We had an exciting morning as MVPs from around the world joined us for our 3^rd Official MVP Twitter Chat. As we mentioned in a previous post, we held an MVP Twitter Chat this morning from 8-9 AM Pacific Time today, October 20, 2011. Over the course of one hour we had over 200 people actively participating in a conversation focused on new MVPs and their questions. During our chat the #mvpchat hashtag trended in at least eight different cities including the Redmond/Seattle area and cities in California, Texas, France, Brazil and India. What resulted were more than 900 nuggets of MVP wisdom and advice in 140 characters or less. Below we’ve included some of the highlights from this morning conversation.

What’s the best way to network with other MVPs?

• I'm booked for the summit. (flight anyway) #mvp12
• All of it. Any of it. Whichever works best for you. :)  
• The MVP Summit of course :)
• Conferences!
• I'm still trying to figure that out.  :)  Code camps, user groups, online events are probably best for me.
• Just be at conferences, present, tweet, facebook like you do normally... You connect "automatically"
• Local events and the MVP Summit
• Actually Summit is an excellent place to network with other MVPs. Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook aren't bad either. 
• Just about any venue such as Twitter, Facebook and other forums.  Just be aware of NDA limitations on those sites.
• Twitter/LinkedIN, followed up by SQL Conferences such as #sqlpass & #sqlsaturday 
• Twitter keeps in touch all yr round
• Twitter and the MVP summit.
• As for in person - local user groups and most certinaly the annual summit.
• MVP Summit is really an incredible experience... and THE place to meet others MVP
• I think Xbox MVPs are a bit unique in that we network through gaming! Horde anyone? ;)
• I agree. Summit is THE place to be once in a year. But local groups are better for networking with your peers
• Twitter, Events, MVP Summit, MVP Distribution Lists
• Twitter and going to conferences... MVP Summit (I haven't went yet)
• Plus network with your MVP Lead - a big must do!  
• Twitter is actually the way I've most successfully networked with other MVPs - followed by conferences.
• Twitter's my choice. :3  
•  Network with our MVP Lead @abhishekkant who also keeps up the discussion on mail list and also Monthly Hour
• Conferences, mailing lists, forums, and of course the Summit.
• Late on  Local user groups, Twitter, G+, and the Summit
• Go to local UGs/conferences to meet MVPs in your geo area. Find out if there are "Insiders" lists in your subject areas.
• Facebook is nice as well, we have a french speaking MVP facebook group which is nice

What is the most important learning resource for MVPs?

• Each other.  I learn more from other MVPs, via twitter, blogs, conferences, etc - then anywhere else.  
• Peers. Always peers. Either at local UG's or at the summit, socail networks or other places
• For the technologies I follow, the blogs of the PM. Books on my favorite subjects.
• Blogs, books and conferences
• For me the most important learning resource is each other. Second is articles on the web.
• Blogs, StackOverflow, conference sessions posted on @ch9
• I learn a lot from blogs and my twitter stream. Of course, conferences as well
• I learn by doing and reading blogs.
• Self exploration of new stuff as well. RT @alvinashcraft:  Blogs, StackOverflow, conference sessions posted on @ch9
• MVP's blogs, Build/MMS/TechEd Videos & PPTs at ch9
• PG DL Really! Other are available public in the Internet  
• Helping the community.  Helping others with their problems gives you problems/perspective that you'd never see on your own.
• Peers and MS PMs.
• IMHO feedback from people you help :)
• The net from where we get to know the MSDNblogs, TechNet blogs, channel9 videos, discussion list and of course books
• Watching the discussions in the MVP thread :-)  Of course, blogs, articles, etc.
• Also learn from various forums, Answer the Qs , also get your Queries cleared

What advice do you have on being a 'new MVP'? Caveats? What do you need to watch? How do things go around Summit?

