Building a Scrum Master resume from scratch and writing a cover letter can be overwhelming. These Scrum Master resume templates have been designed to help you land an interview in 2024, no matter where you are in your career.
The hardest part is getting started writing your resume. These resumes have helped Scrum Masters get interviews at companies like Zoom and Dropbox, so they’re a great place to start.
Why this resume works
- Again, whenever possible, tie your work experience to quantifiable metrics and tangible outcomes.
- As a scrum master, you know the importance of setting concrete goals and measuring against those goals. Demonstrate goal-setting when talking about your previous projects to quickly highlight that skill set.
- If you’re applying for a senior role, you want to show ownership over projects on which you’ve worked. You can do this by using action verbs like “led,” “improved,” and “organized” throughout your senior scrum master resume.
Why this resume works
- For entry-level Scrum Masters, talk about your internship experience if you have any, even if they’re not exactly for the role to which you’re applying. If this is the case, try to make the work experience seem relevant to the position you’re applying to based on the job description.
- In lieu of work experience, you can also talk about any projects you’ve worked on that potentially demonstrate your abilities as a Scrum Master.
- Whether they’re school projects, volunteer projects where you did product development, a project you undertook to scratch your itch, or even resume-relevant hobbies and interests, including these on your entry-level Scrum Master resume will make it clear that you’re comfortable taking the initiative and working in uncertainty.
Why this resume works
- As you gain experience, your resume may feel a little sparse. While it’s okay to include academic projects on your junior Scrum Master resume, be sure to include your most recent and relevant work experience first.
- Academic projects where you worked in simulated or real-world environments to put Scrum into practice can be a solid way to fill the page while you’re still building experience.
Why this resume works
- Again, whenever possible, tie your work experience to quantifiable metrics and tangible outcomes.
- As a scrum master, you know the importance of setting concrete goals and measuring against those goals. Demonstrate goal-setting when talking about your previous projects to quickly highlight that skill set.
- If you’re applying for a senior role, you want to show ownership over projects on which you’ve worked. You can do this by using action verbs like “led,” “improved,” and “organized” throughout your senior Scrum Master resume.
Why this resume works
- Picture Hanna, the hiring manager, staring down a pile of 200+ SAFe Scrum Master resumes. You might as well forget about that job if yours doesn’t grab her attention from the word go. Our favorite trick? Accent your greatest accomplishments like they are the main characters.
- Italicizing and bolding a phrase like, “automating 17 testing procedures and reducing deployment time by 41%,” for instance, is a great way to strut your stuff and prove you’re a worthy pick. And if italics aren’t your jam, underlining works just as well.
Why this resume works
- You’ve probably heard some people say that in the tech world, skills do the talking—true. But that’s not the whole story. Recruiters are also keeping an eye out for your educational prowess; the closer it aligns with their needs, the more likely they’ll be sliding into your inbox.
- Now, suppose you have a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the esteemed Georgia Institute of Technology. That should go straight into the EDUCATION part of your Azure DevOps Scrum Master resume, complete with the years you roamed those lecture halls.
Why this resume works
- If you’re transitioning into a DevOps Scrum Master role, you don’t necessarily need a career objective—but you do need to speak to skills needed in your DevOps Scrum Master resume.
- Maybe your last position wasn’t a DevOps role per se, but did you leverage DevOps tools and skills, such as Git, ELK Stack, or Terraform? See if you can show those skills in action in your work experience bullet points.
Why this resume works
- For scrum masters specifically, certifications can make a difference in determining whether you get an interview or not. You can be in the lead with your CSC certification.
- The skills section of your Agile scrum master resume should emphasize technical skills. Automated filters will use the resume skills section to weed out certain resumes based on keywords. These filters only screen for technical skills (not soft skills), which should be the emphasis in your “skills” section.
Why this resume works
- If you’re applying for a scrum master role looking for a specific certification or experience in the title of that job, be sure to include that as your resume title. So, if the role title is “CSM Scrum Master” and you have a CSM certification, then write your title as “CSM Scrum Master” for your CSM scrum master resume.
- Your skills section should not be a long laundry list. It’s much better to demonstrate mastery of a handful of skills than to include those of which you only have a passing knowledge. The rule of thumb is if you’d be comfortable being interviewed on a certain skill, you should include it in your skills section.
