The Aftermath – Being a MoM
As with my Blog It Forward, I must first warn the audience that I’m not much a blogger so don’t except anything you want to come back time after time. To show my appreciation to folks like Laure Cetin and Susan Keohan, I’m writing this.
I was delighted being elected as the Member of the Month for May 2013. I didn’t expect it and it wasn’t something I was aiming for. It necessarily didn’t showcase my skills in detail but it was a very good introduction about me, what I am interested in and what my footprint on SCN has been. I appreciated it very much having been selected as MoM.
The hugest attention by far I got was on the MoM blog itself. Next would have to be at work, especially since I’m new there and people might not know me and my background with SAP. It was also interesting to see who congratulated me and in which way, considering all the communication methods available today.
Maybe the biggest change was that I have recently gotten more than usual LinkedIn invitations and personal e-mails asking for assistance in various topics. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before but I would say I saw an increase of 30% in activity. Since I was selected MoM I have also noticed an increase of interest in my expertise amongst U.S. employers and recruiters. I don’t know if it has been because I was to selected MoM or just because of being active on SCN but it would be ignorant of me not see the correlation.
For everyone who contacted me and to whom I never replied, please do not take it personally. On LinkedIn I only accept invitations from people I have worked with or from people that I know personally. Maybe something I could improve on but since I’m not the most social guy out there, I think it reflects who I am. To people who wrote to me asking for help in various SAP topics, I’m sorry but my time is limited. I spend office hours benefiting my employer and my outside office hours doing non-work related things.
The feedback I have been getting from the community has been 100% positive and I want to thank everyone involved in any way. For people looking into becoming a MoM, my only advice is that don’t. If you deserve it, you will get it eventually.
Hi Samuli! Thanks for following up. I really appreciate it.
I think we all have our limits as to what we can handle as far as LinkedIn or SCN or FB or other social media. And no, I haven't taken it personally that you haven't accepted my invitations 😛
It's great to get such positive feedback from the community! Laure Cetin does a great job of highlighting the members who set great examples for all of us.
Cheers,
Sue
Ha, no, I have not tried to LI with you (yet). But I will FOLLOW you on SCN!
As for me being a nice person? That is a public persona that I cultivate. Glad it's working so well.
Good topic Samuli. This open discussion of different views.
The labor market in SAP has distinct characteristics compared to other areas. Most positions are temporary and immediate and so it is important to use social networks as a professional reference.
I was also surprised with my nomination as MoM, and even before that I've received many contacts. I have helped a lot of people which found me only by google, but today I adopt the position of helping only those who open a Theard the SCN as a way to popularize the community. I accept everybody and use to assist the most people I can.
All the best.
Good to know your experience on MoM.
In my case I am into a new technology, SAP Mobility. So people won't find extensive information on this platform ( Now it is available ) so they used to contact me through my personal email for solution, instead of posting in the SCN.
The advantage here for me is that I will get friends who works in the same technology and on the other side the activity/information in SCN reduces. So I stopped replying to email from new people who are asking for solution and I recommended them to use SCN.
Hi Samuli,
i totally agree what you have written.
Hi Samuli
Thanks for that I was wondering what MoM would do to someone 🙂
Martin
Hi Samuli,
What ever you said was 100% correct and all communications was happened due to the SCN(think so). Very nicely conveyed your thanks to SCN.
Thank You.