Agile Mentors Podcast from Mountain Goat Software

#173: Hiring for Agile Roles That Actually Work with Cort Sharp

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Jan 28, 2026

Cort Sharp, an experienced Agile coach, trainer, and Scrum Master, discusses hiring for Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and Developers. He explores traits to look for beyond certifications. The conversation covers interview techniques, role-fit pitfalls, using teams in hiring, and which skills are teachable versus innate.

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ADVICE

Ask For Specific Influence Examples

In interviews ask for concrete examples of influencing without authority and driving root-cause improvements.
Beware candidates who focus on running ceremonies or owning tools without showing impact.

ADVICE

Build Team Capability Not Dependency

Look for Scrum Masters who build team capability instead of rescuing teams.
Prioritize candidates who enable teams to solve their own problems.

ANECDOTE

When Manager Became Scrum Master Twice

Brian became Scrum Master while managing two teams and saw one succeed and one fail.
The difference was how each team perceived him: peer versus manager.

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Hiring for Scrum roles is harder than it looks. Making the wrong call can derail an Agile transformation before it even starts. In this episode, Brian and Cort unpack what to actually look for in Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and Developers—beyond the job title and shiny certifications.

Overview

What makes someone a great Scrum Master? How do you spot the difference between a capable Product Owner and a glorified backlog manager? And what qualities matter most in a developer on a cross-functional Agile team?

In this episode, Brian Milner and Cort Sharp dig into one of the most foundational (and overlooked) parts of successful Agile adoption: hiring. You’ll learn what to include—and what to avoid—in your job descriptions, how to interview for the “real” skills that matter, and why collaboration often matters more than technical brilliance. Whether you're filling new roles or leveling up existing ones, this conversation will help you build stronger, more resilient teams from day one.

References and resources mentioned in the show:

Cort Sharp
Blog: 7 Questions to Determine if Being a Scrum Master Is Right for You by Mike Cohn
#155: Preparing for Interviews the Agile Way with Tali Shlafer
#157: What Teams Are Struggling With Right Now with Cort Sharp
Agile Skills Video Library
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This episode’s presenters are:

Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.

Cort Sharp is an Agile Coach, Trainer, and Scrum Master. In addition to his love for Agile, Cort is also a serious swimmer and has been coaching swimmers for five years.