What Are the Steps to Get CSM Certification?

Why Should You Gain a CSM Certification?

Do you want to take your career in Agile and Scrum methodologies to the next level?

Do you wish to acquire a certification that not only increases your job prospects but also develops skills to lead Scrum teams effectively?

With or without experience, this simple guide will be instrumental in acquiring your CSM certificate and knowing what it takes.

Let’s first understand what CSM certification is.

What is CSM Certification?

The CSM certification is provided by the Scrum Alliance and is ideal for those who wish to assume the role of a ScrumMaster.

The ScrumMaster facilitates Agile teams, makes certain they are adhering to the Scrum process and helps to shield them from any impediments to progress.

When you have your CSM certification, you will prove that you have knowledge of Scrum and can effectively coach teams through Agile practices.

Why CSM Is Important?

CSM Certification helps you learn the Scrum framework deeply.

It is a great way for project managers to develop new skills and accelerate their careers.

Certified ScrumMasters are in much demand as more companies are looking to adopt Agile practices every day.

Do You Need Prior Experience?

One of the best things about CSM certification is that there are no strict prerequisites.

You don’t need to have any prior knowledge or experience in either Scrum or Agile to enrol yourself for the course.

But still having a basic understanding of Scrum principles will be an added advantage when you are attending the classroom training.

You can go through the Scrum Guide, there are good videos on YouTube, and many more resources available online where you can familiarise yourself before you start your training.

Who Should Consider CSM Certification?

CSM certification is ideal for professionals who are looking to gain an in-depth understanding of Agile and Scrum.

If you are a project manager, developer, product owner or business analyst then CSM certification can help you to become more effective within your Agile team.

CSM Certification Steps

CSM certification is not rocket science.

Yet, it’s a simple certification which starts very right from knowing about the course and ends with passing the course.

Let’s understand the whole process.

What Does the CSM Course Include?

The next step is to sign up for a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) course.

The course is usually two days long and will teach you everything there is to know about Scrum, including the roles, events, artefacts etc.

It’s a very interactive and hands-on course where you will do exercises, have discussions, and learn from real scenarios on how Scrum is implemented.

How do I find who provides this training?

To make sure that you are getting quality training, take a course from a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) authorised by the Scrum Alliance.

You can find courses on the Scrum Alliance website. In your search, think about things like where you are located, when you want to take the class and does the provider offers virtual or in-person training.

If you are looking for CSM London for instance, then look for reputable providers in that area. Or if virtual is more your thing, then consider those options.

Join in Participating

When you sign up for a CSM course, the training is designed so that actively participating is essential to success. You will be learning everything from the fundamentals of Scrum, all the way through to how to run Scrum events like Sprint Planning and Daily Standups. Get involved with the exercises and conversations, it’s all part of the process.

The course will give you an understanding of the roles and responsibilities. How to remove impediments to your team’s progress, how to coach your team on Scrum values, and practices and how to work with the Product Owner to ensure the team are delivering value not output.

Prepare for the Exam and Pass The Certification

After you’ve finished your CSM course, you can complete the CSM exam.

The test is made up of 50 multiple-choice questions. You must score 74% or higher (37 out of 50 questions correct) to pass the exam.

But don’t worry, your class will have prepared you well for the exam and it’s an open-book test that we’re sure you’ll do great on!

Once you’re ready, you can log in to your Scrum Alliance account and access the test.

You can refer back to the book during the test. The test is sixty questions that you have sixty minutes to complete. However, most people can do this much more quickly. If you don’t pass the test on your first try it’s a free retake.

Renew Your Certification

After you pass the exam and become a CSM, you are a Certified ScrumMaster!

But only for two years.

To maintain your certification (and after all that work you did to get it, why wouldn’t you want to?) you renew by paying a renewal fee and earning SEUs (Scrum Education Units) through continued learning or events.

Keep Learning

To keep you up to date with Agile and Scrum by joining some Workshops, Webinars or Agile meetups. Being close to the Scrum community it will give you the chance to get your certification alongside continue gaining deep experience in Scrum practices.