I am a final year IT student and further I want to study MBA. As I have a good technical background and after completing MBA, can I get job roles like a software project manager or a scrum master?
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2Hi Anal, welcome to PM.SE - I believe your question is already answered in Is it possible to be a Scrum Master without any experience? and Interview preparation tips for junior project manager position or project manager with no experiences. Hope this helps!– Tiago CardosoCommented Aug 14, 2020 at 7:32
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1Also Career path in project management and several items in career.– Tiago CardosoCommented Aug 14, 2020 at 7:34
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1This is an opinion related question, and the only opinion that counts is the hiring manager.– MCWCommented Aug 14, 2020 at 18:06
3 Answers
It depends
First of all, you need to aquire project management and Scrum knowledge if you want to be a PM or a SM. It goes without saying that you need to put in the effort to learn and aquire the skills that can differentiate you from other candidates applying for the same jobs. A degree and an MBA aren't worth as much these days compared to some time ago.
With that said, a lot will depend on the companies you apply for. Some might hire you, some might not. Like any other job, it will be a matter of them matching their needs, and companies have differen needs depending on the company itself, the project, the domain, etc.
Here is my experience with the situation you are describing:
- most companies won't hire an inexperienced PM, no matter your degree or MBA. Many projects require an experienced PM to be run, so even if you have project management knowledge, that knowledge is theoretical, not practical. They need someone who has been in the trenches and know the nature of the battle. That means they will hire an experienced PM, or a PM would be promoted from within the company, someone that knows what they are doing and have proved so already in their daily work;
- many companies will hire a SM right from the street. No degree, no MBA, nada. This is because they don't really understand the importance of a SM in Scrum, they think it's someone that facilitates meetings and events and such, kind of like a secretary. It's better if you don't end up in such a company because you will end up doing some perverted Scrum implementation, so basically you won't be a SM as per the definition of a SM. Companies that do know what they are doing will look for knowledge and experience, maybe even for some certifications (I dislike certifications and personally think they are mostly useless if you simply look for a certification, but it's a reality that needs mentioned);
- with an IT degree one can be hired as a developer, then prove their worth in other areas too, like Scrum knowledge and management skills. Many companies will move someone like this to a different role like a SM or PM if they see they are good at it. It will take of course longer now to become a SM or PM than getting a job directly, but it's a common occurrence.
Like I said, this is my experience with the situation you are asking about. Others may have a different opinion. YMMV and luck also plays a role so you might get the job you want right from the bat, no matter what I said above :). As with many other things you pursue in life you, if you have the determination and you put in the work, you can make it happen. The comments Tiago Cardoso added to your question should give you more details on what might be involved when walking this path.
You have to have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform adequately in those roles and then you have to be able to prove it to a hiring manager. If you can do that, then the direct answer to your question is: yes. However, I would suspect you do not have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform well in those roles and would have difficulty convincing a hiring manager of it.
Experience is a poor predictor of future performance while simultaneously is necessary to 1) practice the job to master the skills and abilities and 2) build evidence of success.
Most seller of IT services have a program to hire entry-level undergrad and graduate students and enter the workforce with a generic title, a standard entry-level salary, and assigned job tasks that have a lot of boring, grunt work along with some challenging stuff that would begin to discriminate between performers and non performers. If you are part of the former group, the you'll likely get some leadership assignments sooner than later. I'd advise to focus getting in with an entry-level pool and then work very hard rather than over inflating your abilities where success would be less likely.
In my opinion, your MBA degree doesn't enhance your chances of getting either role. What is important is that you are able to demonstrate the adequate skills and knowledge to perform in the role. You can apply for unpaid internships in some reputable digital agencies around, that way you will be able to set your self apart from others, your MBA degree will just be an icing on the cake. I am talking from experience, that's exactly the path I employed.