This morning we were thrilled to host the 4th Official MVP Twitter Chat. The @MVPchat twitter handle hosted the chat from 9-10 AM PT, and it was an hour filled with great conversation and networking between new MVPs, veteran MVPs and aspiring MVPs. In fact, almost 170 people joined in the conversation as we welcomed new MVPs and asked the community to help answer questions about making the most of being an MVP, the MVP award program and more. In the end we had almost 800 pearls of wisdom in the form of 140 character or less tweets.
We’ve included a few of our favorite responses from MVPs to the questions below and will include a link to a full transcript from MVP Tony Champion sometime in the next week!
Thank you again to everyone who joined us today and provided such great advice. We hope you enjoyed the chat as much as we did, and we look forward to more MVP Twitter Chats in the future.
What advice would you give to new MVPs for ways to best engage with other MVPs?
- Get out and chat with folks, don't hide in the corners checking e-mail. Attend the social events.
- Like I've encouraged in the past, get to know MVPs outside of your expertise. You never know when it'll help!
- Connect, converse, follow, ask questions. Join chats like this one. Ask us questions. BE HUMAN!
- Get into mailing lists, follow on Twitter, engage on Facebook, attend summits
- Seek out the blogs and sites run by other MVPs and participate in other MVP communities. You can learn a lot.
- Look at blogs and social media sites. And at Summit, talk with others! Remember - we're all geeks about our expertises. :)
After receiving the award, what are the 1st things you should do to make the best use of the MVP Award Program?
- Take advantage of the resources, explore MSDN/TechNet, visit the private NGs & sign up for the lists in your product.
- 1) sign up for PG email list; 2) book tickets to Global Summit
- Go put the award on your resume /LinkedIn/other profiles :)
- Connect with your MVP Lead and fellow MVPs in your expertise. You'll already have something in common.
- Get to know your lead-they can be an amazing resource (Thanks @hekost!) Then take advantage of new resources for networking.
We often hear the most valuable part of being an MVP is the other MVPs & relationships you form… any best memories to share?
- About 3 summits ago, @adefwebserver and I spent every night coding new changes into my website
- My fav MVP memories are of events like the annual PPT dinner at Summit. Great times!
- My MVP Lead and wife secretly coordinating haveng my Navy retirement flag flown at MS HQ. Meant a lot to me!
- Lots of great memories of MVP friends like Shauna Kelly and Nate Oliver.
- Mine was meeting my fellow MVPs for the first time at last year's Summit. It was fun. Plus, @kilaMOMjaro make awesome fudge
- When our OZ MVP practiced to say his name as American as he could and we all spontaneously corrected him in his Oz accent. ;)
- The time @patricia_eddy and @jaydeflix surprised the other Outlook MVPs by announcing they were a couple. (now married)
- Honestly for me theres not really memories, it's more of a feeling of safety. I can trust my life to these people!
What advice do you have for fellow MVPs looking for opportunities to speak/present?
- Shameless self promotion works for me! Pursue every opportunity no matter how small to build up your speaking skills.
- Connect with local users groups or community centers. Good subjects are privacy, online security and basic PC knowledge.
- Make sure local groups know you're an MVP and willing to speak. Lots of groups always looking for speakers.
- User groups, Rotary/Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce, business groups...
- Engage with communities and microsoft employees. Make people notice you're around whenever you visit a different place
- As said, local user groups. I've also found local community colleges love the interaction!
What is the most important learning resource for MVPs?
The overwhelming response to this question: Other MVPs
- Your fellow MVPs and the community at large.
- For me it's been the product groups themselves and other MVPs.
- There are so many! Product team blogs are great. The MS Virtual Academy is tremendous too! http://t.co/6KfIyroo
- Fellow MVP's in any medium and then take advantage of MSDN/Technet to learn even more. Then exercise knowledge by sharing.
What is the most important advice you can give to someone that would like to receive the MVP Award?
- Be an expert, share your knowledge and experience, and be positive and professional at all times.
- Learn as much as you can about the product and share that knowledge freely with the community.
- Speak with other developer and msft evangelist
- Keep going, if you're passionate and love to share, you'll get it
- Do NOT go after being an MVP for your own glory. You SERVE the public. We're here to humbly help where ever we can.
- Do what you like most, inspire and SHARE
- Do something in the community that you love to do, and then do it (a lot!)
- Be visible. Be good at what you do. Don't contribute just to be an MVP, contribute to help. (My two cents)
- Make sure to have fun while helping! Enjoying yourself helps keep you engaged and not burnt out