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Scrum Master
Project management

How to become a Scrum Master

What does a Scrum Master do?

Will the real Scrum Masters please stand up?

Scrum Masters promote and facilitate the Scrum management methodology, overseeing the work carried out within a business and helping improve overall productivity.

Scrum is part of the Agile movement, and aims to add structure to a company’s output. Some common practices a Scrum Master might implement include daily stand-ups to talk about the work being carried out, sprints, burn down charts and retrospectives.

Typical duties for a Scrum Master could include:

  • Coaching employees to get the best out of them
  • Facilitating daily stand-ups
  • Improving overall team environment
  • Removing barriers and impediments
  • Educating people on the Scrum framework
  • Helping implement and encourage organisational change

Is a career as a Scrum Master right for me?

Aside from an in-depth knowledge of the Scrum framework, it will take excellent organisational and problem solving skills to become a Scrum Master.

As well as being a facilitator, at times you’ll often have to act as more of a mediator, ironing out any issues that arise between the team. As such, patience and objectivity will be similarly key to your success – not to mention the success of the organisation.

A complete immunity to post-it notes will also be a distinct advantage…

Other key skills for a Scrum Master could include:

  • Confidence
  • Enthusiasm
  • Tact
  • Attention to detail
  • The ability to work well under pressure
  • Excellent interpersonal skills

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Career progression and salary expectations for a Scrum Master

1

Junior Scrum Master

| Up to £35,000
2

Scrum Master

| Up to £50,000
3

Agile Coach

| Up to £70,000

Get qualified as a Scrum Master

You won't always need formal qualifications to become a Scrum Master, but certifications from recognised organisations such as the Scrum Alliance or Scrum.org can be beneficial. Popular certifications include Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) and Professional Scrum Master (PSM). These certifications typically involve attending training courses and passing an exam to demonstrate understanding of Scrum principles, roles, and practices.

Recommended Scrum Master courses

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    £1,199

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What's it like to be a Scrum Master?

"I was working as a Junior Developer when Scrum got rolled out in my company, and instantly, I was hooked. I’ve always been pretty process-driven, and I loved how sprints put direct timescales on the work we were doing. After doing a little research and training, I moved into a Junior Scrum Master position, and haven’t looked back since. My advice for anyone looking to get into the industry would be to observe a Scrum team for a few sprints, really see what makes the Scrum Master tick, and get involved in meet-ups. Even when you start, it might take you a while to get up to speed, but failure is just another way to learn."

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