How to Answer: Tell me about yourself.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Agile Scrum Master job interview.
2. Tell me about yourself.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question is often asked first in an interview. While your interviewer is genuinely interested to know more about you as a person, this question serves as an opportunity to learn more about your professional past in a conversational setting. Asking a candidate to introduce themself serves as an icebreaker to help calm nerves and set the stage for a successful interview.
Written by Karrie Day on May 11th, 2023
What to Avoid
Avoid focusing too much time on this question. Try to think of your response as an elevator pitch and stick to the highlights. Most interviews last between 30 and 60 minutes and it is important to reserve as much time as possible for answering questions that will convince your interviewer you are the right person for the job.
Also, it is important to avoid going into too much personal detail when answering this question. Interviewers will ask more about this area if they are interested, so it is best to stick to anything relevant to the Scrum Master role. (i.e. volunteer coaching or leadership experience outside of the workplace).
Finally, avoid a pure regurgitation of your resume. The most memorable candidates use this question as an opportunity to highlight impressive aspects of their background that are not included in their resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile.
Written by Karrie Day on May 11th, 2023
1st Answer Example
I began working as a software engineer seven years ago for an eCommerce company. I worked mostly on brand development projects for small to mid-size companies. Our teams followed a Scrum model loosely, and after researching Scrum in detail I felt there were significant improvement opportunities worth exploring.
I pursued my Scrum Master Certification three years ago and worked with three of our teams to tighten our estimation, analysis, development, testing, and implementation processes. The changes we made resulted in an average velocity increase of 22% and we are currently working to implement similar changes across the board.
I am pursuing a position within a larger enterprise at this time because I would like to take my skills to the next level. I am interested in a position that will allow me to collaborate regularly with other scrum masters and/or in a scaled agile framework setting.
Written by Karrie Day on May 11th, 2023
2nd Answer Example
I began my career as a financial analyst. I had the opportunity to partner with several of our enterprise applications teams on IT products and learned I enjoyed software development more than financial analysis. I transitioned into a product owner role six years ago and experienced Scrum first from that side of the process.
I then transitioned to the role of scrum master a year ago and I have really enjoyed it. I am able to leverage many of my analyst skills while working to review team metrics and improve processes. It also gives me an opportunity to further develop my leadership and communication skill sets.
On a personal note, I am a parent of two and I enjoy coaching their sports teams. I find volunteering with youth to be a fun, challenging, and rewarding way to continue to hone my leadership and team development skill set outside of the workplace.
Written by Karrie Day on May 11th, 2023
3rd Answer Example
I am a Certified Scrum Master with seven years of experience working in agile product development teams within the healthcare industry. I have served as the scrum master of two cross-functional teams for the last 18 months.
In addition to my scrum master expertise, I have an extensive background in user experience design and data analysis. I use both of these skill sets to add value to the coaching aspects of the scrum master role when working with product development teams.
I am currently seeking a role as a scrum master within a new industry. I have enjoyed my time in healthcare, but I would love to learn about other business models of operation while leveraging my product development process expertise in an agile setting. The opportunity to work here at XYZ company in the entertainment industry is exciting to me. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.
Written by Karrie Day on May 11th, 2023