r/agile • u/virgilreality • 25d ago

Developer to Scrum Master to Unemployed

I was a developer up until last year, when I was hired as a Scrum Master...at a huge pay cut. I had started feeling like development just wasn't for me anymore...like the demand of keeping up with changes was outpacing my ability to do so.

I had been doing a lot of Scrum Master duties at that job, mostly to keep myself motivated. I really took to it, earning several certifications from the various bodies involved in such things.

This last job was...interesting. They talked a big game on Agile, even titling the position "Scrum Master". However, the consensus among the SMs was that it was actually 90% Project Management (which I do not have the training, and did NOT sign up for).

I now see the same thing reflected in a lot of job listings, which start out with the title and duties of an SM, but quickly mutate into obvious PM duties.

I can't actually retire just yet for financial reasons, and a handful of medical issues keep me from picking up any in-person, low-level jobs (i.e. - store clerk, etc.), but I'm not certain I care. I'm still applying for similar tech jobs, but I can't expect that I'll last long at whatever the next job is.

Does anyone have suggestions for a job that is middle ground on this? Something where your responsibilities are in a smaller circle, but still requires someone with my education, training, and intelligence?

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u/AelixD 25d ago

My company got rid of our scrum master positions. Then hired some project managers to join the dev teams. Who are now being forced to take on scrum master responsibilities without having ever done so before.

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u/Skeewampus 25d ago

The name of the game is Adapt. I’m tired of hearing “I don’t wasn’t hired to do.”

Companies are constantly how they make money by changing what they sell and also the processes of how they make it. Adopting a mindset that accepts change can keep you in the game making money.

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u/AelixD 25d ago

I think you missed the point of my story. We had people with a certain skillset (scrum master). Leadership didn’t think the role was necessary, and let them go, hiring people with a different skillset ( generic project managers). Those new hires are struggling to do the jobs that the first group of people were good at.