLVD. #204-159 LONGMONT, CO 80501-6452 303-774-9381 direct 303-484-6170 FAX http://www.farsight-systems.com/ The frustrating thing is that IBM could have (maybe could even now) changed that. But they messed up. And continue to mess up. But I gotta' be careful what I say because I get flak from some folks here for whinin'. It's just frustration, really. Kind regards, -Steve Comstock -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: z/OS developer jobs
On 20 Feb 2007 11:03:30 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Steve Comstock) wrote: Change is good. Well sure. And big change is better than small change. And big currency is even better. With some databases, currency is essential. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: z/OS developer jobs
-Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Howard Brazee Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 1:23 PM To: IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU Subject: Re: z/OS developer jobs On 20 Feb 2007 11:03:30 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Steve Comstock) wrote: Change is good. Well sure. And big change is better than small change. And big currency is even better. With some databases, currency is essential. Most databases come with currency. Is that what concurrency means? Con==with currency==money. -- John McKown Senior Systems Programmer HealthMarkets Keeping the Promise of Affordable Coverage Administrative Services Group Information Technology The information contained in this e-mail message may be privileged and/or confidential. It is for intended addressee(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, reproduction, distribution or other use of this communication is strictly prohibited and could, in certain circumstances, be a criminal offense. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by reply and delete this message without copying or disclosing it. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: z/OS developer jobs (was: Literacy)
-Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jeffrey D. Smith Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 11:06 AM To: IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU Subject: z/OS developer jobs (was: Literacy) SNIP You might try SPCI (WWW.SPCI.NET). I know that they do handle developer positions as they are contacted about them (they specialize in IBM Mainframe things - Systems Programming Consultants, Inc -- and always have to my knowledge). Regards, Steve Thompson -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
