Interview Guide for

Scrum Master

This comprehensive interview guide for Scrum Masters will transform your hiring process into a strategic operation that identifies the most capable facilitative leaders for your Agile teams. Designed for adaptability across organizations, this guide combines behavioral assessment with practical demonstration to find candidates who can effectively implement Scrum framework best practices while skillfully removing impediments and fostering team collaboration.

How to Use This Guide

This interview guide provides a structured approach to evaluating Scrum Master candidates with questions that assess both technical knowledge and essential behavioral competencies. To get the most value:

Customize: Adapt the questions and work sample to your specific organization, team size, and Agile maturity level
Collaborate: Share this guide with your interview team to ensure everyone understands the evaluation criteria and assessment approach
Maintain consistency: Use the same core questions with all candidates to create a fair, comparable evaluation process
Probe deeper: Utilize follow-up questions to explore past behaviors and uncover how candidates have previously handled Agile challenges
Score independently: Have each interviewer complete their scorecard without discussing impressions until the debrief meeting

For additional guidance on conducting effective interviews, refer to our blog post on how to conduct a job interview. You may also want to explore our interview questions for Scrum Masters for additional question options.

Job Description

Scrum Master

About [Company]

[Company] is a [Industry] leader committed to [Company Mission/Values]. We foster a collaborative and innovative environment where our team members are empowered to make a real impact. We are passionate about delivering high-quality products and services that [Benefit to Customers/Users].

The Role

As a Scrum Master at [Company], you'll play a pivotal role in facilitating and guiding Agile methodologies within our teams. This position offers the opportunity to shape our Agile practice while enabling teams to deliver maximum value. Your expertise in Scrum framework implementation will directly impact our ability to deliver exceptional products efficiently.

Key Responsibilities

Guide and facilitate Scrum events, including Sprint Planning, Daily Scrums, Sprint Reviews, and Sprint Retrospectives
Coach and mentor the Scrum team, stakeholders, and the organization on Agile principles and practices
Proactively identify and remove impediments that hinder the team's progress
Work with the team to implement continuous process improvements
Foster a collaborative environment and facilitate effective communication among team members
Track and report on team velocity, sprint burndown, and other relevant metrics
Promote Agile principles and practices throughout the organization
Maintain and update Scrum artifacts such as sprint backlogs and burndown charts

What We're Looking For

Experience facilitating Agile ceremonies and implementing Scrum practices
Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or equivalent certification
Strong understanding of Agile principles and Scrum framework
Excellent facilitation, coaching, and mentoring skills
Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution abilities
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams
Proficiency with Agile tools and software
Highly organized with strong attention to detail
Proactive and solution-oriented mindset
Passion for continuous improvement and Agile practices

Why Join [Company]

At [Company], we believe in creating an environment where our employees can grow, contribute, and thrive. We're committed to innovation, collaboration, and delivering exceptional value to our customers.

Competitive compensation package of [Pay Range]
Comprehensive benefits including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off
Professional development opportunities including conferences and certifications
Flexible work arrangements
Collaborative and inclusive company culture

Hiring Process

We've designed an efficient interview process to help us identify the right candidate while respecting your time. Here's what you can expect:

Initial Phone Screening: A 30-minute conversation with our recruiter to discuss your experience and interest in the position.
Facilitation Skills Assessment: A 45-minute session where you'll demonstrate how you would facilitate a Scrum ceremony.
Agile Competency Interview: A 60-minute discussion with the hiring manager focused on your Agile experience and approach.
Team Interview: A 45-minute conversation with potential team members to assess collaboration style and cultural fit.

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

The Scrum Master serves as a servant leader for Agile teams, facilitating the Scrum process and removing impediments to team progress. This person must possess exceptional facilitation skills, conflict resolution abilities, and a deep understanding of Agile principles. The ideal candidate combines technical knowledge of Scrum with the emotional intelligence needed to coach teams and influence stakeholders effectively.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Facilitation: Ability to guide discussions, ensure all voices are heard, and help teams reach consensus while keeping meetings focused and productive.

Coaching: Skill in providing guidance that helps teams and individuals improve, using questioning techniques that lead to self-discovery rather than simply providing answers.

Problem Solving: Capacity to identify impediments, analyze root causes, and develop effective solutions that enable teams to progress toward their goals.

Adaptability: Willingness to adjust approach based on team needs, organizational context, and changing situations while maintaining commitment to Agile principles.