- Keep in mind that you’ll be able to dive into your expertise and specific skills a bit more in your Scrum Master cover letter.
Why this resume works
- Entry-level scrum master roles can be tricky to land. However, your application implementation scrum master resume can be an excellent way to display your breadth and depth of knowledge in all things scrum. Whenever possible, do your best to carve out your specific industry niche and seek corresponding certifications.
- Though related work experience is always preferred on your resume, entry-level candidates often share a common denominator: a light or nonexistent job history in their field.
- Prove your experience in product backlogging, sprint planning, sprint backlogging, and sprint reviewing/retrospectives through a well-designed project that actually demonstrates an effective scrum process.
- Whenever possible, however, show that you have real tangible experience at the beginner’s level and have an active interest in seeking higher, more specified positions.
Why this resume works
- The first thing recruiters will notice when reading your resume is whether the fundamental qualifications to perform the job adequately are present. In the scrum world, there are numerous certifications you can earn from various sources. However, the most recognized scrum certifications will be in accordance with precise guidelines.
- Writing a compelling resume summary can be difficult. However, once you have a target business in mind, superimposing the company mission and values onto your experience makes it much easier to highlight key aspects.
- Once a draft or two of a summary is written, assess your resume for industry best practices, spelling, and grammar using our free resume checker tool.
Related resume guides
Writing Your Scrum Master Resume
What is a scrum master? The scrum master is a professional leader who aids the team’s effectiveness and helps them reach defined goals. A good scrum master knows how to communicate with people, works well under pressure, and has excellent problem-solving skills. They also coach and share their knowledge so that the team works better.
Suppose you want to be successful in this industry; your resume matters! It should demonstrate excellent communication skills, adaptability, and knowledge of Agile methodologies.
Here are some pro tips for your resume:
Skills and the ATS:
When companies hire, they use the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). It’s designed to review your resume and score it accordingly. Because it identifies skills and keywords, it’s important to include relevant, job-description-focused abilities in your scrum master resume.
Formatting :
Make your resume easy to read. The ATS scans and filters anything too disjointed to digest. Also, if you want your piece to be read by a human before the ATS, ensure your resume looks professional.
Quantifying your impact:
Include data or examples of your work. This helps you get noticed by both the ATS and the hiring manager.
Customizing your resume to each scrum master job to which you apply:
- Customize your resume to each position for which you apply. Include the company’s name at the top and share what makes you a great fit for this particular job.
Steps a recruiter will potentially take to weed through scrum master resumes
- Recruiters may never see resumes lacking job-specific keywords, especially when the business uses an ATS. If you’re applying as a scrum master, use words like “Agile” and “scrum.”
- Hiring managers might dismiss resumes that don’t address the scrum master job description. Try googling keywords to discover any additional related terms you can include so your resume isn’t discarded.
- A wordy resume is unappealing. Busy hiring directors will dump the burden of a heavy read.
- Avoid presenting a resume with flashy fonts and excessive color. Employers may “file” it if it doesn’t appear professional. Take advantage of our free resume templates to look ultra-polished!
Getting your scrum master skills section right
The skills section is important when applying for a position in your field. It’s the spot where you can highlight your uniqueness. Avoid simply writing a list of skills. Instead, explain how you’ve used those abilities. Our free resume skills guide can make this process easier! Don’t forget to include any relevant awards or memberships.
Here are skills specific to scrum masters:
- Communication
- Communicating clearly and effectively with teams is signature scrum master
- Interpersonal skills
- Scrum masters relate tactfully and can manage stressful situations and deadlines
- Leadership
- Scrum masters are excellent coaches who enjoy teaching others
- Familiarity with Agile methodology
- Scrum masters have expert knowledge of Agile and flexible processes
- Technical familiarity
- Expertise in applications or services using scrum methodologies (Agile, scrum) is standard
- Software knowledge
- Proficiency using Jira and Atlassian tools (JIRA Software, Confluence, HipChat) is also requisite for scrum masters
Ensure your scrum master resume format is on point
A computer will grade your piece for keywords and resume format. Ensure the formatting matches the recruiter’s requirements, or you won’t get past their applicant tracking system (ATS). If this process sounds challenging, our free resume checker tool can help!
