Job hunting
As you might already know, I’ve been looking for a new coaching job for the past few months. Unfortunately that same time period has also seen a lot of tech companies laying people off, which means (a) more people competing for the same jobs, and (b) fewer jobs because those companies are no longer hiring. Sadly this means the majority of job postings are for banks/fintechs who require SAFe certification. (I agree with the majority of Agile’s founders that SAFe isn’t Agile – it’s a marketing tool that appeals to enterprises who want to say they’re agile whilst avoiding actually making any significant changes.)
The next largest group of job postings are ones with red flags in the job descriptions, e.g. those saying they want a scrum master or agile coach but actually describe a project management role; or the ones that focus on particular tools or maturity assessments; or those that talk require “experience training resources Agile project delivery” or in the “facilitation of expert resources” – now there’s a nice way to refer to your staff. I know I’m picky but I want to work with an organisation that I can help, not just collect a pay cheque from one that’s going through the motions.
So when I joined the Agile Alliance’s lean coffee session last week, I asked for any tips when job hunting especially for unearthing real agile companies. It was interesting to hear similar frustration with the job market from participants in the US and UK. Suggestions included applying regardless of the job title or description because they’re often misleading, especially if they’re not written by people close to the group who are actually trying to hire a scrum master / coach. I’m already connected with many agile community groups in the GTA, keeping an ear open for hints of an opportunity that might not make it to the big-name job sites. I wonder (but didn’t get a chance to ask) how often I can mention in those groups that I’m job hunting before it becomes annoying?
If you have any tips, and especially if you have any leads, then please drop me a line.
