In March 2021, I was conversing with a CTO of a
Product based company. He asked me a question that if it was worth employing a
Scrum Master. We discussed the topic by exchanging opinions, and I explained my
viewpoint.
Through discussion, another question came up. The
question was, how do we create the career roadmap of a Scrum Master? Is it
truly worth it to become a master? How can we address this doubt? Certain
factors like slow economic recovery and stuck wages are essential in the said
matter. But in my opinion, the answer is straightforward. It is not a
crystal-clear process to design one’s career when lasting fulfilment is a
target. My advice and viewpoint are as follows regarding the worthiness
of the professional scrum master career path.
Seek
satisfaction and expertise
How can we determine the value of our work as a
Scrum Master and Coach? For addressing the question, I need to tell you my
experience as a Scrum Master when I started my career as a Scrum Master in
2013.
My approach was to ask myself if I can create a
positive and long-lasting impact on the concerned team or organisation. I was
not into making a short-lived impact. My mentoring aspects would have been
negative if applied as a short-term one. How did I recognise if the impact that
I created was long-lived? There is no direct answer. You would at least require
three different organisations, four identical teams, and a total of three to
four years of experience, to quote the least.
Treat your
career course as a trial
In my opinion, those people who try to find a
meaningful purpose in their successful careers have an experimental approach.
You need to find quicker ways to confirm your career
hypothesis to reach a fulfilling level. It is unnecessary to join a new job in
a new industry to identify if it suits you. The first concrete step towards
finding it is to have the will to experiment with different opportunities in
your existing company. Be straightforward and determined to ask your employer
about playing the role of a Scrum Master of the concerned team. Seize the
opportunity to learn more about the line of work and research online. Take up
voluntary projects and engage in conversations to learn more. Joining a
community would help you see the glimpse of promising lands.
Asking a Coach
or Mentor
Do not undervalue a mentor’s power in any way. For
example, when I first took my career decisions, I knew I required expert
assistance. Thus, I went on to learn better by connecting to the mentors.
If the mentor is an expert, you will attain valuable
guidance to boost your confidence level. Additionally, several studies on this
profession validate this fact:
Glassdoor provides specific predictions with the
recently released report, 50 Best Jobs in America for 2021. The report says
that Scrum Master is one of the best careers to consider, for which they ranked
it at the 40th position among the top fifty jobs.
40th position:
Scrum Master:
·
Rating for job
satisfaction: 4
·
No. of job
openings: 2331
·
Median Basic
Salary: $105,000
To specifically comprehend India’s career
opportunities, you should know that there are 843 jobs listed on Glassdoor. The
stated update is valid at the time of writing the article(July 2021).
Bonus
LinkedIn Data Reports claim that the Job role of
Scrum Master is one of the most Promising careers in 2019.
Trust me, that finding the career of your dreams is
not at all an easy task. The path that follows in finding the dream job is a
bit scary. I can vouch for it from my experience. But keep in mind that you
should not back out from the process for the scare factors. A frightening
process does not imply its unworthiness.
Avoid Rushing
Consider the time that you will spend in your work
in hours. It is 90,000 hours in a lifetime for an average person. Thus, you
only have to ensure that the time you spend is worth it. It should align with
your talent, values, and passion. Only then can you achieve a promising career.
You have the
right tools and power to reach that place, so why
should anyone else decide on the worthiness of the chosen career? If you are
ready for it, get started now!
I have shared my perspective, and I am sure it is
worth it to become a Scrum Master. What are your thoughts? Would you please
share in the comments?
About Author
Venkatesh Rajamani has more than 15 years of
experience delivering working software in short, feedback-driven cycles. He
loves to humanise workplaces. He founded tryScrum.com in 2018 to execute his
mission of Humanizing Organizations.
Resource: https://www.tryscrum.com/blogs/is-it-worth-it-to-become-a-scrum-master/