Communication: Proficiency in clearly conveying complex ideas, actively listening to understand different perspectives, and tailoring messages to diverse audiences.

Desired Outcomes

Establish healthy Scrum practices that lead to consistent, predictable delivery of value.
Improve team effectiveness by facilitating better communication and collaboration across functions.
Resolve conflicts and remove impediments that affect team performance within 24-48 hours.
Coach team members to a level where they become increasingly self-organized and less dependent on the Scrum Master.
Successfully advocate for and implement Agile practices throughout the organization.

Ideal Candidate Traits

Servant leadership mindset with a focus on team success rather than individual recognition
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to navigate challenging conversations
Detail-oriented with the ability to track multiple team needs simultaneously
Patient yet persistent when coaching teams through Agile adoption
Balances pragmatism with adherence to Agile principles
Demonstrates curiosity and continual learning about Agile methodologies
Comfortable working across organizational boundaries to remove impediments
Resilient when facing resistance to change

Screening Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This initial screening helps determine if candidates have the foundational Scrum Master experience and understanding of Agile principles needed for success in this role. Focus on their practical experience with Scrum implementation, facilitation skills, and how they've handled team dynamics in the past. Listen for evidence of their coaching approach and problem-solving strategies. The most promising candidates will demonstrate both technical knowledge of Scrum and the interpersonal skills necessary to facilitate team success.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you about your experience as a Scrum Master and your approach to facilitating Agile teams. I'm interested in specific examples from your work history that demonstrate your understanding of Scrum principles and how you've applied them. We'll have time at the end for you to ask any questions you may have about the role or our organization."

Interview Questions

Tell me about your experience with Agile methodologies, particularly Scrum. What certifications do you hold, and how have you applied Scrum principles in your previous roles?

Areas to Cover

Length and depth of experience with Scrum and other Agile frameworks
Specific certifications (CSM, PSM, etc.) and when they were obtained
Types of teams they've worked with (size, function, industry)
Examples of how they've implemented Scrum in different environments
Their understanding of the Scrum Master role versus other Agile roles

Possible Follow-up Questions

How has your understanding of Scrum evolved since you first became certified?
What aspects of Scrum have you found most challenging to implement, and why?
Have you worked with distributed or remote teams? How did you adapt Scrum practices?
How do you stay current with developments in Agile methodologies?

Walk me through how you typically facilitate a Sprint Retrospective. What techniques do you use to ensure all team members participate and that actionable improvements are identified?

Areas to Cover

Their approach to planning and structuring retrospectives
Specific facilitation techniques they use to engage team members
How they handle dominant voices or reluctant participants
Methods for ensuring retrospective leads to concrete actions
Follow-up process to ensure improvement actions are implemented

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you address sensitive topics that arise during retrospectives?
What do you do when the team is reluctant to speak openly in retrospectives?
How do you measure the effectiveness of your retrospectives?
Can you describe a significant team improvement that originated from a retrospective you facilitated?

Describe a situation where you had to remove a significant impediment for your team. What was the impediment, what actions did you take, and what was the outcome?

Areas to Cover

Nature of the impediment and its impact on the team
Steps taken to understand the root cause
Their approach to resolving the impediment (direct action or escalation)
Stakeholders involved in resolving the issue
Long-term impact and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you prioritize this impediment against other team needs?
What would you have done differently in hindsight?
How did you communicate progress to the team while working on the impediment?
What systems did you put in place to prevent similar impediments in the future?

How do you measure the effectiveness of a Scrum team, and what metrics do you find most valuable?

Areas to Cover

Specific metrics they track (velocity, cycle time, etc.)
Their philosophy on when and how to use metrics
How they present metrics to teams versus stakeholders
Their approach to improving metrics over time
Understanding of both quantitative and qualitative measures of success

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you prevent metrics from becoming counterproductive?
How have you used metrics to help a team improve?
What metrics have you found most valuable when working with leadership?
Have you ever had to challenge the use of certain metrics? How did you handle it?

Tell me about a time when you had to coach someone resistant to Agile practices. How did you approach the situation, and what was the result?

Areas to Cover

Nature of the resistance and their analysis of its cause
Coaching approach and techniques used
How they built trust with the resistant individual
Length of time the coaching took and milestones along the way
Outcome and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you maintain patience during this process?
What signals told you your coaching was working (or not working)?
How did you balance respecting the individual with advancing Agile adoption?
Have you ever failed to win someone over? What did you learn?

