Sitecore Technology MVP 2021 - Navaneethakrishnan (NAVAN) Sundarrajan - Common queries and answers
Introduction
For anybody working in a specific technology area, the Most Valuable Professional or MVP title is a career goal and achieving the same is definitely a milestone in one's career.
I received my first Sitecore Technology MVP title yesterday. To be named as one among 10 Technology MVPs within Australia is definitely a great feeling.
This blog article is about certain myths/questions I had about the MVP title as well as few tips that might be helpful to someone!
About the Selection Process:
Sitecore follows a very diligent selection process every year. As far as I have followed the process, they seem to carefully sift through applications and come up with a new list every year. Although this is my first time, considering the fact that the list is refreshed every year says a lot about the process followed for existing MVPs apart from the new MVPs. This is the reason, the count of MVPs doesn't increase drastically from year-to-year although Sitecore is open to welcome diligent and consistent contributors. Just adding the list for the last few years to compare for yourself:
Who is considered a Most Valuable Professional?
Sitecore is very clear about who is considered an MVP:
First of all, the MVP title is not an attestation for your technical expertise!
What matters is, What impact you can have when you find a solution for a problem!
Its more about what you can contribute rather than what you possess!
What can you do without getting bound to the four walls of your work environment!
In other words, you see the world as your community and you don't have defined boundaries!
This gets converted to the fact that you are active in forums and communities but most importantly looking for information and helping yourself and others.
What qualities you need to build/have?
Just open yourself up. Feel free to say I don't know! What you do after you accept that fact is what matters! Understand that MVP title is not for Super human, its for a commoner!
Most importantly, be prepared to fail. Accept and learn from failures as much as you celebrate even small wins! Remember, its that quick comeback after a failure that matters the most!
What to blog?
One of the initial hiccups I had was deciding on:
How to write blog articles with unique content?
Is my blog article long enough?
Is my blog article useful?
I presume these are very common questions for anyone starting anew. The key hint is, look out for problems you or others face in forums or community, find solutions for the same and blog about it. This is the easiest and the most practical approach. This approach in fact will take you beyond the MVP title since your blog articles will have useful and unique content. A good way to get started is, use blogging as a diary to write the day-to-day problems you face and the solutions you find.
Don't worry about blog length, style or sentence formation issues (obviously, you have MS Word to support). Its your blog, you are writing notes for yourself if not for anyone! Most importantly, no one was born as a blogger!
How often should I blog?
There is nothing like a specification for this. Whenever you have new ideas, blog it. Though, it will be good to have an even distribution across the year. So, at least one article every month will be a good frequency. I would also add that starting early in the year and an even distribution should give you an image of a regular and consistent contributor. That way, the list will look good on your MVP application too since you will have to add the blogs in this format:
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Importance of LinkedIn
Get rid of inhibitions. Build your LinkedIn connections. Costs nothing: Add likes to others' LinkedIn posts. Publish your blog articles in LinkedIn and don't worry if no one comments or likes your blog articles. In your head, you are doing something constructive - Keep Chugging on. Sometimes consistency is what matters!
Importance of the Sitecore Slack Channel
Also, be active in the Sitecore Slack Channel. The admins out there @Sitecorejunkie and @jammykam to name a few are awesome. Be prepared to meet other famous personalities too there in the channel! I also think this is one place that will teach you how to make a comeback! This place is a plethora of ideas. I started picking a lot of blog ideas based on queries in the channel. Not sure if this works for everyone but I make it a point to be logged in to the Sitecore Slack Channel in my computer.
Pick an area of expertise
Within Sitecore, pick a specific area of expertise and make it your own. For instance, I made installation as my area of expertise. I would make an attempt to answer all queries regarding installation and uninstallation in the Sitecore Slack Channel and Sitecore Community Forum. This way, you can make your presence felt across different channels/forums.
Will people from Sitecore read my blogs?
This is a very common question for any beginner. The answer is straight forward. In my opinion, Sitecore Community is relatively small. You will definitely be recognized for your consistency. Just make your blog articles so unique that not only people from Sitecore but everyone will read! Always look for opportunities to blog. Use the #Sitecore tag in LinkedIn while publishing your blog articles.
Improve your GitHub presence
This is one key area in my opinion. This adds a certain niche to your profile.
- Contribute to open source projects
- Build your own GitHub projects: This way, you can also write blog articles on your own projects
The advantage of building your own projects is - you can pick up the technology you want but finding a problem area could be tricky. On the other hand, if you keep thinking you should land something soon maybe finding the first one could be the key!
Should I work for a certain Company to become an MVP?
This was constantly playing up in my mind. In fact, when I was writing blog articles at peak, I was switching jobs due to the pandemic. So, I was constantly worried that I was spending too much time on learning and writing blog articles rather than apply for jobs. I also was checking previous year trends/statistics and thinking that I don't have a chance since I didn't work for a certain company. But, the Sitecore MVP selection panel, doesn't look at where you work. They just look at your track record outside work, what you are contributing for the Sitecore platform and the community as such. So, my thoughts were actually baseless!
Also, your LinkedIn connections do understand that you are contributing something out of the way. So, if at all you are between jobs, they will lap you up when there is an opportunity.
Should I GitHub, blog or do User group presentations?
Its always nice to have a good mix of the following:
- Blogging
- GitHub contribution
- User Group Presentation
The above is just my list. You can also get involved in the Sitecore Hackathon, Sitecore Virtual Developer Day etc. to name a few. With Sitecore, sky is the limit for community activity!
Don't worry if you are comfortable doing one over the other or, you don't find time for one in the list. For instance, I couldn't do a user group presentation since I was constantly involved in building my GitHub presence + spent a lot of time writing blog articles. In my head, blogging and GitHub contributions were more important but, you might have your own justification. So, go by that hunch. Finally, what matters is, do you have enough content to write in your application form and most importantly, you are convinced about what you are writing.
About the Community Introduction program
In 2020, Sitecore came up with the concept of Community Introduction for the first time for new 2021 MVP nominations. Since I didn't have access to any MVPs at work, I had to go through the Community Introduction. I again wasn't sure if this would work for me and not sure how to reach out to get approval from an existing MVP. This is where your LinkedIn connections, Sitecore Slack Channel presence and blog publishing could help! In my case, when I pinged one of the MVPs at the end of November, he put forward my application without any further questions. He also gave me a valuable piece of advise to prepare for a journey rather than thinking the MVP title as a destination. Thanks Dylan Young!
Note that when you go through the Community Introduction program, you are no way different from other applicants who come through MVPs they know or from their workplace. What again matters is your community contribution. Sitecore is definitely watching you. Don't worry!
Also, don't get worked up if someone has more recommendations than you in the Community Introduction. Just work on your deliverables like GitHub projects and writing unique blog articles.
Here is my Community Introduction for reference:
My Sitecore MVP 2021 Community Introduction
Important Dates/Deadlines for reference
MVP Application Deadline: 30th November
Note that the community Introduction opens in Nov and after this, an existing MVP must approve your introduction and invite you to submit your application through the MVP site.
MVP Application Review: December and January: I have heard that your application is reviewed by multiple MVPs and then the Sitecore Selection panel.
MVP list announcement: This year, the MVP selection team probably worked faster. Kudos to Tamas Varga! I got a personal email regarding my title award on 27th January and the official Sitecore press release was made on 28th Jan. Usually the date of announcement can extend until 30th Jan.
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