Moving to a new country is hard, but being a Microsoft MVP means there is a good chance I will meet new local UAE Microsoft MVPs and work with them on organizing meetups.
I had the chance to host the UAE Microsoft MVP meetup on the 9 September 2020 and ask six fellow UAE Microsoft MVPs about their Microsoft MVP unique journey and sharing tips that helps you become one.
Want to learn more, check out my two blog posts about the Microsoft MVP program, how I became one, and my MVP journey.
Introducing the UAE Microsoft Community
At the time of blogging, there are eight Microsoft MVPs in the United Arab Emirates UAE and we expect more to be nominated soon. We regulary meet and organize events and meetups. In this blog post you will be introduced to the UAE Microsoft MVPs community, and one day, you might become one.
First thing, make sure you join our Meetup Groups now, We have two meetup groups listed below. Attend our meetups and connect with us on social media.
Know the UAE Microsoft MVPs
I will start by referring to the Microsoft MVP Award portal for defining a Microsoft MVP:
“Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals, or MVPs, are technology experts who passionately share their knowledge with the community. They are always on the “bleeding edge” and have an unstoppable urge to get their hands on new, exciting technologies. They have very deep knowledge of Microsoft products and services, while also being able to bring together diverse platforms, products and solutions, to solve real world problems. MVPs make up a global community of over 4,000 technical experts and community leaders across 90 countries/regions and are driven by their passion, community spirit, and quest for knowledge. Above all and in addition to their amazing technical abilities, MVPs are always willing to help others – that’s what sets them apart.“
Let me introduce the Microsoft MVPs in UAE as the time of publishing this blog post.
Let’s start with Ahmad Nabil (Microsoft MVP and Microsoft Regional Director).
- Website: https://itcalls.net
- From: Egypt
- MVP Category: Microsoft Cloud and Data Center
We also have James Toulman, a Microsoft MVP from UK.
Usman Wahab, a Microsoft MVP from Pakistan.
- MVP Category: Microsoft Azure (Since 2011)
- CTO @ Evolution | AI, ML, BI, Cloud Practitioner | Speaker | Blogger | Author | Trainer #FinTech
- Website: https://Usmanwahabkhan.blogspot.com
Hatim Nagarwala, a Microsoft MVP from India.
- MVP Category: Microsoft AI
- Technology Lead @appsWave Microsoft MVP in AI, Speaker, Mentor, Adventurer, Microsoft by beathing heart
- Website: http://Hatim.in
Igor Shastitko, a Microsoft MVP from Slovakia (@iwalker2000)
- MVP Category: Microsoft Azure
- Azure Infra Deployment, Management, Security and Automation. Worked at Microsoft for 10 years.
Hasan Dimik, a Microsoft MVP from Turkey
- MVP Category: Microsoft Cloud and Data center
- Senior Technology Engineer at Emirates NBD | CEH | MCT | MCSE | Speaker and Author
Satheshwaran Manoharan, a Microsoft MVP from India.
- MVP Category: Office Apps & Services
- Microsoft MVP | Messaging and Virtualization Expert | Publisher of Azure365Pro.com Website:http://Azure365pro.com
And of course, myself, Ammar Hasayen (ammarhasayen) from Jordan.
- MVP Category: Microsoft Cloud and Data center
- CISSP | CISM | AWS Architect | Azure Architect – Microsoft MVP | MCT
- Public Speaker
- Blogger https://blog.ahasayen.com
- Pluralsight Author https://www.pluralsight.com/authors/ammar-hasayen
- Book Author https://me.ahasayen.com/m365security
- Youtuber http://YoutTube.com/AmmarHasayen
Tips from UAE Microsoft MVPs
Tip 1
Start by looking at the MVP categories here and find out what you are good and passionate about. Once you identify the category that fits your skill set, then you can start working on planning your contributions.
Tip 2
Ahmad Nabil shared that a quick way to start contributing online is to visit the Microsoft Tech Community portal and start answering questions that others are asking. This is one of the easiest ways to show your passion for helping others with their Microsoft-related questions.
Tip 3
Usama and James talked about organizing events and user groups. It takes time and effort to organize and plan community events. It is also one of the most recognized contribution when Microsoft evaluate nomination for the Microsoft MVP program.
UAE Microsoft MVPs are managing two meetup groups:
Join these two meetup groups today and attend couple of our meetups to learn more about the dynamics and the spirit of our community work. If you think you have something worth sharing and you are ready to speak in our next event, then reach out to us and we’ll help. Just be authentic and original with your content and try to add value.
Tip 4
Hatim shared his experience in public speaking. He started speaking in local events in university and with time, he become a public speaker in big conferences such as Microsoft Ignite.
His advice is to try to find an opportunity to speak in events or online webinar. It might be hard at first, but always look and try to get such opportunity. Things become easier with time as you become recognized as a contributor in your field.
Tip 5
I shared my passion of blogging. Start a blog, small one. Don’t try to write the perfect post from the beginning. When I look at my first blog posts back in 2007, I get shocked as they lack any structure or proper format. Start with small and simple blog post, they don’t need to be complicated or deep technical, and with time you get better.
To start your blogging journey, you could go to wordpress.com and create a free blog within five minutes. Write about your experience in solving a problem at work or about a new feature in one of Microsoft services and target your expertise toward current MVP award categories.
I recently published a blog post on how to start your own blog which can help you get started quickly.
Tip 6
Igor shared his experience in creating video content in his YouTube Channel. He has over 57,000 subscribers by now. Igor said that creating videos is not the easiest contribution as a 10 minute video might take 4 hours to produce. It also take one or two years before you reach 1,000 subscribers depending on your content.
Myself, I have my own technical YouTube channel where I share my video content and it was not an easy journey to maintain my YouTube channel.
Ahmad Nabil recently created a new YouTube channel in Arabic to target the Arabic audience and he talks about cybersecurity in Arabic.
Extra Tips
I believe Microsoft MVP award committee looks for those who are well-known contributors in their field, and you have to show them that you are. They will not look for how much you know or how much certifications you have. Again, it is about your consistent contributions and being well-known in the community in one of the MVP categories.
Be authentic, different, and share from your experience. Do it from your heart and don’t wait for the award. However, make sure someone nominates you (current Microsoft MVP or a Microsoft Employee).
Watch our Webinar Recording Online
How To Become a Microsoft MVP in Arabic
If you are an Arabic speaker, then don’t miss the chance viewing this webinar with Ahmad Nabil and Ahmad Bahaa, two well- recognized Microsoft MVPs in the Arab world.
Other Resources
Want to learn more, check out my two blog posts about the Microsoft MVP program, how I became one, and my MVP journey.
