Scrum Master CV Example & Writing Guide

Scrum masters ensure their teams and organisations understand the theory and practice of scrum, part of the Agile framework. 

Per the Agile Alliance, a Scrum Master is responsible for fostering a strong working environment, removing roadblocks and distractions, and ensuring the team works together well. 

A strong Scrum Master CV will promote these skills and get you noticed by recruiters and hiring managers. 

CV guide for a Scrum Master CV

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This CV guide and corresponding Scrum Master CV example will cover the following:

• How to write a Scrum Master CV
• Choosing the right Scrum Master CV format
• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your Scrum Master experience
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Picking the right CV design/layout
• What the Scrum Master market looks like and what salary you can expect

How to write a Scrum Master CV

The very first step in writing an impactful Scrum Master CV is understanding which sections to include. Your CV should contain the following elements:

• The CV header
• The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The CV skills section
• The education section

Just like a Scrum Master ensures a team works together cohesively, you’ll want to be sure your CV pulls together the relevant information for maximum effectiveness. Start by gathering the requirements, which in this case aren’t technical spec or business needs but instead the details of the job. Identify the organisation’s needs then use that information to convey how you’re the right person to fill those needs.

The best way to do this is by sticking to this formula:

• Highlight accomplishments, not just responsibilities. Anyone can detail the tasks they were assigned, but not everyone has the track record of achievement that you do. Make it clear what you accomplished in your past roles and what value you brought to past employers.
• Adapt your CV for each new job. Try to adjust your style and tone to that of the company in the same way you adjust your approach based on the team you’re interacting with.
• Convey a professional image with a CV template that is organised and streamlined without being overly formal or stuffy.

Choosing the right CV format for a Scrum Master

A Scrum Master needs a CV that will present information effectively, efficiently, and clearly. 

This means the best format is likely the reverse chronological format. This means your CV’s work experience section will begin with your current or most recent job and work backwards from there. 

If you’re new to the field or making a career change, there are other formats that may work well. One of these is the functional or skills-based format, which puts more emphasis on your skills and traits than on your specific work history. 

Explore our CV builder, which includes many CV templates you can peruse. Choose the one that best suits your situation; you can see them in action by reviewing our CV examples. 

When it comes to design, a Scrum Master CV should use a clean, clear, professional layout.

Include your contact information

Scrum masters know that details are key. It’s no different when it comes to your CV. Your CV’s header should provide the pertinent information a recruiter or hiring manager needs to know: whose CV they’re reading and how to get in touch for an interview.

This information should be easily accessible and presented professionally. Include the following:

• Full name & title. You should list your first and last name, and you can use the title of the role you are pursuing.
• Professional email address. Use a clean format like [email protected] — not a quirky or unprofessional email address.
• Phone number. List a number where you can be readily contacted, with a professional voicemail greeting and a voicemail box that isn’t full.
• Location. List only your city and country, not your street address or post code. That’s both outdated and unsafe. Note 'Willing to Relocate' here if applicable.
• LinkedIn. If your LinkedIn profile is active and relevant, you can link to it here.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth: Not necessary and could potentially lead to age discrimination.
• Personal details: Marital status, parental status, passport number, etc.

Make use of a summary

Scrum masters need to be inspirational and motivational in their daily work. How can your CV reflect that? Start with your summary (also called a profile). While just 2-3 sentences long, this is the part of your CV that lets you do the most freeform writing and show some personality.

A well-crafted summary provides a glimpse into who you are and the talents you bring, not just a reiteration of your resume or a list of the tasks you’ve checked off. It should be full of action verbs and quantifiable achievements to truly paint the picture of your value.

Think of the summary as the place to demonstrate your unique value proposition to the employer. 

Looking for some inspiration? Check out our related CVs: 

You can find adaptable Scrum Master CV examples for the summary below:

Outline your Scrum Master work experience 

If you’re using the reverse chronological format, you’ll build this section by listing your current or most recent job first and working your way back to your earlier jobs. 

Don’t go back too far, however — your best bet is to include only the past 10-15 years. Anything older is likely less relevant. Keep the focus on experience that’s related to your desired position; if you have a varied background and want to include diverse experience, consider creating an “Other Experience” section. 

Underneath each employer heading, use succinct bullet point statements to detail your accomplishments and contributions. Be as specific as you can and use dynamic action verbs. 

Avoid listing job duties; instead, demonstrate tangible outcomes and impacts. For instance, bullets like the following may explain what a Scrum Master does, but do they really show what you can do?

• “Led projects with a technical team.”
• “Tracked and reported on project updates.”
• “Managed risks for projects.”

Here’s what they look like when you transform them with context, specificity, and results:

• “Led projects and fostered strong collaboration among a technical team of 15.”
• “Tracked project updates in Jira, managed tickets, and provided weekly status and success metric reports to C-level leadership.”
• “Drove risk management and mitigation, preventing negative customer impact.”

