Hi All
Can anyone help me to evaluate my profile and confirm if I fall well under Digital Technology category.
What is your profile? You need to post your background and evidence list. Importantly, you need to read tech nation guide.
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Hi, I am currently working as a Director Solution Architecture with experience of 15+ years, I have extensive experience driving AI, ML, and GenAI transformation across telecom and cloud domains. Proven leadership in designing scalable AI-powered architectures, cloud modernization, and enabling sales through intelligent solutions. Expert in Kubernetes, AWS, DR strategy, and OSS integration. Trusted advisor to CXOs, delivering multi-million dollar programs and mentoring high-performing teams.
Let me know if you need more details.
Please go through tech nation guide carefully, in order for colleagues in this forum to contribute in providing feedback, you will need to list the potential evidences youâve got and then categorise them as mandatory and two optional.
Good Luck!
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Hi Below are details
Mandatory Criterion (Leadership)
- Promotion to Director of Solution Architecture,
- Nominated as AWS re:Invent co-speaker (AWS & Red Hat).
- Represented my company at Telecom Review Leadersâ Global Summit (3 consecutive years).
- Delivered $30M+ OSS transformation programs and 30% cloud savings.
- Recognised by Employer CTO at official award ceremonies.
Optional Criterion 1 (Innovation)
- Designed Mobile App powered by **Generative AI + Groq LLM + Claude AWS for multiple customer
- Introduced AI/ML automation frameworks** at EX-employer, saving thousands of human hours.
- Defined AI/ML use cases in OSS (fault & performance management)** and validated ML outcomes for accuracy.
- Architected UK Telco Operators cloud migration designs for Assurance application.
Optional Criterion 2 (Recognition Beyond Employer)
- Represented my company at Telecom Review Leadersâ Global Summit (photos, LinkedIn tags).
- Customer recognition via UK telco operator as architect appreciation email
- Featured in LinkedIn posts** as company representative at international events.
Optional Criterion 3 (Commercial Impact)
- Delivered $30M+ OSS transformation programs at Ex-Employer.
- Recognised by Employer CTO with award & certificate.
- Achieved 30% cloud cost savings for my company
- Led UK telco Operator â Azure migration, risk-free and accelerated.
- Included award ceremony photos , customer appreciation emails, and project closure reports.
Let me know if more details are required to analyze my profile.
Thanks
Umar
Hi @umarj99 your application outline has some strong elements that can be used in OC1 and OC3 however also has some that are invalid as per the guidelines and cannot be used for a strong application:
MC:
- promotion is not a valid evidence. Instead craft a story of an impactful project you led that had a significant impact within the company and on industry and that led to promotion.
- nomination as speaker is invalid. Only actual speaking at large tech events are considered.
- representing a company at events is invalid.
- internal awards are invalid
- the $30M is significant: please support it through strong third party verification including a letter to validate the impact. If you can demonstrate how this is industry recognized that would meet the criteria more directly.
OC1
- please summarize these into 2 strong examples which clearly demonstrate what was the innovation, your contribution and proof of it through market traction, PR, media etc. also add support letters to validate your key role in innovation. Use cases/frameworks/architectures are not really product innovation however could be digital innovations but you need to highlight exactly what was innovative in this that doesnât already exist in the industry.
OC2: these evidences are invalid, better to skip this criteria. Company representation, email appreciation and LinkedIn posts all are invalid for this criteria that needs you to demonstrate how you advanced the sector through leading speaking/panels/interviews/mentorship/publications.
OC3: please include architecture diagrams and letters from senior execs confirming your significant role and its quantified impact in terms of company metrics.
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Thanks @pahuja for the detailed response.
MC
I was officially invited by AWS and Red Hat to speak as a panelist at AWS re:Invent USA, one of the largest global technology conferences hosted annually by AWS. The panel included senior architects from AWS, Red Hat, and yourself representing your company, which demonstrates your recognition at an international level.
Although you could not attend due to visa issues, you still hold the official invitation letter listing your name as a speaker, which is strong proof of being recognized as a leader in your field.
OC1:
Key innovations that demonstrate significant contributions:
- Telecom GenAI Integration: Designed Groq & Claude AWS LLM integration into a telecom mobile app, demonstrating applied innovation in GenAI within telecom operations.
- AI/ML Automation Frameworks: Designed and delivered automation frameworks at your previous employer that reduced manual effort substantially by leveraging AI/ML, increasing operational efficiency.
- Cloud Migration Blueprints: Created end-to-end cloud migration blueprints for UK telecom operators, which reduced risk and shortened delivery timelines, evidencing innovative architectural practices.
OC2:
- I have been regularly publishing LinkedIn posts on AI, architecture, and cloud innovations, sharing your insights with the wider tech community. This demonstrates your active contribution to thought leadership.
- I have been formally awarded by your employer for AI & automation innovations, with certificates available to validate recognition of your exceptional contributions in these fields.
OC3:
- I hold customer appreciation emails that highlight your out-of-the-box architectural designs which accelerated project delivery and solved complex problems effectively.
- These testimonials serve as direct evidence of exceptional impact on high-value customers, showing how my designs expedited deliveries and improved customer satisfaction
Can I have feedback from you based on above details.
Thanks
Umar
Your profile has solid technical credentials, but your current evidence strategy needs significant revision to meet Tech Nationâs standards. The AWS re:Invent invitation is promising, but remember that actual speaking engagements matter more than invitations - Iâve seen similar cases where invitations alone werenât sufficient unless you actually delivered the presentation.
