Sarvar Nadaf for AWS Community Builders

Posted on Dec 18

How to Become an AWS Community Builder

#aws #community #discuss #beginners

👋 Hey there, tech enthusiasts!

I'm Sarvar, a Cloud Architect with a passion for transforming complex technological challenges into elegant solutions. With extensive experience spanning Cloud Operations (AWS & Azure), Data Operations, Analytics, DevOps, and Generative AI, I've had the privilege of architecting solutions for global enterprises that drive real business impact. Through this article series, I'm excited to share practical insights, best practices, and hands-on experiences from my journey in the tech world. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, I aim to break down complex concepts into digestible pieces that you can apply in your projects.

Let's dive in and explore the fascinating world of cloud technology together! 🚀

Last year, my LinkedIn Post helped four people get selected into the AWS Community Builder program, which showed me the real impact of sharing honest guidance. I have been part of this program for the last three years, and everything in this article is written from direct experience not assumptions or internet theory. I am not covering benefits, swag, or generic advantages, as those are already well documented elsewhere. This article focuses purely on real insights, patterns, and practical guidance that are rarely discussed, with the intention of helping more people become part of this journey and if you follow this mindset and approach consistently, not necessarily this year but certainly in the next cycle, you will be part of this community.

AWS Community Builder Program:
Applications typically open in the first week of January and remain available for approximately two weeks.

Today, I want to discuss one of the most important and often underestimated aspects of my IT journey: community.

Throughout my career in technology, skills, certifications, and tools have played an important role but none of them shaped my growth as deeply as being part of a strong technical community. In this article, I will share practical insights and real world lessons that can help you move toward becoming an AWS Community Builder.

Most articles about the AWS Community Builders program follow a predictable structure: what the program is, the benefits, how to apply, and what swag you receive. This article intentionally takes a different approach. After spending years in the AWS ecosystem and closely observing people who were selected, rejected, reapplied, and eventually succeeded I can confidently say this:

An AWS Community Builder is not defined by an application form. It is defined by contribution.

This article is not a checklist. It is a reality check built on lived experience, mistakes, continuous learning, and a clear understanding of how this program actually works beyond the public description. If you adopt the mindset and principles shared here, your chances of becoming part of the AWS Community Builders program will significantly improve not because you followed steps, but because you aligned yourself with what the program truly values.

If you have suggestions, questions, or your own experiences to share, feel free to add them in the comments. Community growth always starts with conversation.

The Biggest Misconception About AWS Community Builders

Most people believe the AWS Community Builders program is reserved for those who are highly skilled, heavily certified, or already well known in the public domain. This assumption alone discourages many strong candidates before they even consider applying.

In reality, AWS is not selecting experts.
AWS is selecting patterns.

Patterns of continuous learning.
Patterns of sharing knowledge.
Patterns of consistency over time.
Patterns of putting the community first.

I joined the AWS Community Builders program in 2023 while working as a full-time professional. At that point, I was not deeply familiar with the AWS community ecosystem. My first exposure came from seeing a simple post someone sharing their Community Builder swag. That moment triggered my curiosity and pushed me to understand what the AWS community was really about.

Long before I knew about the program, I had already started writing and sharing what I was learning on Medium. I was documenting my journey openly sometimes imperfectly but consistently. That habit of sharing, reflecting, and helping others understand AWS concepts became my strongest signal.

What I had was not expertise or visibility.
What I had was curiosity, consistency, and the discipline to share my learning in public.

That pattern mattered far more than depth.

What AWS Is Actually Evaluating (But Rarely States Explicitly)

Through years of being part of the program, mentoring others, and closely observing why some applications succeed while others fail, I’ve distilled a set of key takeaways. These insights are not theory they are patterns proven over time. If you understand and apply them consistently, you may not get selected immediately, but you will position yourself strongly and, in a future cycle, become part of this community.

1. Learning in Public (Sharing your Knowledge)

The AWS Community Builder program team values people who learn in public, not those who appear perfect.

For me, this meant a simple habit: whenever I learned something new, implemented an AWS service, or explored a real-world use case, I didn’t keep private notes. I converted that learning into a clear, structured article and shared it on platforms like dev.to. Over time, this approach helped me stand out.

Learning in public looks like:

Writing about what you tried, what failed, and what worked
Sharing basic implementations without over-polishing
Documenting understanding, not showcasing expertise

The AWS Community Builder program team pays close attention to consistent, searchable contributions such as blogs, LinkedIn articles, Medium article, personal blogs, GitHub Projects and video tutorials. These signal long-term intent far more than short-lived posts.

Language is not a barrier. Content written in your mother tongue is equally valuable if it is clear and useful. The AWS Community Builder program team actively encourages this because it expands access to cloud learning.

Learning in public is not a shortcut to selection.
It is a habit that naturally aligns with how the AWS Community Builder program team identifies Community Builders.

2. Consistency Beats Brilliance

One strong article written one year ago is far less impactful than two honest, useful pieces shared consistently over time.

The AWS Community Builder program team explicitly looks for recent contributions and quality of content (with one one years). This is intentional. They are not evaluating what you did years ago they are observing your current behavior and momentum.

Many first-time applications fail not because candidates lack technical skill, but because their community contributions started too late or never started at all. In most cases, people discover the contribution requirement only when they begin filling out the application. At that point, they realize the program is not asking for intent or plans, but for evidence: at least two genuine contributions already made to the community. This requirement exists to assess consistency and commitment, not last-minute effort.

