“This is the highest award that Microsoft gives out to non-employees. It is an award, not a certification. The award is given to recognize an individual’s contributions to the technical community (writing blogs, answering questions on forums, writing wikis, speaking at conferences and user groups, writing books and magazine articles). Individuals from organizations large and small have received it. Even non-IT people who are passionate about a specific tech have received it. There is no clearly delineated path to “earn” the award.” (Chapter 1 How to be an MVP in Life)

Microsoft pointed out that “of the more than 100 million social and technical community members worldwide, each year only about 3,800 are recognized as MVPs” (Becoming an MVP, 2015)

Since you can no longer nominate yourself, it is important to attract the notice of a Microsoft employee or an active Microsoft MVP. As I said in the book: “In life people often say, ‘It’s not what you know, but who you know.’ I tend to think that with the Microsoft MVP program, the quote should be, ‘It’s what you know, and who sees you sharing it.’”

1. Keep learning about the product or technology set, work on becoming an expert

2. Blog about Microsoft Technology in way that is meaningful to the technical community around the product

   1. You don’t have to sing the praises of the product but you have to help people accomplish their goals

   2. Follow MVPs on social media comment on their posts, share yours via social media

3. Speak at local user groups, especially groups where there is an MVP

   1. Seek feedback on your contributions to the group

4. Answer questions online

5. Make videos about the product or set of technology in a way that helps people understand how to put it to use

6. Contribute to an opensource project related to the product, especially one where MVPs and Microsoft employees are engaged

   1. Coding

   2. Testing

   3. Documentation

7. Build a tool that fills a gap with the product you use

   1. Ask MVPs and Microsoft employees for feedback or mentoring

   2. Present at non-local user groups events like:

   1. Code Camps

   2. SQL Saturday

8. Speak at bigger conferences

9. Write a book

10. Present at non-local user groups events like:

    1. Code Camps

    2. SQL Saturday