vExpert 2020 Second Half Applications opening soon

The vExpert second half applications open June 1^st and close on June 20^thYou can apply for vExpert here – https://vexpert.vmware.com/apply

Need help with your application? Don’t be shy to reach out to your local vExpert PRO at – https://vexpert.vmware.com/directory/pro. You can even reach out to me. As a vExpert Pro I can help you to prepare your application!

So what is vExpert?

The VMware vExpert program is VMware’s global evangelism and advocacy program. The program is designed to put VMware’s marketing resources towards your advocacy efforts. Promotion of your articles, exposure at our global events, co-op advertising, traffic analysis, and early access to beta programs and VMware’s roadmap. The awards are for individuals, not companies, and last for one year. Employees of both customers and partners can receive the awards. In the application, we consider various community activities from the previous year as well as the current year’s (only for 2nd half applications) activities in determining who gets awards. We look to see that not only were you active but are still active in the path you chose to apply for.

Criteria

vExperts are IT Professionals who are sharing their VMware knowledge and contributing that back to the community. The term “giving back” is defined as going above and beyond your day job. There are several ways to share your knowledge and engage with the community. Some of those activities are blogging, book authoring, magazine articles, CloudCred task writing, active in Facebook groups, forum (VMTN as well as other non VMware) platforms, public speaking, VMUG leadership, videos and so on.

The vExpert crew and Pro’s will look at all applications and carefully either accept or deny you. So be sure to make your application as complete as possible. The more information you give, the easier you make it for us to accept you into the program. If you just send in an application saying “I blog” or “I present” is not enough! Be sure to add links to your shared content and add a proper motivation like if you would when applying for a job 🙂 We don’t like to go on a fishing trip to validate what you state in the application! As you can imagine, thousands of people apply every year and there are limited people to screen all those applications in their personal free time! So be fair and square when applying!

Need help with your application? reach out to your local vExpert PRO at – https://vexpert.vmware.com/directory/pro

vExpert Program Benefits

The list of benefits of being a vExpert is huge!. Personally I love the webinars where really good information on the products is shared. With my home lab, I also like the NFR licenses. Almost every product is available! The slack channel community is really great to talk to all other vExperts, Discuss on products, or even get support from your fellow vExperts. This is a really big powerhouse of knowledge under your fingertips! The swag is awesome. Last year on VMworld US the swag bag contained a Raspberry Pi 3b! That is now spinning a DNS adblocker in my network! So as you can imagine, the list below is massive!

Invite to our private #Slack channel
vExpert certificate signed by our CEO Pat Gelsinger.
Private forums on communities.vmware.com.
Permission to use the vExpert logo on cards, website, etc for one year
Access to a private directory for networking, etc.
Exclusive gifts from various VMware partners.
Private webinars with VMware partners as well as NFRs.
Access to private betas (subject to admission by beta teams).
365-day eval licenses for most products for home lab / cloud providers.
Private pre-launch briefings via our blogger briefing pre-VMworld (subject to admission by product teams)
Blogger early access program for vSphere and some other products.
Featured in a public vExpert online directory.
Access to vetted VMware & Virtualization content for your social channels.
Yearly vExpert parties at both VMworld US and VMworld Europe events.
Identification as a vExpert at both VMworld US and VMworld EU.

vExpert Sub Programs

You can also apply for one of the subprograms for vExpert! If you are contributing and sharing knowledge in these specific area’s you might just get in 🙂 Want to help out with aspiring vExpert you can apply to become a vExpert Pro and preach to the choir.