What is your approach to helping new Scrum teams form and establish effective practices?

Areas to Cover

Their onboarding process for new teams
How they establish team norms and working agreements
Training methods they use to build Scrum knowledge
Timeline expectations for team formation stages
How they adapt their approach based on team composition

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you handle team members with varying levels of Agile experience?
What are the most common challenges you've seen in newly formed teams?
How do you know when a team is ready for less hands-on guidance?
How do you help teams through the "storming" phase of team development?

Interview Scorecard

Scrum Knowledge and Application

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding of Scrum theory or inconsistent application
2: Basic understanding but lacks depth in some areas
3: Solid understanding of Scrum with evidence of consistent application
4: Advanced knowledge with creative application adapted to different contexts

Facilitation Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Minimal evidence of effective facilitation techniques
2: Shows some ability but may lack range of techniques
3: Demonstrates strong facilitation skills with varied approaches
4: Exceptional skills with evidence of handling difficult scenarios successfully

Impediment Removal

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reactive approach with limited strategy
2: Addresses obvious impediments but may miss systemic issues
3: Proactively identifies and resolves impediments at multiple levels
4: Strategic approach that both resolves immediate issues and prevents future ones

Coaching Ability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Directive style with little evidence of true coaching
2: Shows some coaching techniques but may default to telling
3: Demonstrates effective coaching with good questioning techniques
4: Advanced coaching skills that empower others and create lasting change

Establishing Healthy Scrum Practices

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to establish consistent delivery practices
2: Likely to establish basic practices with some inconsistency
3: Likely to establish reliable, consistent delivery practices
4: Likely to establish exceptional practices that become team habits

Improving Team Effectiveness

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to significantly improve team communication
2: Likely to make modest improvements to team dynamics
3: Likely to substantially improve team collaboration
4: Likely to transform team effectiveness to high-performing levels

Resolving Team Conflicts

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to resolve conflicts effectively or timely
2: Likely to address surface-level conflicts but struggle with deeper issues
3: Likely to resolve most conflicts within 24-48 hours
4: Likely to not only resolve conflicts quickly but strengthen team in the process

Implementing Organizational Agile Practices

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to influence adoption beyond immediate team
2: Likely to have limited influence on broader organization
3: Likely to successfully advocate for wider Agile adoption
4: Likely to drive significant organizational change through influence

Hiring Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Facilitation Skills Assessment (Work Sample)

Directions for the Interviewer

This work sample assesses the candidate's ability to facilitate Scrum events effectively. You'll ask the candidate to prepare and facilitate a 20-minute Scrum ceremony (either a Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, or Sprint Retrospective). This will reveal their facilitation approach, how they handle group dynamics, and their ability to maintain focus on desired outcomes. Pay attention to both their preparation approach and their facilitation techniques.

Provide the candidate with basic information about a fictional Scrum team and project scenario 24 hours before the interview. During the interview, have 2-3 team members role-play as the Scrum team, with instructions to present typical challenges (e.g., dominating the conversation, getting off-topic, remaining silent).

Directions to Share with Candidate

"We'd like to see your facilitation skills in action. In this exercise, you'll facilitate a 20-minute [specific Scrum ceremony]. I've sent you information about a fictional team and project to help you prepare. During the session, some of our team members will role-play as the Scrum team. Please facilitate this session as you would in a real work environment. After the facilitation exercise, we'll take 10 minutes to discuss your approach and any adaptations you might make in different scenarios."

Work Sample Exercise

Scenario Details to Provide in Advance:

Team composition (5-7 members with different roles and experience levels)
Brief description of the product they're building
Current sprint status (e.g., beginning, middle, or end of sprint)
Any relevant team history (e.g., new team, experienced team)
2-3 known challenges the team is facing

Instructions for Role Players:

One person should be dominating the conversation
One person should be mostly silent unless directly engaged
One person should occasionally go off-topic
One person should express some resistance to team decisions

Assessment Areas:

Preparation

Did the candidate prepare appropriate materials or prompts?
Did they establish clear objectives for the session?
Did they structure the time effectively?

Facilitation Techniques

How effectively did they engage all participants?
What techniques did they use to manage the dominant speaker?
How did they draw out the quieter participant?
How did they handle off-topic discussions?
Did they ensure clear outcomes or next steps?

Follow-up Discussion Questions:

Walk me through your thought process in preparing for this facilitation. What were your objectives, and how did you structure the session to achieve them?

