During the past three years, an awful number of people approached me with various versions of the same question: “How do I get an MVP award on my “whatever” expertise? “
Although what I am going to say is not new in any way, maybe writing the same story in a different way may help someone.
1. You are (really) starting in the wrong way
Information about the MVP award is public and easy to find. If you are asking to an MVP how to obtain the award, it means you have not searched information by yourself (bad start, maybe you are not interested enough) or that you think there are some hidden secrets to become an MVP (even worse scenario, you think you are going to talk with a band of liars).
2. The MVP award is all about helping a community
You have to do things that make sense to help a LARGE number of people or, at least, to add value for a specific group of professionals. Again, it is something that everybody should have understood, at this point. If you are interested in helping (and interacting with) other IT Pros or developers, if you like a Microsoft product and have fun talking about it and sharing your findings, you are already on the right way.
All I can suggest here is to find the tool that best fits to you to relate with the community you like. Blogs, webcasts, forums, conferences… it is like a long list.
3. Good contents are required
An MVP should be like a warranty of quality, if he/she is involved in an activity with his/her community. GOOD is not a synonym of NEW.
Sometimes I really love the MVPs that organize and filter existing information so that I am able to find them in a simple manner. New stuff is great but there are so many sources out there, that a good post that summarizes them is invaluable more than a ton of “new” articles that may all be talking about the same topic again and again and again.
It should never be forgotten the contribution of MVPs who respond in the various forums or that collaborate on the TechNet Wiki. Helping members of a community to find existing resources they need to solve a problem is absolutely a great way to show your commitment.
4. Focus: you are requiring to be recognized as an expert
Ok, I am NOT the right one to talk about this point, I like to deepen on more than a single subject at a time (and, in a second time, I put the pieces together to build a bigger picture). However, an MVP is usually an expert on a single, specific product, so it is easier to pull away from the pack focusing on a single field, rather than stretching yourself too thin.
5. Numbers are part of the game
To receive an MVP you will be weighted, you will be measured and maybe you will be found absolutely wanting (quoting A Knight’s Tale).
You know that there will be a group of persons that will be required to look at your yearly achievements and establish if they are worthy to be awarded. My suggestion: do something that is measurable. Everyone (including the team that estimates MVP candidates) needs a metric to understand your impact on the community. The right tool (see point 2) should really include a counter too.
6. Be consistent in your behavior
If you are nice on LinkedIn and you are rude on Twitter, or if you are a good boy on social networks but you are arrogant during conferences, the perception people have of you will be not consistent and they will easily think that you are just acting to achieve something (the MVP award)? Therefore, if you are not a kind friendly and sociable, it is not a problem. However, it would be wise to be yourself in all contexts. Also if it sucks.
7. Do not nominate yourself
Please. I now, you can do it. Your nomination could come from the community, from a Microsoft’s employee, from another MVP or from YOURSELF. Maybe it makes sense in some special situation. If you are not in such a peculiar scenario, do not do such a pathetic move. We are talking about someone that is helping a community…. and no one in this community has the desire to say thank you? No MVP has noticed your good work? Come on, be serious.
8. MVP gives you a great networking chance
No more and no less. After a year, you could find yourself with nothing more than what you had before receiving the MVP award . It shows that you missed the big point: being an MVP is being part of a group of 4,000 professionals that love a Microsoft product (I could say, love their work) and are committed to creating quality contents and sharing them.
So, if you are really like them, you will easily establish a lot of connections and personal contacts that will last also when you are not renewed in your MVP award. If you have been a fake, a year in a “club” like the aforementioned one will leave you as you were.
That is all: no black magic and no mystery. It sounds easy, but I may assure you that there are people out there that will keep on searching for a “trick” to take the MVP award. Well, have fun on your search.