Let me begin by congratulating you for securing the Scrum certification!
But I hope you realize that a certification simply validates your awareness about the guiding concepts and theories. It is not a living proof of your actual ability to bring those thoughts to life.
So, how do you build your knowledge and skill? What can you do before you land that Scrum Master role? This article briefly discusses actions that we all can take to further our career goals.
Reading
Reading might sound old fashioned to some in the world of social media and video content. But we have to agree that content is the key ("king"). So, it is for you to decide whether you choose to read a book, e-book or listen to an audio-book, but these are the ones that you mustn't overlook.
- The New New Product Development Game - by Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka (https://hbr.org/1986/01/the-new-new-product-development-game)
- Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by Jeff Sutherland (Author), J.J. Sutherland (Author)
- Scrum - A Pocket Guide Gunther Verheyen
- Scrum Mastery - Watts Geoff
- Software in 30 Days - by Ken Schwaber (Author), Jeff Sutherland (Author)
Finding a Mentor
Seek out a mentor. It has been my experience that Scrum Masters happen to be excellent mentors in their private lives as well. The problem is if you’re seeking them out solely for job referrals and job postings, you might face a challenge. But if your goal is to understand how to develop yourself, what courses to take, which ceritificates to acquire and which books to read, more often than not, you shall find yourself being guided in the right direction by your mentor.
Joining Agile Mentorship Program
Can’t find a Mentor, connect with an Agile Mentorship program. I am aware that major cities have Agile Mentorship groups that conduct workshops. With COVID everything has gone virtual, and so you might be able to participate in a program that is based out of a different city and a different country as well. Take advantage of joining a program that mentors and nurtures talent in this field.
Building a Network
Finally, try to build your network. This doesn’t only mean sending a LinkedIn request. Join a professional group on LinkedIn and be a part of the conversation. This is a dynamic field and every day new ideas and tools are coming up. These groups are a great place to stay on top of things.
What's Next? Setting a goal
What’s next? You completed Scrum certification, set your next goal. Which field are you planning to join? What knowledge area do you need to master to build your confidence and profile? Never stop growing. Always know where you’re going next. A job is simply incidental to your journey. Focus on setting your leanring goals that keep you motivated and pivot you forward.
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