Areas to Cover

Their preparation process and time investment
How they determined objectives for the session
Their decision-making around structure and timeboxing
Contingency planning for potential challenges
Any researched techniques they applied

Possible Follow-up Questions

What other approaches did you consider but decide against?
How would your preparation change if this were a real team you'd been working with for months?
What would you change if you had to facilitate this remotely?
How do you typically document outcomes from sessions like these?

What challenges did you notice during the facilitation, and how did you address them? Is there anything you would do differently?

Areas to Cover

Their awareness of the intentional challenges introduced
Techniques they used to address each challenge
Their reflection on the effectiveness of their approaches
Self-awareness about what worked and what didn't
Alternative approaches they might try next time

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you typically handle dominant personalities in real team settings?
What techniques have you found most effective for engaging quieter team members?
How do you recognize when the team needs a break or a change of pace?
Have you ever had to completely change your facilitation approach mid-session?

How would you adapt your facilitation if this team was experiencing significant conflict or if team members were disengaged?

Areas to Cover

Their repertoire of techniques for different situations
How they diagnose root causes of team dysfunction
Their philosophy on when to address issues in the moment versus offline
Strategies for rebuilding psychological safety
Their approach to balancing progress with addressing team dynamics

Possible Follow-up Questions

Have you facilitated teams with serious conflicts before? What worked?
How do you maintain your own composure when facilitating challenging sessions?
When would you involve leadership in addressing team dynamics issues?
How do you rebuild momentum after addressing a difficult team situation?

Interview Scorecard

Preparation and Planning

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Minimal preparation with unclear objectives
2: Basic preparation but missed important details
3: Thorough preparation with clear objectives and structure
4: Exceptional preparation showing deep thought about potential scenarios

Facilitation Techniques

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited range of techniques with ineffective management
2: Some useful techniques but inconsistent application
3: Effective techniques that addressed most challenges
4: Masterful facilitation with adaptive techniques for each situation

Group Engagement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Failed to engage all participants effectively
2: Engaged some participants but missed opportunities
3: Successfully engaged all participants with good balance
4: Created an environment where all participants actively contributed

Focus and Time Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor time management with significant drift from objectives
2: Maintained some focus but with inefficient use of time
3: Good time management with appropriate focus on objectives
4: Excellent pacing with perfect balance of discussion and progress

Adaptability and Awareness

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Low awareness of group dynamics or rigid in approach
2: Noticed obvious issues but limited adaptation
3: Good awareness with appropriate adjustments to approach
4: Exceptional awareness and nimble adaptation to emerging needs

Establishing Healthy Scrum Practices

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to establish consistent delivery practices
2: Likely to establish basic practices with some inconsistency
3: Likely to establish reliable, consistent delivery practices
4: Likely to establish exceptional practices that become team habits

Improving Team Effectiveness

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to significantly improve team communication
2: Likely to make modest improvements to team dynamics
3: Likely to substantially improve team collaboration
4: Likely to transform team effectiveness to high-performing levels

Resolving Team Conflicts

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to resolve conflicts effectively or timely
2: Likely to address surface-level conflicts but struggle with deeper issues
3: Likely to resolve most conflicts within 24-48 hours
4: Likely to not only resolve conflicts quickly but strengthen team in the process

Implementing Organizational Agile Practices

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to influence adoption beyond immediate team
2: Likely to have limited influence on broader organization
3: Likely to successfully advocate for wider Agile adoption
4: Likely to drive significant organizational change through influence

Agile Competency Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview focuses on evaluating the candidate's deeper understanding of Agile principles and their ability to apply them in complex situations. Look for evidence of how they coach teams, resolve conflicts, and influence organizational change. The goal is to assess their problem-solving approach and adaptability when faced with challenging scenarios. Pay particular attention to how they balance adhering to Agile principles with pragmatic solutions.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"In this interview, we'll explore your experience with Agile practices in greater depth. I'm particularly interested in understanding how you've handled challenging situations, coached teams through difficulties, and influenced organizational adoption of Agile practices. Please share specific examples from your experience that demonstrate your approach and the outcomes you achieved."

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you coached a Scrum team through a particularly challenging situation. What was the challenge, how did you approach it, and what was the outcome?