• If you're a new MVP, don't miss the MVP summit. The first one is always special :-)
• Get as active in the community as possible.  Caveats: Watch your NDA ;)  For the summit - just go, it's great! 
• Meet as many people as possible and enjoy yourself! 
• There is a ton going on during the Summit. Make sure you experience as much as you can.
• Advice for new MVPs: Connect with your lead and other MVPs. Attend Summit. Ask Questions. Meet peeps. Ask more questions.
• Just continue to do what you were doing before the award - that is what got you recognized in the community.
• Don't violate your NDA.  :) 
• Do those things from network with fellow MVP's and your MVP Lead.
• Take advantage of the network of peers and access to Microsoft teams, but otherwise "business as usual" for the most part!
• Don't be afraid to speak up, and challenge things as needed.  Watch how other MVP's interact on the public/private thread.  :-)
• Catch up with friends at the summit but also take the time to meet people in other groups. A lot of experts==a lot to learn
• I would say: don't forget the NDA. Get excited, but don't forget it. Enjoy all the new friends you'll meet!
• Keep in contact with your MVP Lead for any help
• Being an MVP opens up many opportunities, be sure to take advantage of them and keep contributing to the community.

What is the most exciting thing you have experienced as a result of being awarded as an MVP?

• I wouldn't necessarily say "exciting" but all of the MVPs I've met have been fantastic people.
• Interaction with product teams, opportunities to speak in the community about technology, Summit ranks fairly high as well!
• Most exciting thing is just the number of opportunities that become available. But you have to seek them out.
• Meeting Anders and attending the Summit
• The MVP summit and knowing a lot of great people
• 1) Using the tools to better the community confidence in MS tech. 2) Networking with equally passionate people.
• Mailbox and twitter timelineexploded, the whole company got cake by the boss. My 1stonline meeting was also very cool  
• Being able to give back more to the community
• The product team interactions, summit, and networking top my list of most valuable experiences from being an MVP  
• Meeting other MVP's and having dinner with Anders Hejlsberg
• I have more friends now than ever! From Microsoft, other MVPs, community guys. This is the biggest benefit
• The most exciting thing is gaining so many friends world-wide.
• This'll sound corny but...meeting one of my best friends @janac.  
• Interacting with the same experts who have developed the products we use
• Dream to have a click with @scottgu  and @shanselman
• Meeting the #Surface team and the other #Surface MVPs was extremely cool as well
• Meeting developers at the summit that literally helped me get started programming.
• So many great MVP & Microsoft friends like @patricia_eddy & many many more.  
• Meeting with my fellow mvps! I feel like we're family :)
• I've met so many awesome people like @tromboneforhire @aceattorney and @aka_Scratch. And there's many more like them.
• Most exciting: attending a keynote with Bill Gates speaking, his last as the head of Microsoft.
• Meeting a few Xbox employees I knew beforehand in person. :D
• Live meeting with my new peers. I was 'sitting' between my heroes as one of them. Uncanny.   

What is the biggest change in how you connect since you became an MVP?

• The only change is that there are many more opportunities to connect.
• Biggest change is that social media is now part of how we connect rather than something a few do and most can't find time for.
• The opportunities to do some things I would have never done otherwise and to be able to talk things with Microsoft folks.
• I think my connections have broadened in scope - but the mechanisms haven't really changed.   
• I've began using Twitter alot more, mostly thanks to @pj_forgione for finding me. :)
• Being an MVP has opened doors which is crucial for running Charity events. It was much more difficult to connect before my MVP
• I found I connect to my peers more. They come to me and I learn from their questions
• The biggest change for me is a great partnership to the local Xbox team, with a lot of mutual respect going on
• Meet other experts on MS products, great networking and get advanced information from MS
• I address concerns directly with the product team rather than ranting publically.
• Hmm.  Change?  I guess in-person contact. I try to meet with any & all MVP's that come to NYC. (when I can)
• But I specifically blogged to ask people not to treat me differently. I am still just Joost
• Def better opportunities 
• Being a Zune MVP has allowed me to help indie artists get their voices heard over the mainstream noise.

Has the MVP Award opened career doors or helped you advance?

