Looking for a job as an agile coach or a scrum master this year?
I know it might feel like it became harder than ever to get this kind of job. And you’d be right, it did become harder!
But, you’ve come to the right place, friend. Not only am I a professional agile coach, but I also run a private coaching practice, and half of my 1:1 beautiful, successful clients happen to be leaders in the agile space. And I have a ton of insights to share with you to help you learn how to get a get a job as a scrum master or agile coach.
Including a mini-guide on getting the most out of your networking skills when looking for a job!
So, because knowledge is power, to maximize your ability to get a job in the agile leadership space this year, we’ll break down the problem, the context, and the opportunities ahead of you.
Rather watch a video than read? Check out my Youtube video on this topic:
The Problem
What is the problem, exactly?
Simply put, you want a job as an agile coach in 2024. Yet, so many major companies have just come from massive layoffs, a recession seems to be approaching, and you may or may not have one of those agile certifications.
Let’s be real, the recession is a bummer, but the Tech layoffs are normal. I don’t want you to stress over them. Sadly, they happen every now and again in big numbers for Google, Microsoft, and the likes. And they are not happening because of agile.
If you want to gain more insights on this, read my blog post on this subject here.
The Context
If we move to the context though, there are less job opportunities in available in general. But that’s not all. Companies got LEANER. They are dealing with complexity and speed of change in a way that we’ve never seen before.
And because of that, the state of agile got elevated and so are the expectations around the roles of Agile Coaches and Scrum Masters. Knowledge of frameworks is not sufficient and hard skills in management, as well as in a number of soft skills are now a necessity. Way more than certifications in fact.
What you may not have considered though is that while highly competitive, the market is full of hidden opportunities. You just need to work differently to get to them.
So, let’s dive in and talk about the opportunities available and how to get a job as an agile coach or scrum master.
The opportunities
The opportunities start with a choice.
That’s right, how cool is that that even in tougher times you get to choose your own adventure?
The main choice you are faced with is do you want a job that has a title like Agile Coach or Scrum Master or are you content to hold agile leadership responsibilities?
One is not better than the other and I won’t judge your choices. BUT… acknowledge the opportunities are then different. And you must proceed accordingly.
If the title matters to you
If you want to become an agile coach or scrum master, you can either go the consultant route or internal coach. What’s the difference?
The consultant
That’s what I do. I work as an external coach for different clients and teams, from a few days to a few months. Sometimes even longer. But it means constant change. You need to be flexible and adaptable. There is a big market if you have experience, because consultants are hired at expert hourly rates. The expectations are high!
The internal coach
There are still many organizations that hire Agile Coaches and Scrum Masters as employees. They just don’t have 10 job openings at once. Also, many of the hiring companies are not the big names you may think of. They are smaller companies that need help in becoming more agile, many of them not even worried about frameworks whatsoever. Which is good news.
Where do you find job positions?
Job sites
Indeed.ca, Glassdoor, even LinkedIn. Sure, use those. They work. Just know…. It’s you and everybody else on the planet. Still valid though. And as you go there, notice the names of companies you may have never heard of before. These are naturally the companies not many folks apply to, yet some of them are highly remarkable and specialized in their domain. Which could be a fantastic opportunity for you.
Company sites
If you look down the list, you see the websites of the companies themselves. Whenever possible, I think those are your best bet. You skip the noise of aggregators and in many times when you find the company on LinkedIn, you click “APPLY” and it just takes to the company website any way.
The other cool thing about applying directly in the company’s website is that many allow to apply even if no position is open now. You can get a call later when you least expect it!
Professional associations
Make the most of your professional associations, whether you are an engineer, in health, someone in IT. Some are well known, like the PMI, but others are more hidden, like the AQIII.
Start with the ones that make sense for you professionally. Be part of them because yes, they advertise opportunities online, but sometimes they keep an internal list of jobs and gigs. And it’s only for members of the association.
The example I can personally give here is the AQIII (which I’m part of). It’s only for consultants in IT in Quebec. Very specific. The more specific the better. You’ll be a better fit for the opportunities this way.
Career fairs and networking
Now, in person and online career fairs and organic networking are very much alive. Very few people take advantage of this way of creating job opportunities as an agile coach. And the reason why they don’t… is because many, many people have no clue what networking truly is.