Areas to Cover

Nature of the challenge and its impact on the team
Their assessment of root causes or contributing factors
Specific coaching techniques or approaches they employed
How they measured progress or success
Long-term impact on the team's effectiveness
Lessons they learned from the experience

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you decide which aspect of the challenge to address first?
How did you maintain the team's morale during this difficult period?
What alternative approaches did you consider but decide against?
How did you know when your coaching was working or needed adjustment?

Describe a situation where you had to influence stakeholders or leadership to support Agile practices. What resistance did you face, and how did you overcome it?

Areas to Cover

Context of the organization and nature of the resistance
Their analysis of stakeholder concerns or objections
Strategy they developed to influence change
Specific actions taken and messaging used
Results achieved and any compromises made
How they maintained relationships throughout the process

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you tailor your message to different stakeholders?
What data or evidence did you use to support your case?
Were there any unexpected allies or opponents in this process?
How long did it take to see meaningful change, and how did you maintain momentum?

Walk me through how you handle conflicts within a Scrum team. Give me a specific example of a conflict you helped resolve and the approach you took.

Areas to Cover

Nature of the conflict and parties involved
Their initial assessment of the conflict's causes
Intervention strategy and specific techniques used
How they balanced team autonomy with the need for resolution
Outcome of the conflict and lasting impact on team dynamics
Preventative measures established afterward

Possible Follow-up Questions

At what point do you typically decide to intervene in a team conflict?
How do you approach conflicts that involve power dynamics or hierarchy?
Have you ever had to escalate a conflict you couldn't resolve? How did you handle it?
How do you teach teams to resolve their own conflicts more effectively?

How do you adapt Scrum practices for different team contexts or organizational environments? Share an example of when you had to significantly modify standard practices.

Areas to Cover

Specific context that required adaptation
Their decision-making process for determining what to modify
How they ensured core Agile principles were preserved
How they introduced and explained modifications to the team
Results of the adaptations and lessons learned
Whether modifications became permanent or were transitional

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you determine which Scrum practices are non-negotiable?
How do you prevent adaptations from weakening Agile principles?
How do you evaluate whether an adaptation is successful?
What's the most unconventional adaptation you've implemented that worked well?

Tell me about your approach to helping a team improve their technical practices within the Scrum framework. What specific techniques or tools have you used?

Areas to Cover

Their understanding of technical excellence as part of Agile
Specific technical practices they've helped teams adopt (TDD, CI/CD, etc.)
How they balanced focus on delivery with technical improvement
Challenges faced in improving technical practices
Metrics used to measure improvement
Collaboration with technical leaders or architects

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you approach teams resistant to improving technical practices?
How do you help non-technical stakeholders understand the value of technical excellence?
What resources or training have you found most effective?
How do you prevent teams from becoming overwhelmed by too many improvement initiatives?

Interview Scorecard

Coaching Ability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Directive approach with limited evidence of true coaching
2: Basic coaching skills but lacks depth or adaptability
3: Strong coaching with evidence of tailored approaches
4: Masterful coaching that empowers teams and creates lasting change

Stakeholder Influence

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited success influencing beyond immediate team
2: Some ability to influence but struggles with significant resistance
3: Effective influence strategies with evidence of organizational impact
4: Exceptional influence skills that create champions at all levels

Conflict Resolution

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Avoids conflicts or addresses them ineffectively
2: Resolves obvious conflicts but may miss underlying issues
3: Effectively addresses conflicts while maintaining relationships
4: Transforms conflicts into opportunities for team growth

Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rigid application of practices regardless of context
2: Makes some adaptations but may sacrifice principles
3: Thoughtful adaptations that preserve core Agile values
4: Innovative adaptations that enhance Agile effectiveness

Technical Excellence Facilitation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding or support of technical practices
2: Basic support but lacks depth in technical areas
3: Effectively facilitates technical improvement within Scrum
4: Creates powerful synergy between technical practices and Agile methods

Problem Solving

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reactive approach with limited analysis
2: Identifies problems but solutions may address symptoms only
3: Effective problem-solving with evidence of root cause analysis
4: Strategic problem-solving that prevents recurrence and creates improvement

Establishing Healthy Scrum Practices

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to establish consistent delivery practices
2: Likely to establish basic practices with some inconsistency
3: Likely to establish reliable, consistent delivery practices
4: Likely to establish exceptional practices that become team habits

Improving Team Effectiveness

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to significantly improve team communication
2: Likely to make modest improvements to team dynamics
3: Likely to substantially improve team collaboration
4: Likely to transform team effectiveness to high-performing levels

