How to Become a Scrum Master
Learn more about how to enter this in-demand, fulfilling and lucrative career.
Scrum masters act as facilitators and coaches for scrum teams, helping them to improve their processes and increase their productivity. They also serve as a liaison between the team and other stakeholders, helping to ensure that the team's work aligns with the organization's goals. Additionally, scrum masters often play a crucial role in fostering a positive and collaborative team culture. If you have a passion for project management, problem-solving, and team leadership, read on to learn how to become a scrum master.
The increased adoption of agile methodologies has led to a growing demand for professionals with scrum master skills and certifications. As a scrum master, you can find jobs in virtually any industry because “scrum” is a flexible framework that can be applied to many different types of projects, regardless of the sector.
However, some have more opportunities than others, such as the tech industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that computer and information systems management jobs, including scrum masters, will grow 16% within the next decade, which is much faster than average.
Let’s look at some details of how to become a scrum master, including what the job involves, required certifications and earning potential.
What is Scrum?
Scrum is a widely used agile framework for managing and completing complex projects. It's a collaborative way for a team to get work done in small increments, tweaking and refining each stage as needed.
The term scrum was first introduced in the late 1990s, inspired by the sport of rugby. Rugby teams form a scrum to work together to move the ball forward. In the professional context, the scrum team comprises a product owner, a scrum master, and developers who help move the product forward. And so, the scrum master meaning derives from this idea.
What Does a Scrum Master Do?
Now you know what a scrum is, you may be wondering, "What is a scrum master?" The position of a scrum master is to ensure that the team adheres to scrum principles and practices and helps the team to improve its processes.
Scrum master responsibilities typically include:
- Ensuring the team follows scrum principles and practices, such as holding daily scrum meetings and sprint (short work cycles) planning, review, and retrospective meetings.
- Acting as a facilitator for the team, helping the team to self-organize, self-manage, and make decisions.
- Removing any obstacles blocking the team's progress and protecting the team from external interruptions.
- Coaching the team on how to use scrum and agile practices effectively.
- Facilitating communication and collaboration between the team and stakeholders, such as the product owner and other development teams.
- Ensuring the team delivers a potentially releasable product increment at the end of each sprint.
- Keeping the stakeholders informed about the team's progress and helping them to understand the benefits of using scrum.
- Helping to foster a culture of continuous improvement within the team.
So, what techniques could the scrum master use to guarantee a successful outcome for the team? Many strategies and essential skills are involved, such as conflict resolution, empowerment, motivation, leadership, problem-solving and strong communication.
To learn more about what the job entails, see our sample scrum master job description.
Scrum Master Vs. Project Manager
Scrum masters work exclusively on scrum projects and with scrum teams, whereas project managers can work on any project, including agile or waterfall. While both roles are essential for a project's success, they have different responsibilities and focus areas. While a scrum master's primary focus is ensuring a project team is successful, project managers deal with the logistics of making a project work, like budgeting and risk management.
How to Become a Scrum Master
Though not always a requirement, many companies prefer candidates with a bachelor's degree in business administration, information technology, or a related field. If you want to know how to become a scrum master with no experience, here are some steps to take to help secure your first scrum master role:
- Read the Scrum Guide and attend scrum master training courses so that you can understand the scrum framework and its principles.
- Obtain a scrum master certification, such as the Scrum Alliance's Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or Scrum.org's Professional ScrumMaster (PSM). These certifications typically require passing an exam and may have prerequisites such as a certain amount of experience working with scrum. Depending on the provider, the scrum master certification cost can range from $400 to $2,000.
- Get practical experience working on scrum teams. This will help you understand how scrum is applied in real-world situations and allow you to apply what you have learned in training.
- Continue learning and growing as a scrum master by attending workshops, conferences, and other professional development opportunities.
- Network with other scrum masters and agile professionals to learn from their experiences and best practices.
How Much Do Scrum Masters Make?
Your scrum master salary will vary based on your location and level of experience. An entry-level scrum master salary will naturally be much less than a certified scrum master salary. The median salary for a general project manager, which is a similar role, is $85,037 per year. However, specialized roles such as IT project managers can earn around $97,221.
Use Monster's Salary Tool to find out what you can make in your area. You'll also see salaries for similar jobs, plus the skills you need to increase your value as an applicant.
How to Find Scrum Master Jobs
Now that you've learned how to become a scrum master start applying for scrum master jobs on Monster. First, you'll need to make sure you have an updated scrum master resume ready to send out. Remember to customize your cover letter for each job application and detail why you are the perfect candidate.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the top five states for finding project management jobs that include scrum master roles are:
The top five metro areas employing scrum masters are:
Get a Step Ahead in Your Search for Scrum Master Jobs
Now that you know how to become a scrum master, take the next step in your career journey by creating your free profile on Monster today. Upload your resume so recruiters can easily find you online. We'll also send you fresh job postings to match you with the most suitable employer in your field, along with expert career advice and insights.