Agile methodology is the trend of today, for companies big and small. Just like the word, resumes of today cannot simply stick to the usual form and expect easy recruitment. As the world changes, the demands change and so do the expectations. Embracing the new requires harnessing new skills to be ready for it.
When it comes to Agile, there is a tremendous demand for Scrum masters, and with good reason. There is a strong demand for good Scrum masters and opting for a training program in the same is a good choice. However, the future lies in looking at the big picture and seeing the entire symbiosis of product and business together. That's where a product owner comes into play, and that is precisely why a CSPO certification is the key you would require to get there.
Here's how being a CSPO is different from a CSM and the advantages that come along with it.
Agile methodology is the trend of today, for companies big and small. Pixabay
Let's get the most obvious aspects out of the way. Most of us would opt for a certification in order to ramp up their resume skillset, which would help achieve a better salary in forthcoming propositions. The inclusion of a Scrum Product Owner certification is noteworthy enough to have your paygrade increase by nearly 10% than your peers who may not have the same.
While pay-scale is one aspect, the certification also makes you more adaptable to fit in a multitude of roles. Since you would be a product owner, shifting from one domain to another, or adapting to a different product altogether is a prized skill you would possess. This is especially relevant for companies that dabble in various areas and will pay good money for someone who can handle it all.
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Compared to the role played by a Scrum Master, a Scrum Product Owner tends to reside more on the outside. The Scrum Master focuses on ensuring the team sticks to the schedule and figures out solutions to achieve timely deliverables. A Scrum Product Owner does have to liaise with the team in that regard but also has to understand the relevance of the deliverables from a business point-of-view.
A solid knowledge of both domains helps in guiding the team towards achieving what's necessary and providing insights when solving tough problems by making use of technical know-how. Similarly, while facing clients and customers, the Scrum Product Owner is able to guide the expectations and requirements to be in line with capabilities, as well as connect with any Agile personnel on the other end as well.
Using tools of Agile such as Jira gives you access to a ton of data that provides insightful information. One of the major ones in that regard is the velocity with which your team is able to achieve certain milestones and deliver on story points for a sprint.
Just like the word, resumes of today cannot simply stick to the usual form and expect easy recruitment. Pixabay
These velocities are crucial when it comes to formulating a timeline for the project delivery, and is also a part of the certification course as well. Figuring out better ways to burn through the story points and avoid carryovers to the future sprints is where a Scrum product owner would excel.
The reason why Scrum Product Owners are prized employees is that they can achieve large-scale planning as well as smaller grassroots adjustments as well. With every product development process, understanding the significance of backlog items and assigning them to appropriate sprints is a key skillset to have.
A Scrum product owner is able to connect with the customers and achieve clarity on backlog items, keeping them in the loop and outlining their delivery. Similarly, those items can be expanded upon internally, allowing the team to pick them up in a more effective manner than can be thrust upon by a hard-to-meet deadline.
When a team is knee-deep in work and focused on developing and testing functionalities, it can get easy to lose sight of the big picture and understand the motivation behind doing what they are doing. Similarly, the customer may keep getting updates on what's being developed, but fail to see how it is contributing to the product at large.
A Scrum Product Owner talks to them both in a language that helps them see the product coming to life. Developing a charter allows everyone to see what they are working towards and keeps both ends of the equation balanced at all times.
Are you worried that you didn't graduate from a top-tier college? Were your marks on the average side in your college years? Have you been a great professional employee but faced trouble in interviews due to these reasons?
Fret not, because a lot of recruiters will pretty much disregard these aspects if you have a good Scrum Product Owner certification on your resume. That is the need of the hour and nobody is going to hold your past against you if your future holds great potential.
A Certified Scrum Product Owner training might seem like the answer you're looking for, and it is! With an enrolment today, you are looking at a future version of yourself that has built a career in shaping products, and not just building them.