Resolving Team Conflicts

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to resolve conflicts effectively or timely
2: Likely to address surface-level conflicts but struggle with deeper issues
3: Likely to resolve most conflicts within 24-48 hours
4: Likely to not only resolve conflicts quickly but strengthen team in the process

Implementing Organizational Agile Practices

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to influence adoption beyond immediate team
2: Likely to have limited influence on broader organization
3: Likely to successfully advocate for wider Agile adoption
4: Likely to drive significant organizational change through influence

Team Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview evaluates how well the candidate would collaborate with team members and stakeholders. The focus is on communication style, cultural fit, and their approach to serving teams while maintaining Agile principles. This interview should include potential team members who would work directly with the Scrum Master. Ask each team member to prepare at least one question focused on how the candidate would handle specific team challenges they've experienced.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"This interview is an opportunity for you to meet potential team members and for us to understand how you would collaborate with our teams. We'll discuss how you approach working with different personalities, your communication style, and how you balance team needs with organizational objectives. Feel free to ask questions about our team dynamics and how we currently work."

Interview Questions

How do you typically establish trust with a new team? What steps would you take in your first few weeks working with us?

Areas to Cover

Their philosophy on building trust and relationships
Specific actions they would take when joining a new team
How they balance observation with active participation
Their approach to learning team history and context
How they establish their role without being intrusive

Possible Follow-up Questions

How would you handle team members who are skeptical of your role?
How do you learn about team dynamics that aren't immediately visible?
How quickly do you typically start suggesting changes?
How do you balance building relationships with maintaining objectivity?

Tell us about a time when you had to work with a difficult team member. How did you approach the situation, and what was the outcome?

Areas to Cover

Nature of the difficulty and impact on the team
Initial approach to understanding the person's perspective
Specific techniques used to improve the working relationship
How they balanced individual needs with team needs
Results achieved and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you prevent this situation from negatively affecting the whole team?
At what point would you involve a manager or other authority?
How did this experience change your approach to similar situations?
What signs tell you that your approach is working or not working?

How do you balance being a servant leader for the team with being accountable for Agile process adherence?

Areas to Cover

Their understanding of servant leadership in the Scrum Master context
How they handle situations where team wants to skip practices
Techniques for influencing without authority
Examples of balancing flexibility with adherence to principles
How they measure their own effectiveness in this balance

Possible Follow-up Questions

Can you describe a time when you had to say "no" to a team request?
How do you help teams understand the "why" behind Scrum practices?
How do you avoid becoming either too rigid or too accommodating?
How do you know when to stand firm versus when to adapt?

Our team sometimes struggles with [specific challenge from the actual team]. How would you help us address this?

Areas to Cover

Their process for understanding the context of the challenge
Initial thoughts on potential causes and solutions
Questions they would ask to gather more information
Potential approaches they might take based on limited information
How they would involve the team in developing solutions

Possible Follow-up Questions

What similar challenges have you faced with other teams?
How would you measure whether your interventions are working?
What might be some underlying causes of this challenge?
How would you approach this differently if it persisted despite interventions?

How do you help teams maintain a sustainable pace while still meeting commitments?

Areas to Cover

Their philosophy on sustainable pace and its importance
Methods for identifying when a team is overcommitting
Techniques for helping teams estimate more accurately
How they handle external pressure for increased output
Their approach to building team self-discipline

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you handle emergency situations that disrupt sustainable pace?
What metrics do you track related to team sustainability?
How do you help teams communicate their capacity to stakeholders?
What have you found to be the most common causes of unsustainable pace?

Interview Scorecard

Relationship Building

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Transactional approach with limited focus on relationships
2: Some relationship focus but may miss deeper connections
3: Strong relationship builder with thoughtful approach
4: Exceptional ability to build trust and rapport quickly

Difficult Situation Handling

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Avoids difficult conversations or handles them poorly
2: Addresses difficulties but may use suboptimal approaches
3: Effectively navigates difficult situations with good outcomes
4: Transforms difficult situations into opportunities for growth

Servant Leadership Balance

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Either too directive or too passive in approach
2: Attempts balance but may lean too far in one direction
3: Effectively balances service with process accountability
4: Masters the balance in a way that enhances team autonomy

Team-Specific Challenge Approach

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Generic solutions without consideration for context
2: Some tailored thinking but limited depth of analysis
3: Thoughtful approach with contextual understanding
4: Insightful analysis with innovative yet practical solutions

