Are you planning to hire COBOL programmers to modernize your legacy software applications? Companies and organizations are hesitant to replace software that is still functional but age-old. However, finding IT experts and programmers to maintain and upgrade it has become increasingly difficult.
Common Business-Oriented Language, also known as COBOL, was developed in 1959 and widely used in the 1970s and 1980s. COBOL’s popularity has waned, yet it is still vital to institutions and organizations all over the world.
COBOL was taught in programming classes less frequently as computer programming migrated to object-oriented languages like Java and other emerging computer languages.
It seems COBOL is being phased out gradually (which is not at all true). However, several US corporations, including IBM, continue to employ COBOL programming.
Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of what you should be looking for before hiring COBOL programmers.
What Is the Role of COBOL Programmers?
A COBOL programmer is someone who develops and maintains software program applications in COBOL. This is their core responsibility, and they are largely associated with business data processing. COBOL developers design, build and implement code for new projects, test those programs to ensure they run on the chosen operating system, and make any necessary improvements.
Therefore, if you want to hire COBOL programmers of the new generation, make sure they have the requisite qualifications and expertise to match your company’s expectations.
Important abilities required for a COBOL programmer’s profession include the following:
- Strong interpersonal and communication capabilities to deal with the management of technology as well as business
- Comprehensive knowledge of the software development model and project management
- A broad understanding of business operations in the medical, finance, banking, and governmental organizations
- Advanced debugging skills
COBOL programmers must also be knowledgeable and skilled in the following technical skills:
- Databases such as Oracle RDB, Microsoft SQL Server, and DB2
- Programming languages including COBOL, TSO, Java, JCSL, and CICS
- Platforms or operating systems including Linux, UNIX, z/OS, Windows, and the IBM System
- Using advanced tools such as Micro Focus, Endevor, Xpediter, Abend-aid, and Rational
Aside from extensive technical abilities, COBOL programmers are also expected to acquire certain soft skills that are much required in their profession. The following soft skills that you must look for before you hire COBOL programmers include:
- Analytical abilities required to comprehend detailed instructions in order to write programming code.
- Concentration required to work at a computer for extended periods of time, writing lines of code.
- Must be detail-oriented in order to thoroughly analyze the program they write, as a minor error can have a large impact on the entire computer program.
- Troubleshooting and debugging abilities are required to check the code for faults and correct any that are discovered.
- Establish valuable and effective connections within a team or alone with relationship management.
Now that we have covered and discussed all the major skills you need to look out for when hiring COBOL programmers, all you need is a company that can help you recruit expert IBM iSeries COBOL programmers.
However, there are a thing or two that still need to be addressed:
- Why is COBOL important?
- Why are companies looking for COBOL programmers?
Importance of COBOL
COBOL has been around for 60 years, but that doesn’t imply that its demand has decreased over time.
COBOL programmers are still in high demand in information technology firms, government organizations, banks, and a variety of other industries.
COBOL’s flexibility and portability proved so helpful that it has controlled much of the software development requirements for government and corporations, as well as data processing, since the early 1960s.
As you should know, several large federal institutions rely on large-scale COBOL applications. Therefore, it is fair and logical to believe that the COBOL programming language is ubiquitous. Thus, it’s beneficial to comprehend what COBOL is, what a COBOL programmer does, and how they accomplish their tasks.
Demand for IBM COBOL Programmers
Several firms worldwide continue to use COBOL, a programming language that is 6 decades old, on their mainframe systems, which include critical unemployment claims structures.
Kansas, for instance, was already modernizing COBOL when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, and as a result, the state is still running on obsolete technology. Connecticut has recently acknowledged that it is having difficulty processing mounting unemployment claims on its 4-decade-old COBOL system.
New York, California, and Pennsylvania are also still using COBOL mainframe systems that are decades old.
In 2008, then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed paying minimum-wage checks to 200,000 state employees. However, the state’s controller advised him that it would take at least six months to redesign the state’s COBOL-based payroll system if that goal was to be met.
For years, several COBOL-based software applications haven’t been updated or touched. Therefore, the increased requirements and demands have resulted in new requests for IBM COBOL programmers to come in and quickly perform upgrades.
So yes, if you are looking for COBOL programmers, you are certainly in the right direction.
How Can Integrative Systems Help?
Integrative Systems only goal as an AS400 development company is to help you achieve your goals by providing you with unmatched AS400 software solutions.
We have been in this industry for over two decades and are an IBM silver business partner, so you can put your faith in us working on AS400 programs of any size, type, or complexity.
With over 25 years of software application development experience, we have delivered over 200 AS400 projects and have over 100 AS400 developers onboard for projects.
Our skill set includes the following:
- COBOL
- RPGLE
- CLLE
- SQL
- AS/SET
- J2EE
- WebSphere
- XML
- JAVA
- Domino/Notes
Our IBM COBOL developers have extensive experience in COBOL application maintenance and migration. They are capable of designing and developing COBOL software programs for a variety of operating systems. Our programmers can also upgrade obsolete COBOL software interfaces and improve security mechanisms.
If you are looking for COBOL programmers or IBM support services, contact us at [email protected]. We will get back to you in a matter of 2-3 days to provide you with software solutions of the best quality.