Take a look at the Scrum Master employment history CV sample below:

Include the relevant key skills that make you a great Scrum Master

There are a few ways to ensure your CV reflects your skills. One way is by creating a skills section on your CV. Here, you can include both hard and soft skills. 

Think of hard skills as those that are demonstrable and measurable, like expertise with a certain software (Jira or Confluence for example) or knowledge of specific project management frameworks (like Agile, of course). Soft skills, on the other hand, are those that show how you work, like communication skills or leadership abilities.

The CV builder offers pre-populated skills to add to your CV, and there’s also an option to add your own. Here’s what the skills box looks like in our Scrum Master CV template. 

The other way to show your skills on your CV is by using them to tell the story throughout all of the sections. Rather than simply listing skills as you do in the skills section, you can show your skills in action by adding specific examples and achievements in your summary and work history sections.

For example, you may highlight your:

• Leadership skills by describing your role on a team, how you coached or mentored others, or examples of when you took initiative
• Technical skills by documenting the software you used for particular projects or tasks
• Organisational skills by demonstrating how you led large-scale projects and kept track of many moving parts

If you’re unsure which skills are best to include, let the job description be your guide. 

Detail your education & relevant scrum certifications

Your CV’s education section is quite straightforward: simply list your academic achievements in reverse chronological order. If you’ve completed a university degree or anything higher, there’s no need to include secondary education. 

This section is also an excellent place to display certifications you’ve earned or training you’ve undergone. For example, 

• Scrum certifications. Chances are, most Scrum Masters have at least one of the following certifications: Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Professional Scrum Master (PSM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO), Certified Agile Leadership (CAL), or Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP).
• Other certifications: Don’t forget about certificates you’ve earned that aren’t directly under the Scrum umbrella. For example, if you’ve earned a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, that’s still quite relevant and should be included. Even certifications in frameworks other than Agile can be useful to show that you’re well-rounded and open to new things.
• Training: Maybe you’ve attended training courses that weren’t part of a certification but are still relevant, like training or webinars about project management or business. Or, if you’ve undergone any technical training — such as a coding or web development course — be sure to note it here.
• Professional development. Memberships in scrum-related organisations shows your commitment to the field and your interest in continuing to develop your skills. If you’re part of something like Agile Alliance, Scrum Alliance, Scrum.org, the Project Management Institute (PMI), or local UK-based Agile groups, add it here.
• Internships. If you’ve recently completed your schooling, there is value in displaying your internship experience, especially if it’s very relevant to the job.

Pick the right CV layout and design for a Scrum Master CV

Your Scrum Master CV should be streamlined and organised with a clear path forward, just like a well-built Jira board. It should quickly pique the reader’s interest and provide them with all the information they need to see how you could be a fit for the role. 

That means your design and layout should be clean, easy to read, and well put-together. Unless you’re applying to a particularly creative organisation, steer clear of flashy colours, fonts, or graphics. 

Instead, we recommend something that keeps the focus on the written content with the right balance of text and whitespace, clearly marked sections, and a modern font. 

Although it’s not always easy to properly craft your CV, there is help available. Check out our field-tested CV templates and let us handle the arduous formatting and design tasks for you.  

Scrum master text-only CV example

Scrum master job market and outlook

Scrum masters are in demand just as many other tech-focused positions are. Companies who employ agile methodologies have a need for Scrum Masters, and with the increasing adoption of agile comes a growing need for Scrum Masters.

According to Knowledgehut, the role of a Scrum Master is seen as a top emerging job and can be increasingly found across industries, not just in technology-focused companies.

It’s worth noting that there’s been much discussion in the past few years about changing the name Scrum Master to something with less of a master/slave connotation. Because of this, your search should include titles like Agile Lead, Scrum Lead, Scrum Manager, Scrum Coach, or Agile Coach. 

What type of salary you can expect as a Scrum Master

According to Glassdoor, Scrum Masters in London earn an average of £52,000 to £76,000 per year. Areas with a lower cost of living may pay slightly less, but many Scrum Master positions also have the opportunity to earn additional bonuses or profit sharing. 

Many major technology companies also provide stock or other equity to their salaried employees, which should typically include Scrum Masters. 

Because Scrum Masters are typically salaried, professional-level positions, these roles are also likely to include standard benefits like paid time off and other perks. 

Key takeaways for building a Scrum Master CV

Working as a Scrum Master is an excellent career for those who are organised, collaborative, and like using their technical knowledge. Scrum masters must be strong leaders, effective communicators, and have an eye for detail: all traits that help create an ideal Scrum Master CV. 

Our online CV builder lets you streamline the application process, making it more efficient, effective, and enjoyable.