Your scrum master resume should, therefore:
- Be one page:
- Utilize bullet points:
- When it comes to your scrum master resume, bullet points are the way to go. Recruiters like to scan and digest pertinent information quickly and concisely. Bullet points enable quick reading.
- Avoid icons/images:
- Icons and images have no place on a professional resume. A picture of you smiling in a suit won’t get you the job.
- List the position’s title you’re seeking:
- Include the position title (Scrum Master) and ensure it’s bolded for easy visibility.
- Have no errors:
- Ensure your scrum master resume is error-free. Recruiters can smell an error a mile away, so typos could nix you from the shortlist.
- Determine if you need an objective/summary:
- Many professionals opt to have an “objective” or “summary.” The problem with these is that they can be too generic and therefore disregarded by employers.
Scrum master resume objectives and summaries
What is the difference between a summary and an objective?
A summary tells what your resume is and does. It describes your accomplishments to showcase 10+ years working in a specific field.
Objectives add value to a resume by emphasizing the important information needed for an employer to glimpse who you are and what you do. It should give them clear direction as to what they can expect when interviewing and hiring you. Consider adding an objective by leveraging ChatGPT for resume writing if you’re entry-level or have little experience.
Example of a job-specific, customized objective:
Experienced scrum master with a keen ability to understand and build complex systems. I focus relentlessly on removing impediments from teams and delivering customer-centric products and features. Eager to lead and collaborate with a new team at AT&T.
Example of an effective summary:
CSC certified scrum master with experience coaching teams in person and remotely. I have a track record of improving employee retention and satisfaction while delivering product features that customers love on time and under budget. Eager to join forces with a Google team.
Quantify your scrum master experience
It can be challenging to quantify what you’ve done as a scrum master. However, it’s critical for a hiring manager to understand your experience and its relation to the job description.
Metrics are easy to understand. For example: “Scrum master for 3 teams totaling 12 people with an average velocity of 20 points per sprint over six months” shares concrete successes. It’s also important to include all of your past scrum master experience, even if it only involved small teams or short-term projects. Don’t forget to list volunteer work! Hands-on experience via local meetups or organizations is a great way to develop your scrum master expertise.
Ways to quantify your impact as a scrum master:
- If you were a lead scrum master, you can provide numbers to show improvement in time-to-hire.
- Strengthen your resume by including detailed metrics.
- Quantify the number of scrum teams with which you’ve worked or are currently working.
- Include statistics related to project success rate and time spent between sprints.
- Describe projects you’ve worked on as a scrum master and the teams you’ve worked with, even if they were for a short duration.
- Use statistics or numbers to demonstrate ways you increased employee retention.
When writing bullet points, list statistics related to project success rate and time spent between sprints, when possible. Examples of strong scrum master bullet points with percentages, numbers, and profits are listed:
- Increased employee retention by 15% over the past year
- Reduced project time-to-completion from 12 weeks to less than 8, with a 0% decrease in quality standards by working with developers and QA teams of 50+
- Increased product value and revenue through improved cohesion between product managers, developers, QA teams, and the marketing division by 20%
Fine-tune your scrum master resume each time you submit a new job application
For every scrum master job to which you apply, you’ll need to craft your resume accordingly. Suppose you’re applying for a position requiring more than one year of experience, but your last three years were spent working as an operations manager at the local grocery store. In that case, you need to rethink how to present yourself. Customize your scrum master resume in the following ways:
The objective/summary:
- The objective/summary section is the first thing hiring managers see on your resume. Use either to explain why you’re applying for a particular position and highlight your suitability. Perhaps you’re changing careers.
- This is where to touch upon those details and provide employers with a quick, informative snapshot. Mention the company by name to let the hiring director know you’re not cranking out mass cookie-cutter resumes but have thoughtfully applied to their business.
Skills:
- Showcase your project management, leadership, time management, and technical experience in this section. If you’re light on experience or changing careers, highlight any related work and your best soft skills.
- List relevant proficiencies specific to working as a scrum master, especially hard skills such as knowledge of Agile, Scrum, JIRA, and User stories.