So, let’s take a quick look at my “mini guide” for networking.
Mini-guide for proper networking
What is networking? Definitely not just bugging people and asking for favors. It’s not aimless small chat either.
Networking is a proactive tactic for professional relationship building. So, it’s not something to do when you are desperate for a job. You have to do it before you need one.
Why? Because of the #1 rule of networking:
GIVE VALUE BEFORE YOU RECEIVE OR ASK FOR ANYTHING.
By the time you want to ask, my friend, you better had given a ton of value. You have to earn your ask.
So, networking 101:
- Invite your connection in person or online. Suggest something brief. It has to be 30 minutes or less. 15 to 20 minutes is a sweet spot. You have to learn to be economic with time. If you find it awkward, simply do it anyway. Consider it good practice. If you want a chance at working as agile coach or similar, people and interactions must become your second nature.
- THEN, be aware that this chat is a gift! People are giving you their valuable time. It’s a scarce resource. Show up on time. I do get people not showing up for sessions they schedule with me. Not even cancelling, not a word. You know what happens next? They go to a not so special place on my list. They wasted my time and took space on my calendar! Yep, I judge and I’m not alone. EVERYBODY is judging you. Create a good impression and don’t be a no show.
- Now, you show up… and then what? Well, do your homework about the person, about their company beforehand. And have an AGENDA. What do you want to say to this person? What do you want to gift them with? What are the questions you want to ask? Are you just reconnecting? Is it a first chat? Are you going to ask for an opportunity in this call? A good rule of thumb _if such a thing exists _ don’t ask for a job until you had a good 3 interactions with this person. Remember, VALUE first.
- Bonus tip? Learn the person style so you can match it. What do I mean by this? If they are direct, be straight to the point. Can you say things in less words? If the person is a family person, ask about their family. Do they love their pet? Ask about the pet name. So long as you remember it’s a human being in front of you and your only job is to connect… it really becomes simple.
So I guess that shows you how networking can’t be like those annoying things like you open your LinkedIn account and RANDOM PERSON just sent you a brief message with their resume. People are not at your service.
If the title doesn’t matter to you
When the specific job title doesn’t matter to you, a world of opportunities opens up. Remember, a while back things like agile coach, Youtuber or social media manager didn’t exist as profession. They ended up being invented. And many other professions like director or manager have existed for a long time, but the demands have changed.
All that to say… the opportunity is where you are.
So, my FIRST TIP is to…
Look for the word manager
It’s the easiest way to find interesting jobs if you are looking outside of your current company.
Manager, change manager, project manager. They all count. Read the descriptions. They are as varied as they come, which is great news. But they are a great bet for you to find a next job where you’ll be asked to improve the flow of work, to help people adopt change, to negotiate priorities and many more fundamentals of good, simple agile.
Solve a real problem
That’s the final tip and I hope you appreciate it as much as I do. We sometimes look far and wide and ignore what’s right in front of us. Well, you know your company, the departments, the problems. You should be networking inside of it , by the way.
If you are looking for the opportunity to lead agile change without scaring people with new roles and names, that’s actually your best bet! It’s one of the easiest and most comfortable options… that most people are not doing!
Internal opportunities get created, my friend. So long as you are getting curious and noticing what seem to be problems, you can start suggesting ideas to solve it. You should be even as bold as to eventually nominate yourself to go after certain solutions. Probe and ask first _of course_ but be proactive.
In fact, intrapreneurship is a big unexplored potential for many employees who want to drive innovation and change in organizations, yet don’t feel like they want the troubles of running their own company.
In conclusion
While the market is very different this year when compared to the early days of the pandemic, opportunities to coach and support agile in organizations are plenty.
The roles got elevated and the problems to solve, more interesting! You can gain more insights about the specifics skills that are needed for these roles in this post.
While we are all used to technology, social media and virtual connections, connecting more personally with your network, talking to potential employers and humanizing your job search and career growth will be your best bet for 2024 and beyond in the realm of agile leadership and coaching.
Good luck and happy job seeking!
Upgrade your career and potential! We can help you coach and lead joyful, productive, agile teams and drive results in your organizations, no matter your background or your industry.