Sustainability Focus

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited emphasis on sustainable pace
2: Values sustainability but lacks practical techniques
3: Strong sustainability focus with effective methods
4: Exceptional approach that balances delivery with sustainability

Team Fit

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Significant concerns about cultural or interpersonal fit
2: Some questions about alignment with team dynamics
3: Good alignment with team values and interaction style
4: Exceptional fit that would enhance team culture

Establishing Healthy Scrum Practices

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to establish consistent delivery practices
2: Likely to establish basic practices with some inconsistency
3: Likely to establish reliable, consistent delivery practices
4: Likely to establish exceptional practices that become team habits

Improving Team Effectiveness

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to significantly improve team communication
2: Likely to make modest improvements to team dynamics
3: Likely to substantially improve team collaboration
4: Likely to transform team effectiveness to high-performing levels

Resolving Team Conflicts

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to resolve conflicts effectively or timely
2: Likely to address surface-level conflicts but struggle with deeper issues
3: Likely to resolve most conflicts within 24-48 hours
4: Likely to not only resolve conflicts quickly but strengthen team in the process

Implementing Organizational Agile Practices

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to influence adoption beyond immediate team
2: Likely to have limited influence on broader organization
3: Likely to successfully advocate for wider Agile adoption
4: Likely to drive significant organizational change through influence

Debrief Meeting

Directions for Conducting the Debrief Meeting

The Debrief Meeting is an open discussion for the hiring team members to share the information learned during the candidate interviews. Use the questions below to guide the discussion.

Start the meeting by reviewing the requirements for the role and the key competencies and goals to succeed.
The meeting leader should strive to create an environment where it is okay to express opinions about the candidate that differ from the consensus or from leadership's opinions.
Scores and interview notes are important data points but should not be the sole factor in making the final decision.
Any hiring team member should feel free to change their recommendation as they learn new information and reflect on what they've learned.

Questions to Guide the Debrief Meeting

Does anyone have any questions for the other interviewers about the candidate?

Guidance: The meeting facilitator should initially present themselves as neutral and try not to sway the conversation before others have a chance to speak up.

Are there any additional comments about the Candidate?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for all the interviewers to share anything they learned that is important for the other interviewers to know.

How did the candidate's facilitation skills compare to our expectations? Were there any notable strengths or concerns?

Guidance: Focus specifically on the work sample results, as facilitation is a critical skill for this role.

Based on what we observed, how effectively do we think this candidate would influence Agile adoption in our organization?

Guidance: Consider the candidate's communication style, stakeholder management experience, and change leadership abilities.

Is there anything further we need to investigate before making a decision?

Guidance: Based on this discussion, you may decide to probe further on certain issues with the candidate or explore specific issues in the reference calls.

Has anyone changed their hire/no-hire recommendation?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for the interviewers to change their recommendation from the new information they learned in this meeting.

If the consensus is no hire, should the candidate be considered for other roles? If so, what roles?

Guidance: Discuss whether engaging with the candidate about a different role would be worthwhile.

What are the next steps?

Guidance: If there is no consensus, follow the process for that situation (e.g., it is the hiring manager's decision). Further investigation may be needed before making the decision. If there is a consensus on hiring, reference checks could be the next step.

Reference Calls

Directions for Conducting Reference Checks

Reference checks are a critical final step in evaluating Scrum Master candidates. Focus on verifying the candidate's facilitation skills, team impact, and stakeholder management abilities. Ask open-ended questions that encourage detailed responses rather than yes/no answers. When possible, speak with both team members and managers who have worked with the candidate to get a balanced perspective.

These reference check questions can be used with multiple references. Try to speak with at least one manager and one team member who worked directly with the candidate. Take detailed notes and look for consistency across different references.

Questions for Reference Checks

In what capacity did you work with [Candidate], and for how long?

Guidance: Establish the context of the relationship, including reporting structure, frequency of interaction, and duration. This helps weigh the relevance of their other responses.

How would you describe [Candidate]'s effectiveness as a Scrum Master? What specific impact did they have on team performance?

Guidance: Listen for concrete examples and measurable improvements rather than general praise. Ask for before/after comparisons if possible.

How did [Candidate] handle conflict or challenges within the team? Can you provide a specific example?

Guidance: Note their conflict resolution approach and whether they addressed root causes or just symptoms. Pay attention to how they balanced team autonomy with intervention.

How effective was [Candidate] at influencing stakeholders or leadership regarding Agile practices? Can you share an example?