Experience:
- Include the names of companies you’ve worked for, any notable projects you were involved in, and your role in each (e.g., project manager).
Job description bullet points:
- Include a bulleted list of the requirements you met. Your aim is to make it as easy as possible for recruiters and hiring managers to find your resume in their databases. Try to include some of the employer’s desired skills on your resume.
- Remember to look for keywords in job ads and insert them when applicable.
Scrum master resume
How to customize your scrum master resume:
Education
- Add the schools and degrees you’ve earned toward the top of your resume.
Experience
- List your experience in bullet points, using metrics to quantify your achievements.
- Include an objective if you’re entry-level or light on experience.
Skills
- Include the length of time you’ve been a scrum master and relevant skills acquired.
- Highlight team sizes you’ve worked with and how many sprints you’ve completed.
Senior scrum master resume
How to customize your senior scrum master resume:
Experience
- The experience section of your senior scrum master resume should list bullet points of any relevant jobs, including internships or volunteer positions.
- Include experience that mirrors tasks that recruiters want and would expect from a senior scrum master candidate.
- Highlight any areas of in-depth or expert knowledge.
Skills
- Showcase your most impressive abilities relevant to the job for which you’re applying.
- For example, if you used scrum, Agile, or other project management tools, highlight these in bullet points to show hiring managers you’re qualified for the role.
Education
- List the schools and degrees you’ve earned. Include your bachelor’s or any other undergraduate degrees as well as your graduate(s).
- Include any relevant courses you’ve enrolled in to show hiring managers that your skills are cutting-edge.
Agile scrum master resume
How to customize your Agile scrum master resume:
Skills
- List your proficiencies from your current position, as well as previous one.
- Review the job description, identify, and list your relevant skills accordingly.
- Include hard and soft skills.
- Be concise in listing your skills, yet specific enough for a recruiter to quickly discover what you bring to the table.
Experience
- Include experience specific to your field such as Agile, scrum master (or other Agile certification), XP, DevOps tools like Chef or Puppet. Give the hiring manager a clear view of who you are and what value you can add to their team.
Education
- Include education from universities and any additional relevant coursework. However, the greater your experience and years as an Agile scrum master, the less prominent position your education will assume on your resume.
Entry-level scrum master resume
How to customize your entry-level scrum master resume:
Education
- As an entry-level scrum master applicant, you may not have any work experience, so your education can take a prominent position near the top of your resume.
- Consider incorporating an objective to let hiring managers know your goal and the value you can offer their business.
- Adding an objective also helps fill space on an otherwise light-on-experience resume.
Skills
- Showcase any applicable skills you’ve gained, whether in school, projects, or volunteer work, such as Agile development or other relevant experience.
Experience/Employment Descriptions
- Include your job title, company name, and location for each position held. List the dates you were employed. However, it’s unnecessary to include exact months of employment. If you recently worked for a firm that used scrum, have this information in your employment history.
- If you’ve been involved in scrum master work as a freelancer or in some other capacity, highlight that experience on your resume.
CSM scrum master resume
How to customize your CSM scrum master resume:
Education
- CSM scrum master resumes should include any education related to software development or project management. If you’ve completed a certification, list it on your resume as well.
Experience
- Your CSM scrum master resume needs more than just technical skills; Include relevant work experience directly related to the position for which you’re applying.
Certifications
- CSM scrum master resumes should list any project management certifications you’ve earned, such as the PMP or CAPM.
- Include any other certifications or awards relevant to your field.
Skills
- As a CSM, you’re certifiably high-end!
- Your CSM scrum master resume should display the edge you now have through certification. Highlight your advanced leadership, professionalism, and knowledge of scrum values like team performance and accountability.
The takeaway for your scrum master resume
Just like any other field, there are some things you can do to make your resume pop. The tips we’ve shared should help you set out on the right foot toward that interview! Remember, there is no “perfect” scrum master candidate. Hiring managers look for important scrum master standards like flexibility and adaptability to new situations. Display those abilities like a boss with a well-written, professional resume.
Congratulations on taking your resume seriously! We invite you to use our free resume checker, which allows you to upload your resume and assess it against our AI-powered tips. Our resume builder can also help you craft your best resume from scratch.