• Yes definitely. It helps me in my work and I have now so much more knowledge that helps me do my work better
• I don't think the award has directly helped in my career yet.
• Yes as you are now considered the go to guy for a particular technology
• I hope it will ;) 
• It has certainly helped with credibility in the marketplace.
• No but it has broadened my contacts base at many levels.
• Absolutely fantastic for that   
• The MVP award has helped me learn more information, more quickly.  This extra knowledge helps my career tremendously.  
• I agree with the credibility part as well.  My MVP status was a key in a partnership I recently began with another site.
• It's all about the glamour! :)
• Definitely yes, a lot of the current projects in my enterprise came from contacts from my MVP network
• Not yet (in 20 days not much happens) but definately planning on that
• It looks good on my professional bio. It may have helped me secure some book deals.
• Not yet, but I hope it does. A good step into something bigger for something I love doing. :)
• Definitely has beyond reaching out to community members and mentoring aspiring MVPs
• Credibility and respect, but nothing monetarily unfortunately 
• This helped me to increase my Visibility in Career as well as in my organization.
• May have? I am guessing it definitely did. Got me my first two book contracts directly due to connections.  
• Yes, but it's really more about the connections as far as career advancement goes.
• I hope! First of all is an important achievement for my job
• Definitely, this was my 2011 Microsoft-centric goal...  2012 -> MCT  ;)

What is the most important advice you can give to someone that would like to receive the MVP Award?

• Contribute to your community and be passionate about what you do.  The recognition will follow.
• Participate a lot in the community and be passionate about what you do! It shows! Also, network network network!
• Focus on doing everything you love which helps the community - the award will hopefully come naturally.  
• Stop talking about how much you want to be an MVP and just pursue your passion  
• Best advice: Be active. Don't be a troll. Make a difference. Get involved!!! 
• Don't be afraid, or reluctant to share your experience. Nobody gets things riht on the first try.
• Don’t go after the award for attention or prestige, you are an MVP to serve the community not the other way around.
• Be yourself, do what you love to do, be visible and be an inspiration to others. oh, and have fun doing what you do!
• Get active in the community... blogs, forums, twitter, user groups, and code camps!
• Advice? Just keep doing what you're doing. We don't do what we do for the award, we do it because we enjoy helping
• Don't work for it, be passionate, and be yourself. It works! :)
• Be active, be passionate about your product of choice, sincerely help as many people as you can.
• Be as authentic, active and passionate in a technology (with a product team) as you can. Working with
  multiple DE's help.
• "Be excellent to each other."
• And my personal addition, a Yoda ripoff: don't try becoming MVP. Just BE MVP.
• Don't make the MVP award your goal. Be awesome in the community and let things happen naturally.
• Focus not on the award but on helping others
• Do things with passion, do because you love technology, don't do it just for the award. Your passion will be recognized
• Don’t do it for award. Do it and keep doing it. You'll be recognized.
• Don't focus on it, because MVPs will one day be non-MVPs again. Majority who have it don't need it to be great.  
• Community, blog post, social media, just overall active in your fav technology
• Be active on Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Forums, UGs  
• Don't do it for the award. Your love for your community and product will get it for you.
• Continue to do what you love doing   don’t make being an mvp the goal. it's the icing on the cake, not the cake :)
• Act as a MVP regardless of the award status.     
• My real advice is to blog as often as possible, share experiences, get involved in the SQL Community, write, present, etc.
• Start participate in the MSFT forums, start a blogg, twitter, join conferences, and help your local MSFT office
• If you're passionate about, tell it, tell it to everyone.  Passion is
  contagious and often its own reward. 
• Participate to forums, communities and meetings in order to meet other tech enthusiasts and share opinions
• Passion is the magic word... be Pasionnate ;)
• Be active on Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Forums, UGs

This is just a sampling of the amazing contributions that MVPs made during chat. We will update this story with a link to MVP Tony Champion's (@tonychampion) tool which captured the entire chat soon!

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.

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UPDATE: October 21, 2011

The full MVP Twitter Chat script is now available at  http://mvpchat.championds.com/ - Thank you MVP Tony Champion for providing this!