Why Has It Been So Difficult to Get a Job in an Agile Role?

2020 was a difficult year for many people. In the United States alone, unemployment rates rose 5.2%. Job postings on the employment website Indeed were down 34% by the end of May 2020. And according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the global economy shrank by 4.4%. Almost every country in the world locked down at one point or another.

It seemed like there was no light at the end of the Coronavirus tunnel. That is unless you worked for an agile organization – or at least one that quickly adapted with agile principles. 

As McKinsey & Company rightly observed, “[C]ompanies that ranked higher on managing the impact of the COVID-19 crisis were also those with agile practices more deeply embedded in their enterprise operating models.”

Unfortunately, the success of agile companies in the midst of the pandemic created a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they were able to keep the majority of their workforce – and at times thrive. On the other hand, the few positions they had open were quickly filled.

These factors created a perfect storm of highly sought-after positions when global unemployment rates were some of the highest we’ve ever witnessed.

Now, we have a unique environment in which many hoping for a job within an agile organization are simply unable to find one. As the world opens up again, it’s important to look at three factors preventing so many from landing that coveted job.

So-called lack of experience in an agile role

Let’s be honest, lack of experience in agile has been a factor even before the pandemic. It’s notoriously difficult to get your foot in the door as a Scrum Master or Product Owner, specifically. Scroll through online forums and you’re bound to find multiple posts from people wondering how to get a job as a Scrum Master that they’ve recently received their certification as a Certified ScrumMaster®.

In fact, Agile Advice has this insightful post from 2018 that explained why it’s been so difficult. But even without bell curves and data, there can be a simpler explanation: Human Resources departments will often screen candidates based on years of experience. Someone with 2 years of working in agile is obviously better than someone with 1 year of experience, right?

The 14th Annual State of Agile Report shows us that even within many agile organizations, only 6% of their HR departments are practicing agile. Their lack of understanding about agile methods and practices can put anyone applying at a disadvantage.

Luckily, there are some tips and tricks for you to work around this barrier, including these from Scrum Coach Jem Jelly. There are also numerous resources like this one from Masis Staffing Solutions that help you land that interview with no experience.

Related article: Seven ways you can gain Scrum and agile experience at a hackathon

Agile roles are in very high demand

As we’ve discussed before, agile roles are the jobs of tomorrow. While this trend was well underway before COVID-19, we’ve noted some key takeaways from various job trends reports:

• The Scrum Master certification was the most requested from employers in 2020
• Product Owner, Agile Coach, and Scrum Master were among the top emerging jobs in 2020
• Soft skills that are hallmarks of agility are in high demand

Certain traits and skills associated with agile roles have been in greater demand in recent years. That demand was accelerated by the need for a workforce that’s able to quickly adapt to changing circumstances and pivot to meet the needs of customers in times of crisis.

Only certain teams within an organization are agile

If you’re not looking for a job in a clearly defined role like Scrum Master or Product Owner, it may be even more difficult to recognize the companies and organizations that embrace agile values and practices. 

According to the aforementioned State of Agile Report:

• only 18% of respondents are in organizations where all of their teams are agile
• 44% have less than half of their teams practicing agile
• 33% have more than half of their teams practicing agile

That tends to make it a bit more difficult for you to recognize whether a job posting is for an agile team or even an agile organization. Luckily, we’ve put together some questions for you to ask during interviews to gauge whether or not a company is agile.