Guidance: Look for evidence of strategic thinking, persistence, and effectiveness in creating organizational change beyond their immediate team.

What are [Candidate]'s greatest strengths as a Scrum Master? What areas could they improve?

Guidance: Listen for alignment between strengths and your role requirements. Note whether improvement areas would be significant limitations in your environment.

On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to hire [Candidate] again as a Scrum Master? Why?

Guidance: Pay attention to both the number and the explanation. Anything below an 8 warrants further questioning. Ask what would make it a 10 if they don't give the highest rating.

Is there anything else I should know about [Candidate] that would help us make our hiring decision?

Guidance: This open-ended question often yields the most honest and useful information. Pay attention to hesitations or qualifiers in their response.

Reference Check Scorecard

Facilitation Effectiveness

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited effectiveness with minimal team impact
2: Moderately effective with some positive team outcomes
3: Highly effective facilitator with significant team impact
4: Exceptional facilitator who transformed team dynamics

Conflict Resolution

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Avoided conflicts or handled them poorly
2: Addressed conflicts but with limited effectiveness
3: Effectively resolved conflicts with positive outcomes
4: Masterfully transformed conflicts into growth opportunities

Stakeholder Influence

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited ability to influence beyond immediate team
2: Some influence but struggled with significant resistance
3: Effectively influenced stakeholders with measurable impact
4: Exceptional influence that created organizational change

Technical Knowledge

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding of Agile principles and practices
2: Adequate knowledge but some gaps in application
3: Strong technical knowledge with consistent application
4: Expert knowledge with innovative application

Establishing Healthy Scrum Practices

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Previous teams had inconsistent or ineffective practices
2: Established basic but somewhat inconsistent practices
3: Established reliable, effective Scrum practices
4: Created exceptional practice adoption and team ownership

Improving Team Effectiveness

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Made minimal impact on team communication
2: Achieved modest improvements in team dynamics
3: Substantially improved team collaboration
4: Transformed team effectiveness to high-performing levels

Resolving Team Conflicts

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Conflicts persisted or worsened under their guidance
2: Addressed surface-level conflicts but deeper issues remained
3: Resolved most conflicts effectively and timely
4: Not only resolved conflicts quickly but strengthened the team

Implementing Organizational Agile Practices

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Had little influence beyond immediate team
2: Had limited influence on the broader organization
3: Successfully advocated for wider Agile adoption
4: Drove significant organizational change through influence

Frequently Asked Questions

How should we adapt this interview process for remote candidates?

For remote candidates, use video conferencing for all interviews and ensure the facilitation skills assessment uses the same tools the candidate would use in the actual role. Consider extending the work sample time slightly to account for potential technology issues. Have clear backup plans for technical difficulties and share them with the candidate in advance.

What if a candidate has limited formal Scrum Master experience but strong facilitation skills from another role?

Focus more on the facilitation skills assessment and competency interview to evaluate transferable skills. Look for evidence of conflict resolution, coaching, and process improvement in their previous roles. Consider adding an additional assessment focused on Scrum knowledge if certification is limited. For more insights on hiring for potential, see our article on hiring for potential.

How should we evaluate candidates from different industries or technical backgrounds?

Focus on core competencies rather than domain knowledge. The facilitation skills assessment will reveal their ability to work with teams regardless of subject matter. During interviews, listen for examples of how they've quickly learned new domains in the past. Technical background matters less than their ability to understand enough to help teams remove impediments.

Should we adjust the process for candidates applying to be the first Scrum Master in our organization?

Yes, place greater emphasis on change management experience and stakeholder influence. Add questions about how they would establish Agile practices from scratch. The team interview should include key stakeholders in the Agile transformation. Consider adding an additional interview focused specifically on Agile transformation experience.

What if our teams use a hybrid of Scrum and other methodologies?

Adapt the work sample to reflect your actual methodology. During interviews, ask about their experience with various Agile frameworks and their philosophy on adapting practices. Look for flexibility and pragmatism while maintaining Agile principles. The ideal candidate will show adaptability without compromising core values.

How do we ensure we're evaluating candidates consistently across interviews?

Use this interview guide as your foundation and ensure all interviewers understand their role in the process. Hold a pre-interview meeting to align on the assessment criteria and key competencies. Use the scorecards consistently and conduct thorough debrief meetings. Document feedback promptly after each interview to avoid recency bias.