Reply to: Analyst/Developer to ScrumMaster

[d000hg]

I can't believe anyone could describe themself as a "Scrum Master" while keeping a straight face, or without cringing.

[Cenobite]

I was a developer for years but after a few months on an agile project I started to market myself as an agile transformation expert and secured a big bump on the day rate.

I don't think this is just a blag. It's just a case of getting a little experience and building an opinion on the big picture stuff. The actual concrete things can be learnt in a few days.

Cheers matey, thanks for the advice. I'll keep plugging away at it!

[Kanye]

It's easy to position yourself for agile roles based on how you slant your CV, how you talk, and how you frame and sell your previous experience.

I was a developer for years but after a few months on an agile project I started to market myself as an agile transformation expert and secured a big bump on the day rate.

I don't think this is just a blag. It's just a case of getting a little experience and building an opinion on the big picture stuff. The actual concrete things can be learnt in a few days.

[Cenobite]

Remove Programmer from your CV Completly, any roles I get for BA's from a programmer background go in the bin (and im a ex programmer)

But why is that? I'd have thought a development background would be an advantage for a SM or BA. I've never worked with a non-technical BA who can nail down requirements particularly well.

[tarbera]

It is

I appreciate this is a bit of humour but I actually think it's this perception is why I'm not getting interviews. Last week when I told an agent that I had a development background, she couldn't put the phone down quick enough. Also then such agents want to talk about programming roles they can't fill that would be great for me that are, erm, paying a lot less. The whole thing almost feels like a conspiracy!

Remove Programmer from your CV Completly, any roles I get for BA's from a programmer background go in the bin (and im a ex programmer)

[Cenobite]

Its a Trick Question to suss out if your a programmer and not a real SM, the interviewer will ask about your partner in a friendly moment, when you say your GF is Xena or an operating system then your cover is blown

I appreciate this is a bit of humour but I actually think it's this perception is why I'm not getting interviews. Last week when I told an agent that I had a development background, she couldn't put the phone down quick enough. Also then such agents want to talk about programming roles they can't fill that would be great for me that are, erm, paying a lot less. The whole thing almost feels like a conspiracy!

[tarbera]

Trick Question

How do I pretend to have a girlfriend at the interview? And won't they wonder why I brought a girlfriend to the interview in the first place?

Its a Trick Question to suss out if your a programmer and not a real SM, the interviewer will ask about your partner in a friendly moment, when you say your GF is Xena or an operating system then your cover is blown

[riffpie]

Remove your beard, sandals and dilbert T-Shirt pretend to have a girlfriend at the interview, hold your nerve and say 'Agile' a lot - jobs yours

How do I pretend to have a girlfriend at the interview? And won't they wonder why I brought a girlfriend to the interview in the first place?

[Cenobite]

Remove your beard, sandals and dilbert T-Shirt pretend to have a girlfriend at the interview, hold your nerve and say 'Agile' a lot - jobs yours

Haha! Thing is I can't even get an interview. I don't look/sound like an egghead either.

[riffpie]

Already doing this: got one for development jobs, one for SM, one for traditional BA, one for Agile Analyst.



This is what I'm trying to tell the agents. When a SM initially comes in they'll probably spend a lot of time coaching the team, but as their Scrum process improves the need for the guidance reduces. This is when I can slide into the development team as a developer or analyst but this idea seems to bounce off most agents.

Which is why you don't bother trying to convince the agent of the finer details like this. Agents by and large suck massively at actually matching skills to roles, they're more along the lines of counting how many of the buzzwords the client gave them are on your CV. So satisfy that, get an interview *then* convince the client.

[Cenobite]

You only have to tell them the truth. Not the whole truth. And if they make a wrong assumption, that's up to them. Your goal is to get to the client and demonstrate that you are the chap for the gig.

I'm just not that used to dealing with agents these days: it's been three years since I've used one because I've been able to get development gigs by personal recommendation. The fact that I applied for one FTC SM direct and was offered an interview at least gives me hope. I just wish I could apply direct for the jobs I'm seeing!

[tarbera]

A/P to SM- Simple

Has anyone had any luck going from a developer to a ScrumMaster? Since I've worked on teams with rotating ScrumMaster duties, and not been a full-time SM, agents are giving me a hard time and I haven't had any interviews. (I'm applying for business analyst contracts with a similar lack of success).

