Re: mainframe career advice



<docdwarf@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:dm1quf$ra9$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> In article <3uj8lcF119ia5U1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> Pete Dashwood <dashwood@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>
>>"Defaultuser" <Defaultuser@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>news:PQD_e.113134$xl6.84344@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> [snip]
>
>>> Learning is fun...to me that's better than doing the same old routine.
>>>
>>There are many people who feel that way. It's a delight to work with some
>>of
>>them.
>
> It is even more delightful to find companies that are willing to pay
> people for their ability to learn... would that I might see more.
>

Well, I'm prepared to trade the fact that they have some basic required
skills, for the chance to expand their skill sets, so it isn't totally
altruistic. :-) Nevertheless, people who are quick to learn and open
minded about it are valuable. In this company, that value is recognised.

We have a good mix of permanent and contract people on my project and there
is no distinction made at a personal or professional level. I can honestly
say that of all the companies I have worked for, in all the cultures I have
lived and worked in, I have been most welcomed on this site. (That applies
to both the people I report to and the people who report to me; universal
support, friendliness and warmth. It is diverse ethnically, sexually, and in
terms of age, with people from Europe and Asia, as well as NZ, all working
happily together; the common bond is the challenge of the work, and getting
it done.

They also had the most stringent selection process of any company I have
ever worked for, and I had 8 referees on 3 continents (none of whom I had
ever asked to act as referees before, so I had no idea what they'd say about
me :-)), phoned up and asked questions about me. There were also 3 x 2hour
interviews with individuals and a group firing questions. The point is, that
this company waited for several months to get the person they considered
right for the job (there were a number of other applicants who were
interviewed), and that "rightness" was not just based on technical
competence; they were looking to get management worthy of their team.

I think if more companies took more care in selecting managers, there
probably wouldn't be half the problems we read about in CLC. (See Management
Wars thread, in this forum.)

I further believe that the principles I have proposed in that same thread
are workable and useful. I practise them every day. It is rewarding (and not
just in financial terms) to see people glad to get to the office, enjoying
the challenges of their work, and winning... We have crises and problems
like every other project, but the difference is in how they are dealt with.
I have been there seven weeks. I have never seen anyone abuse a colleague,
lose their temper, or even raise a voice. There is a fair bit of humour and
banter but none of it is ever meant to wound. I have run presentations and
discussions where people listen attentively, take notes, then ask
intelligent questions. Discussion is lively and cases are made or lost, but
egos are not admitted to the meeting room. I value the inputs of all my
team; "None of us is as smart as all of us", and that includes me...:-)

Best of all, I'm learning and getting paid for it too...

(Now all we need to do is deliver... :-))

Thanks to the several people who took up my offer and mailed me privately.
I'll set wheels in motion and get back to each of you. Remote working may be
an option, but we'll look at all the possibilities. I particularly need J2EE
people. And experience with Rational tools (Reqpro, ClearQuest, ClearCase,
and Rose) is really desirable (though not essential if you have the other
things I want... attitude, ability, experience.) I would really love to get
some COBOL people into this environment, but you MUST have good knowledge of
OO and you MUST have the ability to pick up Java and web skills like
scripting, (JavaScript, VBScript, Perl), and web page development.

To finish on topic:

(It's been a while since I made any predictions here so here are some that
may make you smile...:-))

1. Mainframes will be re-invented as powerful servers and integrated with
the network.
2.Yes, MicroFocus will be gone in 15 years unless they change their crazy
policies, or diversify away from COBOL.The main thing holding them together
right now is IBM Visual Age :-). And IBM have an increasing stake in Java...
3. Fujitsu are also unlikely to continue supporting COBOL as more and more
existing code is refactored every year. Fujitsu USA and Australia are unable
to support the existing products properly, right now. And their pricing is
driving people to other alternatives. Both these companies should realise
that COBOL is no longer the only game in town; those days are gone. People
have a choice. If they are not encouraged to stay with COBOL development,
they simply won't. Small developers and software houses are being squeezed
out by ludicrous pricing and poor support, from both companies. (OK, I know
there are guys here who work for both companies, and they are good people
doing their very best. No disrespect is intended to any individuals; I have
to call 'em like I see 'em, and these comments are based on first hand
experience working with customers of both companies.)
4. COBOL will be outsourced offshore until the existing applications are
refactored to something else. Tools to do this will get better and better.
5. The sub-continent will experience a COBOL slump in around 10 years, but
by then they will have diversified their skill base into solution provision
so will continue "Business as usual".
6. I am mindful that, last century, I predicted no widespread COBOL use by
2015. I stand by it. You can observe what is happening and draw your own
conclusions.
7. The next COBOL standard will take less than 17 years to be delivered.
(I'm not taking bets on how MUCH less... :-))
8. The next COBOL standard may well be the last.
9. If you want a career in computing, do a computing science course and
forget about programming languages. Solution delivery will be the future.
Tools to deliver solutions will just get better and better. You will need
adaptability, enthusiasm, and a broad skill base.
10. If you want to make money and retire early, don't go into computing.
Look at accounting, medicine, rock and pop music, law, money market
brokerage, real estate, and undesirable industries like sewage treatment,
industrial waste disposal, and garbage collection (as a company owner, not
as a dustman...).

Good luck!

Pete.



.

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