I'm being promoted at work from an analyst position, but I'm being given the choice of either being a Scrum Master or an Agile project manager. Not sure which to take. My assumption is that the Scrum Master position will not have as much of a career path as a straight up project manager. I have never done either besides as a backup. Anyone have any experience with this?

I'm being promoted at work from an analyst position, but I'm being given the choice of either being a Scrum Master or an Agile project manager. Not sure which to take. My assumption is that the Scrum Master position will not have as much of a career path as a straight up project manager. I have never done either besides as a backup. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

I'm just starting to learn about these roles. If I'm not mistaken, isn't the project manager a higher position? Wouldn't they manage the Scrum Master?

I'm just starting to learn about these roles. If I'm not mistaken, isn't the project manager a higher position? Wouldn't they manage the Scrum Master?

 

 

It really depends on the organization. Where I work, the project managers are responsible for managing the project, not the people.

 

The Scrum Master is going to get into the nitty gritty with team, working in sprint planning, daily stand ups, running around removing impediments.

 

The project manager is going to take a higher, release level approach of managing the project. They may be responsible for removing impediments for the Scrum masters in a "Scrum of scrums".

 

But in terms of money and power, they're pretty similar roles.

Ah got it.

 

Nonetheless, if you want to work for an awesome company you should consider applying at REI. We're doing a ton of hiring in that space as we're taking on quite a few Agile streams in our development. They have awesome re-lo packages too.

 

Agile development is AWESOME and in my opinion is THE way for cutting edge software companies to develop.

 

 

For your questions: Depends is you want to be the go-between or on the actual dev team. The Scrum guy can have a better career path moving away from Dev into the business layer, but the Agile PM will be able to move up within Dev and also within other companies since that position is highly needed. Depends what you want to do.

In my experience, most people with a job title of or like "scrum master" are actually more project administrators - or meeting facilitators - than project managers. It is a thankless job and gives you less visibility to higher ups, and less upward mobility. That is, again, just in my experience. I'd go for the PM job if I were you.

 

Agile development is AWESOME and in my opinion is THE way for cutting edge software companies to develop.

 

 

For your questions: Depends is you want to be the go-between or on the actual dev team. The Scrum guy can have a better career path moving away from Dev into the business layer, but the Agile PM will be able to move up within Dev and also within other companies since that position is highly needed. Depends what you want to do.

 

 

You think so? One of my concerns is that no one seems to know what the real career path is for a scrum master. How do you think they could move into the business layer?

You think so? One of my concerns is that no one seems to know what the real career path is for a scrum master. How do you think they could move into the business layer?

It depends, they have more exposure to actual business sponsors generally and if you can self promote you can move into other areas. In some orgs though they are glorified meeting organizers.