Next step in my career : Mainframe pro - 8 yrs exp

[bindaasamit]

Current state: I have 8 years of experience in Mainframes(4-Investment banking domain, 4- transportation domain)
IBM Certified DB2 Associate
Worked in DB2,IMS/DB, JCL, CICS, COBOL for the last 8 years.

Looking for a career growth "The next Step"

Interests : Technically oriented. I would love to help develop products, do R&D.
Was planning on preparing for DB2 UDB Administrator exam. - But not sure how much it will help me...
Not interested : Not interested in becoming a Project Lead/Manager.

What should I do that will make me more valuable in the market and increase my knowledge scope.
Please advise.

[MrSpock]

I wish I knew. After over 25 years in the business, I find myself unemployed, and there's been nothing relevant out there. What I'm seeing a lot of are those Project Delivery/Project Management postions (which you don't want, not that I can blame you. Me neither.), lots of Data Center Manager positions (which require levels of management and budgeting experience that I don't have), some Systems Programmer positions (which I'd like to do, but without the required background skill sets, I'd be highly unlikely to actually land a position), and lots and lots of Enterprise Server Management (ESM) positions, which require that knowledge of ITIL and CMDB, which is what I was doing, but these are all for the non-mainframe technologies, so again, not much I can offer them. Looks like it's time to hit the Reset button career-wise and look into other avenues, or go back to square one (I'm applying for any and all entry-level and Operator job postings) and try to take a different path this time.

Seems to me like maybe you should target some of the big software vendors (IBM, CA, BMC, ASG, Compuware) and see what kind of position they might be able to offer doing product research and development.

[bindaasamit]

Thanks a lot for your reply,
Friends have been asking me to learn Java and other languages, but I want to grow vertically, I dont want to be "jack of all, master of none"

Maybe I am wrong but I feel that being in Mainframes limits your opportunities at this stage of my career becauase I want to remain technically oriented and dont want to get in the management stuff.

Do you think I should be going for DB2 UDB / DB2 ZOS Admin certifications...?

Thanks again...

[MrH]

There's something to be said for the jack of all trades. I'm a systems guy, and I've worked on every platform you can name (and a couple you can't). Now my company is merging with another, which means there will be redundant systems (and thus, systems people) that will be eliminated, and my jack-of-all-trades status may be what makes me a survivor.

With that said, from a programmer perspective, Java does look like a logical next step. You've already got DB2, Cobol, and CICS skills, and by adding Java you can move towards knowing pretty much everything there is to know about SOA technologies as they apply to the mainframe. And SOA is the latest Big Thing.

[dick scherrer]

Hello,

. . . I dont want to be "jack of all, master of none"

Maybe not, but there is nothing wrong with being master of several.

Worked in DB2,IMS/DB, JCL, CICS, COBOL for the last 8 years.

Many of us "seniors" have worked with these (and more) for 20-50 years.

Looking for a career growth "The next Step"

What do you want to do "next"? Can/would you relocate (often more can be found elsewhere but not everyone can/will move). What i repeat most often is that you will spend most of the time you are awake doing "your career" so it needs to be something you will enjoy for life. This is quite a bit more important than extra $.

Often i've had one or another of my people come in and say "I'd like to do something else". My answer is "Tell me what you want to do and if it seems reasonable/possible, i'll help you get there. Don't just say you want a change, but explain which direction you want to go". I believe i should not tell people what to choose for their career - this is something they and their family need to decide/control.

[bindaasamit]

First of all, thanks a lot for finding some time to help me out with my dilemma

I am far away from Home(India) anways so I am fine with relocating anywhere in the US.
So you can advise me what options I have in front of me as a career.

Should I learn
JAVA
SOAP certification : no practical experience
DB2 - ZOS admin
DB2 - UDB admin
Try to join these biggies like IBM,BMC,ASG,Compuware and hope for a good role.

Note : I am only listed the above options from what advise I have got from other colleagues / other forum members.

Thanks
Amit.
'Life is ice, enjoy it before it melts!'

[bindaasamit]

I wanted to let you know how meaningfull your advise has been, hence this post.

Based on my reasearch on the net and advise from MrH I have now decided to

Enter the SOA space and hopefully complete the IBM Certified SOA Associate certification by June.(Hopefully I can become an SOA Aarchitect in the Long run)

Let me know your final thoughts on this step of mine...

Thanks to MrSpock,Dick & MrH

[simha_it819]

Hi bindaasamit,
I am also on the same boat (having 8+yrs of exp in Mainframe technologies and decided to go with SOA certification). Could you please brief me your experience and how SOA certification benifit you in your carrer?
I have contacted so many friends about this but no one was able to guide me. If you could guide me on this, that is really greatful

Thanks in Advance
Simha.

[enrico-sorichetti]

do You realize that You are tailgating on an 18 months old post .

[simha_it819]

Yes, I realized but this post is related to my future plans (what I have in my mind) and expecting some guidence on the same.

Thanks,
Simha.