I've never been an egghead and never even thought I'd go into programming until I learnt I was quite good at it in my second year of a CS degree. Before then I thought I would be a BA after the course.

I've got the Certified ScrumMaster certification (although that's no great shakes) and worked in a number of award-winning Agile teams. Even though the SM is not meant to be the PM, I have PM experience from early on in my career.

I think once upon a time there was a job called "programmer" and all you did was code. Now, that's been replaced with a job called "developer" (at much lower rates) where you do a bit of analysis, SM-duties, technical architecture, deployment, testing, etc. but none of this seems to help you when you want to get a job full-time in any of those other areas. I'll think carefully next time before taking on responsibilities which "will look good on my CV" because so far I can't get an interview outside development jobs. (I've been trying to get out of development contracts for the last three years unsuccessfully.)

I'm hoping it's just dumb agents who've got this attitude: I applied directly to just one fixed term SM contract, was offered an interview but declined when I learnt what an FTC was. Unfortunately, even that FTC's gone now.

So how do you get out of programming/development?

Remove your beard, sandals and dilbert T-Shirt pretend to have a girlfriend at the interview, hold your nerve and say 'Agile' a lot - jobs yours

[Cenobite]

Sounds to me like you need more than one version of your CV

Already doing this: got one for development jobs, one for SM, one for traditional BA, one for Agile Analyst.

Although I've never worked with a full-time scrum master who was any good. They just get obsessed with how to structure whiteboards and stuff.

This is what I'm trying to tell the agents. When a SM initially comes in they'll probably spend a lot of time coaching the team, but as their Scrum process improves the need for the guidance reduces. This is when I can slide into the development team as a developer or analyst but this idea seems to bounce off most agents.

[NotAllThere]

I think once upon a time there was a job called "programmer" and all you did was code

Yeah. And before then there was analyst programmer, who did analysis. It all ebbs and flows. I'm currently on an agile project (allegedly). It seems to work the same way as projects I worked on in the 90s. On to your problem:

Q. Have you worked as a ScrumMaster
A. Yes.

Whenever an agency asks if you have skill xyz for a role you're interested in, the only sensible answer is "yes". If you phrase your answer well enough, there's no need to lie. Dress your CV up so you look like an SM. Where you have PM experience, change the buzzwords so it sounds SM.

You only have to tell them the truth. Not the whole truth. And if they make a wrong assumption, that's up to them. Your goal is to get to the client and demonstrate that you are the chap for the gig.

[riffpie]

Has anyone had any luck going from a developer to a ScrumMaster? Since I've worked on teams with rotating ScrumMaster duties, and not been a full-time SM, agents are giving me a hard time and I haven't had any interviews. (I'm applying for business analyst contracts with a similar lack of success).

I've never been an egghead and never even thought I'd go into programming until I learnt I was quite good at it in my second year of a CS degree. Before then I thought I would be a BA after the course.

I've got the Certified ScrumMaster certification (although that's no great shakes) and worked in a number of award-winning Agile teams. Even though the SM is not meant to be the PM, I have PM experience from early on in my career.

I think once upon a time there was a job called "programmer" and all you did was code. Now, that's been replaced with a job called "developer" (at much lower rates) where you do a bit of analysis, SM-duties, technical architecture, deployment, testing, etc. but none of this seems to help you when you want to get a job full-time in any of those other areas. I'll think carefully next time before taking on responsibilities which "will look good on my CV" because so far I can't get an interview outside development jobs. (I've been trying to get out of development contracts for the last three years unsuccessfully.)

I'm hoping it's just dumb agents who've got this attitude: I applied directly to just one fixed term SM contract, was offered an interview but declined when I learnt what an FTC was. Unfortunately, even that FTC's gone now.

So how do you get out of programming/development?

Sounds to me like you need more than one version of your CV, and to focus it more on what you did in previous gigs, rather than what your job title was. If you think you've got the experience to be a full time SM, shouldn't be too difficult to persuade an interviewer. All you need to do is get it past the agent and HR drones, which is where tuning your CV comes in.

Although I've never worked with a full-time scrum master who was any good. They just get obsessed with how to structure whiteboards and stuff.