vExpert: How to become one and how it helped me

As a professional in the IT industry, you may have heard of the VMware vExpert program. But what exactly is it, and why should you care?

What is a VMware vExpert?

A VMware vExpert is a technical evangelist who has made significant contributions to the community, by using VMware products. The vExpert program was created in 2009 as a way for VMware to recognize and reward the most active and influential members of its community. The program has since grown to include people from around the world. The latest stats for 2022 show that currently there are 2514 vExperts from 88 countries, with different years of seniority.

vExperts come from a variety of backgrounds and different levels of technical knowledge. Certifications alone do not guarantee a vExpert status. Instead what is encouraged is the dedication towards active knowledge sharing in various forms. This could include blogging, speaking at events, participating in online forums, or contributing to social media.

Initially I thought that becoming a vExpert would be something that I could go for way down the road, when becoming a veteran technologist.

But fortunately enough, I had a colleague (thanks for the nudge Maarten) encourage me to at least try to apply with the content I had at the time, which was a few blog posts about ESXis on Raspberry Pis and some Twitter activity. He assured me that going through the motions alone is a valuable experience to have, which it really was, as it gives you a legitimate excuse to reflect systematically on what you have done in the past year, outside of your job. And surprise! The effort was actually valued by VMware and awarded with my first star as a vExpert.

While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, the bottom line is that some extra effort in giving back to the community is required in order for the application reviewers to consider someone. The man himself — vExpert’s programme manager Corey Romero has a great vBrown bag talk explaining the whole process on what kind of people they are looking for when they go through the applications.

How can you become one?

To apply for the vExpert program, you will need to fill out an online application and provide information about your contributions to the VMware community.

The application process is open for new candidates and renewals twice a year, once starting November with a February awards announcement and then in June, with an August announcement. Currently, it’s open season!

You can apply using the vExpert program’s website form which is easy to navigate and straightforward. For people renewing their applications, since the vExpert status has a 1-year expiry date, the application can be updated with your latest relevant content throughout the year.

The value of being a vExpert?

Beside receiving this awesome virtual badge and the same sticker at VM Explore, there are many other benefits of becoming a vExpert, such as:

• Being listed on the vExpert directory
• Access to exclusive resources like webinars
• Getting dedicated opportunities on VMware Explore (like this years Maxtang Intel NUC)
• Free year-long VMware eval licenses for their products and from their partner vendor companies that could be used in homelabs
• Gaining visibility for your content, written and spoken

Even though it may sound as a cliche, the most important perk really is NETWORKING with like-minded people. This happens in the Slack channel where you get invited when you are accepted as a vExpert and of course, while being a part of a special crowd if you also get to visit a VMware conference in the following year. These experiences can serve as an inspiration to improve as a person and a professional in this virtualization field.

As a first year vExpert, in the community Slack for most of 2022 I had been more of a fly on the wall type of a person, absorbing away information. But just by following the other vExperts interactions gave me a boost of confidence to continue down this learning road. Also, I was mind-blown by the kindness and receptiveness of the vExpert community. As I have highlighted in my previous VMware Explore Europe 2022 — A Recap, the most genuine experience was the informal gathering of vExperts — vBeers, where you get to discuss geeky virtualization topics with people you’re seeing for the first time in your life!

If you’re interested in other takes on how being a vExpert has helped people, check out this VMware compilation.

Conclusion

I hope this blog post gives you a good summing up of the vExpert program and the benefits of becoming a vExpert. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions and need an already active vExpert to help with the application.