If you think, “This is too simple” or “This already exists on the internet,” you are thinking incorrectly. Every individual has a unique way of explaining concepts, a personal style, and a perspective shaped by real experience. That difference matters more than originality.

Do not overthink it. Keep contributing. You never know who resonates with your writing, your explanation, or your way of thinking.

Consistency sends a clear signal:
this person will continue contributing even after selection.

That signal carries more weight than brilliance.

3. Original Voice Is Non-Negotiable

AWS wants to hear you, not a polished LLM output.

This is where many applications silently fail today. Content that feels synthetic, overly generic, or indistinguishable from generated material does not build trust. You can use tools to assist, but if your voice disappears, the signal is lost.

When you write, aim for clarity above everything else. Try to cover the topic end to end, but keep the language simple and easy to follow. You do not need to explain everything in a single article creating a short series is often more effective and easier for readers to consume. There are many valid ways to write a good article; what matters most is that your explanation helps someone understand or solve a problem.

If your content sounds like documentation, rewrite it.
If it sounds like marketing, rewrite it.
If it doesn’t sound like you, rewrite it.

4. What Should You Contribute?

One of the most common questions people ask is, “What exactly should I contribute?” The simple answer is this: contribute what you are learning, building, fixing, or explaining. You do not need groundbreaking ideas. What matters is honest, useful documentation of your journey.

Start with your daily work and learning. If you configured an AWS service for the first time, write about what confused you, what failed, and how you fixed it. If you followed an official AWS guide, explain it again in simpler words using screenshots or diagrams. If you built a small proof of concept, document the architecture, key decisions, and lessons learned. Content grounded in real experience is far more valuable than polished, theory-only explanations.

Contributions can take many forms. Blog posts and articles are effective for step-by-step guides, architecture breakdowns, and troubleshooting scenarios. Short video walkthroughs help beginners who prefer visual learning. GitHub repositories are ideal for sharing sample code, IaC templates, or demo projects. Answering questions on platforms like re:Post, Stack Overflow, or community forums is also a meaningful contribution especially when you explain why a solution works, not just what works.

Focus on problems that real people face. Common mistakes, misunderstood services, cost surprises, security misconfigurations, and deployment failures make excellent topics. Even basic content creates impact when it reduces confusion for someone else.

Beyond writing, video content is another powerful way to contribute. You can create end-to-end project walkthroughs, explain critical and in-demand topics, or demonstrate real implementations and challenges. Long-form tutorials work well on YouTube, while short videos covering new AWS service launches or quick explanations are effective on platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram. The goal is not perfection or high production quality, but clarity and consistency.

Most importantly, contribute consistently and publicly. Ensure your content is easy to access, searchable, and not hidden behind paywalls. Over time, these small but genuine contributions create a visible pattern of learning and sharing exactly what the AWS Community Builder Program team values.

You do not need to be an expert to contribute. You only need to be one step ahead of someone else and willing to share what you learned.

The Lifecycle of a Community Builder (Nobody Explains This)

Most successful Community Builders move through clear phases, even if they don’t realize it at the time.

The learning phase often starts with Udemy, YouTube, AWS Educate, Skill Builder, labs, and documentation. This is where curiosity is formed.

That curiosity turns into narration - blogs, notes, videos, small walkthroughs.

Over time, narration turns into contribution - answering questions, helping others, contributing to repos, speaking.

Eventually, some move into connection - organizing, mentoring, bridging user groups, cloud clubs, and communities.

The program does not create this lifecycle. It recognizes it.

The Application Form Is a Narrative Test

The application is not a place to impress AWS. It is a place to explain your journey honestly.

AWS does not want exaggerated impact. They want clarity.
They do not want future promises. They want evidence.
They do not want perfection. They want intent.

Many people I mentored were rejected once or twice. Almost all of them were accepted when they stopped optimizing for approval and started documenting their real work.

Rejection is not a failure. It is feedback even when it is silent.

About Benefits - Let’s Be Honest

Yes, there are credits, vouchers, learning platforms, and swag. Those are helpful.

But none of them are the reason this program changes lives.

What changes lives is:

Confidence to speak
Access to people you never imagined learning from
Belonging to a global peer group
A platform that amplifies your voice without forcing you to sell anything

This program does not give you a title.
It gives you permission to grow publicly.

The Volunteer Reality

This is not a paid role.
There is no guarantee of recognition.
There is no shortcut to influence.

AWS invests in Community Builders because they invest in others - not because they extract value.

If your motivation is rewards, this program will disappoint you.
If your motivation is contribution, it will multiply you.

If I Were Starting Today (2026 → 2027)

I know I am sharing this document quite late, as I am writing this article in mid-December, barely ten days before the application goes live. You might feel that 2025 is almost over and think that 2026 may also not be your year to become an AWS Community Builder. However, you still have 365 full days ahead of you. If you carefully go through all the points above and start working on them from today, you can definitely position yourself to become an AWS Community Builder in the 2027 cycle.

So remember this:

I would focus on one AWS area, not many.
I would publish consistently, not perfectly.
I would choose one platform and stay committed to it.
I would help beginners openly and without hesitation.
I would treat rejection as part of the process, not the end.

Most importantly, I would stop asking “How do I get selected?”
And start asking “How do I become useful?”

Selection always follows usefulness.

Closing Thoughts

AWS Community Builder is not something you become in January when applications open.

You become one quietly month by month by learning honestly, sharing openly, and helping consistently.

The application simply confirms what you have already built. If this program ever changed my life, it was not because of access or benefits. It was because it helped me find my voice and use it responsibly.

That, more than anything else, is what AWS is looking for.