Morning Joel,
Having a standard list of questions can be beneficial in some cases. For instance, when I am interviewing potential new team members I have a list of 3 questions that I always ask to ensure I am asking the right questions to avoid not knowing how I feel about the candidate when they walk out.
With that being said, here are some questions I think you may find helpful to ask when considering bringing a Scrum Master onboard...
- As a Scrum Master on a team, what activities do you find to be the most important during a sprint? Can you share some examples of why you believe that to be the case?
This will give you a sense of how much they understand team dynamics and handling different scenarios throughout the sprint. It may also inform you on whether or not they understand the role of the Scrum Master.
- Say your team has spent a year building a product from the ground up and the release date is approaching quickly. What would you generally see yourself doing in the final weeks leading up to the release date?
This will help give you an understanding of your candidates ability to be proactive. You want to be sure you are hiring someone who will be ready to do what it takes to assist the team in being successful.
- What does being a Scrum Master mean to you and why does it matter?
In an agile atmosphere, it's important to have people on your team that understand and embrace their role. The fast pace nature of our industry especially, emphasizes this fact.
I hope this short list helps you in your search for amazing talent. Happy head hunting!