Hiring a Scrum Master is hard

Hiring a Scrum Master is hard. Not because the role is rare—there are plenty of CVs with “Scrum Master” slapped on them—but because too many organisations still don’t know what they actually need.

A Scrum Master isn’t a project manager with a fancy title. They’re accountable for the effectiveness of the Scrum Team, which means they need a deep understanding of Scrum as a social technology and how it enables adaptive solutions.

Do they need to be technical? Not necessarily, but likely. They need to understand what effective looks like in your business and technical domain. A Scrum Master who can’t speak the language of your teams won’t be much use when it comes to removing impediments, coaching the team, and driving organisational change.

A certification isn’t a guarantee of competence, but it’s a decent starting point. If someone isn’t willing to spend $200 on a PSM I or $250 on a PSM II to validate their knowledge, what does that say about their commitment?

If you want a Scrum Master who makes a difference, stop looking for someone to “run stand-ups” and start looking for someone who challenges assumptions, coaches teams, and ensures delivery of real value.

Hiring? Or struggling to define what a Scrum Master should do?