Why get PSM certification in 2021?

Scrum is an Agile framework that allows organizations to collaborate over complex tasks and work in small successions. Scrum has proved to be successful for many small, medium, and large enterprises. It helps them to generate value through adaptive solutions. Earlier, Scrum was only used for IT operations, but now it is being used in other areas as well like sales, marketing, research, etc.

What is PSM certification?

PSM stands for Professional Scrum Master and is awarded by Scrum.org which is a very reputable organization. A PSM certification is highly reputed and is accepted globally. The demand for PSM-certified candidates is increasing and the number of candidates taking this exam is on the rise. The PSM certification exam has three levels. You need to get at least 85% to pass the exams. Hence, you can say that the PSM certification exam is not that easy. This makes it competitive and highly reputed too. PSM certification focuses on the overall development of skills and knowledge of an individual so that he/she can apply Agile methods to get the best results. The three levels of PSM certification are:

• PSM I (beginner)
• PSM II (intermediate)
• PSM III (advanced)

The benefits of PSM certification are as follows:

• Demonstrate your skills: PSM certification is not easy to attain. You need to pass three levels of exams to become a PSM certified professional. This exam demands dedicated hard work from the candidates. If you are PSM certified, it means that you have put in the required efforts and time to learn the skills and acquire the knowledge. Even if you are an experienced professional, it will help you to fill your knowledge gaps. This certification helps you to build a solid foundation. You will learn to handle new challenges within your organization. It will help you to grow and move up your career ladder. It will also inspire employees around you to take up the certification. You will be trusted for challenging roles within your organization since you gain the trust of your peers. This also means that you get opportunities to learn and grow more. Certification proves your commitment to benefit your organization.
• High in demand: More and more companies are adopting Scrum methodology. It has proved to be a successful approach for most organizations. It allows cross-functional teams to collaborate over complex projects. This not only eases the daily tasks but also leads to higher productivity. Sectors like healthcare, which were not project-oriented earlier are adopting the project-oriented approach. This setup guarantees success. But with more companies moving towards more project management approaches, the demand for skilled professionals is also increasing. Companies do not want to take risks by hiring incompetent professionals for crucial roles like a Scrum master. To ensure that the professionals are highly skilled, companies give preference to certified professionals. Hence, the demand for certified professionals is high while the supply is considerably low.
• High salary: Scrum masters are highly reputed in an organization. The Scrum masters play various crucial roles which directly impact the success of an organization. Hence, organizations and companies consider the Scrum masters as an asset. So they have a good salary. But if you are a certified scrum master, you can expect a better salary. According to a report by Forbes, certified IT professionals earn about $17,000 more on average than non-certified employees. Certification proves your dedication and commitment to learn and helps demonstrate your skills. Also, since Scrum master affects the success of projects, clients often demand certified Scrum masters to work on their projects. Hence, organizations encourage their employees to get certified. Since the gap between demand and supply of certified Scrum masters is high, companies are willing to pay high.
• Career opportunities: If you want to transition your career to Scrum, or even if you want to start your career in Scrum, PSM training will help you in your endeavors. Since companies give preference to certified candidates, you can easily get through the screening round of a recruitment process which is usually the first round. Hence, you get to demonstrate your skills in your interviews. Since Scrum has been successful in the success of projects, many companies are adopting it. This includes a wide range of companies including the construction sector, healthcare, oil, and natural gas, etc. Hence, you get opportunities to work in a variety of industries. So, many tech giants are hiring certified professionals. Hence you get the opportunity to work in companies like Amazon, Facebook, Google, Apple, Spotify, Adobe, etc.
• Badge of honor: When you are an expert in the Scrum methodology, you can encourage and inspire other employees in your organization to get trained and certified. This shows your commitment to the growth and development of your employees. You can inspire them to get certified as well when you exhibit your skills. Your competencies will motivate them to take up this certification, also you can talk to them and discuss the benefits of getting PSM certified. This is also advantageous to your organization. Your entire organization learns and grows as a whole which will help to reap more benefits for the organization.

Also Read: What is the PMI-PBA® Certification Exam?

Author Bio: Rajesh Jujare has extensive experience with Inbound marketing for various industries like eCommerce, Manufacturing, Real-estate, education, and advertising. Having worked with a reputed digital marketing agency, he has a stronghold on Content curation, SME acquisition, and White hat link building techniques. Rajesh has hands-on experience in Influencer marketing and worked with International influencers