I'm Hoping to Get Back Into Mainframe Computer Operations...

[DOS/VS COBOL Guy]

...but it has been a long time since I worked in the field. My last on-the-job experience was on an IBM ES/9000 Model 9121 VM/VSE/ESA (version 1). I have also worked as a computer operator on earlier mainframes, mostly ancestors to VSE/ESA and z/VSE, including DOS/VS POWER/VS Release 34 and DOS/VSE. I also have some OS/VS2 (MVS 3.8j) experience, but I am nowhere near as strong, technically, with it.

Trouble is: this was from 1979-1995.

Since then, however, I have made extensive forays into mainframe emulation, so I am honing not only operations skills, but other, more advanced skills germaine to generating a system and keeping it up and running. (e.g.) tailoring a DOS/VS supervisor. If a problem develops with an applications program or whatever, it's on me. Granted it's old DOS/VS, again, but there have been improvements in the amount of documentation available, plus other forms of support, which have enabled me to do more with what I'm working with. VSAM, for example: I am starting to work more with that.

Although again, this is old stuff, my skill level has definitely come up. Surely there is a way to make this pay off with an entry-level operations position? How would you all advise selling this?

FYI, by the latter half of 2013, I will be able to open up my job search nation-wide. Until them I am limited to what I can glean from my local area (St. Louis), in which there is a dearth of mainframe opportunities at present...