Lately I came across this posting on an agile related mailing list. I know that job postings on these lists are often a low hanging fruit for criticism, but I really just could not help myself.
THIS IS NOT A PM, but a SCRUM MASTER POSITION. The right candidate needs to have background as a technical lead in J2EE AND a recent background in management and/or Project Management
The Scrum Master will be responsible for managing the Scrum activities of 4-6 Java Developers. He/She will need to deliver quality software releases on time and within budget. This person will work closely with development staff to develop delivery plans, monitor and control development milestones, complete software designs and documentation, serve as the point of escalation to resolve technical issues, and will mentor and coach junior developers. They will be accountable for enforcing development standards and best practices, and ensuring the team is delivering on its commitments.
Required Skills:
* Proficiency with Microsoft Project
* Posses a good understanding of Project Management practices, plus good planning and organizing skills
* Be the right mix of management and technical skills, background and expertise
* Have 3+ years experience as a senior software engineer, technical lead, technical project manager, or software development manager
* Have proficiency with the JAVA language and in Web technologies
* Have experience with Test Driven Development practices and their implementation
* Possess strong written and verbal communication skills
Whatever.
You might take this post as saying I dislike Scrum and it’s not. My annoyance is all these high profile companies jumping on the bandwagon and renaming their project manager position as Scrum Master, hiring them by the buttload and teaching them the wonders of gnatt charts, microsoft project, and “managing the development staff” (aka watching over the serfs) and then dumping them onto the open market with freshly minted resumes listing Scrum Master as a position previously held.
Now when a company really does get serious and wants to adopt Scrum, they’ll search for a Scrum Master to help their teams out and hire one of these guys, further spreading the poison. Then said company will have disastrous results and either “learn that agile just does not work” and switch back to whatever process they had before or keep the course with a pseudo agile setup that will cause people to only complain about how much they hate agile.
What’s the solution to this mess? In my opinion “Fake Agile” is the biggest threat to our industry as only widens a certain problem and puts a nice doormat over it. 
Amen! And, Amen!
The description above is NOT a Scrum Master.
I have found this “slap an Agile or Scrum label on it” attitude everywhere. It’s hard to beat back. People want to do what they’ve always done instead of creating real change.
Thanks for a well-put statement.