How to Hire Great Scrum Masters

I was recently having a conversation with a brand new Scrum Master that has been struggling to find work. They just got their certification and were asking me how they can land their first Scrum Master job without any experience. They have applied with several organizations but have been turned down due to a “lack of experience.” I’ve known this person for about 10 years and if I could, I would hire them in a second. Here is why.

They care about people!

A Scrum Master’s first and foremost responsibility is to be a servant leader. You don’t need a certification and decades of experience to serve people. Just because a candidate hasn’t formally held the role before doesn’t mean you should write them off. You may be passing up some of the best humans to have ever walked the planet!

Look for candidates that have a history of serving their teammates and communities. Search for ones that are humble. Find the candidates that have a track record of listening to others and are collaborative. Hire ones that have empathy for people, are prone to take action, and will be influential in your organization. Simply put, hire people that care about other people!

…and if they happen to have a Scrum Master certification, that’s nice too.