I started my career as a Residential house manager after attending a conference where they needed to build an application to help staff manage their work, including documentation and clocking in and out using the application. During that conference, I heard a lot about the Agile methodology and the Scrum Framework. It prompted me to go into many findings, which sparked my passion for becoming a scrum master.
I later took online Classes, which gave me a better understanding of the inner workings of the Scrum Framework and Agile environment. I went as far as getting my first certification (certified Scrum Master). After that class, I also took the professional scrum master certification course. My next step was to put my knowledge to work, to attain hands-on experience. After several attempts at gaining employment with little to no experience, I was recommended to volunteer in a relevant field to increase my technical know-how to add to my years of expertise to meet the job market and expectations.
After going to indeed.com and applying for a volunteer position at SiliconValley Project Management (SPVM), I received an email from Donald Stringari, a couple of days later. He scheduled a zoom call to let me know what to expect and how I could contribute to the program’s success. SVPM, a non-profit, started in 2006 to create a community of Project Managers who share best practices, experiences, and lessons learned. By 2018, a small group of PM leaders applied the Agile mindset to build the Agile and Scrum Master community, where I am now a member.
When I joined the team in September, I thought I would start with the Scrum Master role. I started with the development role, which has given me more experience than expected. In the beginning, it was challenging, but I was able to overcome my challenges with help and guidance. It was gaining exposure to some project management tools like WordPress, Trello, Slack, and Zoom that helped overcome most challenges. Doing so has helped increase my communication and collaboration skills with my team.
This community has helped me better understand sprint planning, standups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives. It has also helped me adapt and appreciate the incremental process of the projects we develop as a team. I highly recommend SPVM to anyone who has an interest or passion for gaining experience in the Agile environment and becoming a Scrum Master leader.
