The Agile Coach Podcast - From Finance to Agile Coach: Tips for Job Interviews

From Finance to Agile Coach: Tips for Job Interviews

01/09/25 • 28 min

In this episode, we talk about the steps to getting hired as a Scrum Master or Agile Coach. Adam shares his personal story and gives easy-to-follow advice on how to do well in job interviews.

Main Topics Covered:

1. How to Get Started in Agile Roles: Adam shares how he went from working in finance to becoming a Scrum Master and later an Agile Coach. He explains how he discovered Agile and why it made sense to him.

2. Tips for Scrum Master Interviews: Adam talks about the different stages of job interviews:

First Interview: How to tell your story and connect with the recruiter.

Second Interview: How to prepare for more detailed conversations.

Third Interview: How to understand the team and company culture.

3. Personal Growth as a Way to Stand Out: Adam explains how working on personal growth, like reading self-improvement books, can help you stand out in interviews. He encourages people to talk about their personal growth in job interviews to show they are always learning.

4. Coaching During Interviews: Adam shares how you can add value during interviews by coaching the interviewer. He gives examples of how he explained Agile ideas to interviewers who didn’t fully understand them.

5. Do You Need a College Degree to Be a Scrum Master? Adam answers the common question about whether a college degree is needed to work in Agile. His answer? No, you don’t need a degree. What matters more is your mindset and willingness to learn.

Practical Interview Tips:

Share Your Agile Story: Talk about how you got into Agile and what you’ve learned.

Be Yourself: Show that you’re open to learning and can fit into the company’s culture.

Focus on Personal Growth: Mention books or courses that helped you grow as a person.

Ask Good Questions: Use the interview to learn more about the company and role.

Book Recommendations:

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Leadership Gold by John Maxwell

Key Quotes from the Episode:

“If you talk about personal growth in your interviews, you will stand out from other candidates.” – Adam Miner

“You don’t need a degree to succeed in Agile. It’s more about your mindset and learning.” – Adam Miner

In this episode, we talk about the steps to getting hired as a Scrum Master or Agile Coach. Adam shares his personal story and gives easy-to-follow advice on how to do well in job interviews.

Main Topics Covered:

2. Tips for Scrum Master Interviews: Adam talks about the different stages of job interviews:

First Interview: How to tell your story and connect with the recruiter.

Second Interview: How to prepare for more detailed conversations.

Third Interview: How to understand the team and company culture.

Practical Interview Tips:

Share Your Agile Story: Talk about how you got into Agile and what you’ve learned.

Be Yourself: Show that you’re open to learning and can fit into the company’s culture.

Focus on Personal Growth: Mention books or courses that helped you grow as a person.

Ask Good Questions: Use the interview to learn more about the company and role.

Book Recommendations:

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Leadership Gold by John Maxwell

Key Quotes from the Episode:

“If you talk about personal growth in your interviews, you will stand out from other candidates.” – Adam Miner

“You don’t need a degree to succeed in Agile. It’s more about your mindset and learning.” – Adam Miner

Previous Episode

Panel Interview with Neha Satya

Landing your dream job straight out of school sounds great, but there's a big hurdle to cross first: the interview. It's not just a quiz about what you know; it's more about how you're ready to grow and handle challenges. Confidence plays a big role here, but let's face it, interviews can be nerve-wracking. The key is to build up your interview confidence like you would a muscle, with the right approach and mindset.

In this episode, we get into the nitty-gritty of job interviews with Neha, who's been through the wringer and come out on top. She's now a product manager and has some great insights on how to handle interviews, from the first handshake to the final questions. Neha's journey is pretty inspiring—starting off in business analytics, moving into the health tech industry, and now making waves at a company called Tree, where she's shaking up the influencer marketing world.

Next Episode

Breaking into Product Management: Sid Sachdeva’s Journey from Engineering to Agile Leadership

Sid’s transition from aerospace engineering to product management and the pivotal moments that shaped his career.
The challenges international students face in the job market and Sid’s strategies for overcoming them.
The importance of networking, soft skills, and executive presence in breaking into product roles.
How Sid learned to work with software engineers, stakeholders, and executives without a technical coding background.
Key takeaways on job hunting, interview prep, and making an impact in the corporate world.

Key Quotes from Sid Sachdeva:

“Being proactive is key. You have to start six months before everyone else to get ahead.”
“It’s not about how much you know—it’s about how you show up, engage, and collaborate.”
“Networking is a numbers game—keep applying, keep connecting, and don’t take rejections personally.”
“Product management is like being a mini-CEO—you have to balance engineering, design, and business.”