Your promotion to Director and internal awards wonât qualify for Mandatory Criteria evidence. Tech Nation consistently rejects internal company achievements as they donât demonstrate sector-wide recognition. Instead, focus on that $30M transformation program - but youâll need robust third-party verification from senior executives at the client companies, not just your employer. The financial impact is impressive, but without independent validation showing how this advanced the digital technology sector broadly, it becomes just another job achievement.
For OC1, your GenAI and automation frameworks need clearer innovation narratives. Donât just describe what you built - explain why it was innovative compared to existing solutions and provide evidence of adoption or impact beyond your company. Your cloud migration blueprints could work if you can show they became industry standards or were adopted by other organizations. Iâve seen architects struggle here because they focus on technical complexity rather than demonstrating genuine field advancement.
Skip OC2 entirely based on your current evidence - LinkedIn posts and company representation donât meet their standards for sector advancement. Focus your energy on strengthening OC3 with detailed architecture diagrams, quantified impact metrics, and letters from senior executives at the UK telco operators confirming your individual contributions. Remember, fulfilling job responsibilities isnât exceptional talent - you need to show how your work specifically advanced the broader technology sector.
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Dear Akash
Thanks for your feedback, based on your points I will remove the Linkedin internal posts reference and CTO award cermont
?
I have UAE Golden Visa in IT category which is awarded to highly skilled professional approved by the government, does this need to be mentioned in my case.
You can mention in your PS. This is not a valid evidence as per guidelines hence wonât work for any criteria support.
However if itâs a skill and merit in tech based visa then you can use the evidences you provided in support of it to demonstrate credentials and evidences for UK GTV. Assuming there would be overlap in guidelines.
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Thanks, can you help me that below profiles for endorsement are good
- VP - My Ex employer
- VP - System Engineering (Current Employer)
- VP - Solutions ( He was my Ex colleague)
All these endorsee have to be on Technical job role?
Also Can I have Endorsement from a Solution Architect working as my customer in UK telecom operator and I communicate with him directly.
Appreciate your feedback
Regards
Umar
Titles are not enough, if they have a strong history in tech themselves to be considered experts in digital tech then those are good
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UAE Golden Visa acceptance has no effect on the GTV itself. Your endorsers look fine, but are you able to get someone more senior up the ladder? Colleagues donât work as per technation guidelines.
They donât have to be in a tech role but should be recognised as an industry expert in tech.
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My endorsing people are
VP Coud â Etisalat
Technical Leder (VP) - Redhat
VP System Engineering - Mycom
All these people are in technical field and have rich experience does their profiles are good enough.
I have an invitation as a speaker in AWS Re-Invent with pannel name and topic of discussion but couldnât attend, will this make my case strong?
I have all awards internal awarded to me during my work from my employer for automation & AI/ML.
I have an appreciation email from my customer related to a telecom network automation module, which I have design and coded in python. This module helps them daily to improve network quality and faster resolution of issues and saving alot of man hours. The module has now been productized and being sold by my company to customers
I have an email from a UK telecom customer, who has mentioned that my effort in designing the solution and continues support has lead to successful migration of application from AWS to Azure.
I can share my design documents which have been developed for customers.
Are these details enough for my case?
All these people are in technical field and have rich experience does their profiles are good enough?
Being a VP Cloud at Etisalat, Technical Lead (VP) at Red Hat, and VP System Engineering at Mycom shows that one would have come a long way to be in any of those positions. However, to answer your question, just holding a position at a reputable tech company is not all there is to having a good profile, but rather oneâs career trajectory. So, one will be able to answer correctly if you provide their LinkedIn profiles. However, generally speaking. Yes!
I have an invitation as a speaker in AWS Re-Invent with pannel name and topic of discussion but couldnât attend, will this make my case strong?
Being invited shows some kind of recognition of your expertise, however, it depends on the content of the invitation letter and also when it comes to speaking evidence. An invitation letter is just part of the evidence set.
The event has to be a top-tier sector event, among other things. You want to show that you actually spoke on stage and that the number of attendees meet the required number as stated in the TN guidance.
So, this will not make a strong case.
I have all awards internal awarded to me during my work from my employer for automation & AI/ML.
Awards are supposed to be as a result of international or national recognition of your work.
Having internal awards does not show international or national recognition, but with a reference letter from a reputable expert in your company, it can be used as supporting evidence for that criterion.
I have an appreciation email from my customer related to a telecom network automation module, which I have design and coded in python. This module helps them daily to improve network quality and faster resolution of issues and saving alot of man hours. The module has now been productized and being sold by my company to customers
Your customer? Which you designed? These statements may connote self authorship, make the project look small, hence, many applicants are surprised when feedback labels their evidence as self authored.
If itâs a company and you led the team that did the work, with a reference letter specifically describing what you did, how it brought change, and what benefits it provided, then it can be used as supporting evidence for that criterion.
I have an email from a UK telecom customer, who has mentioned that my effort in designing the solution and continues support has lead to successful migration of application from AWS to Azure.
You have to be careful about personalization - âMyâ âCustomerâ - This will weaken your evidence. My response before this applies here as well.
All the best.
Invitations without participations are not valid. Internal awards donât count. These are mentioned in the TN official guidelines.
Letter confirming successful migration is weak but one confirming that you designed and coded the module, had an impact and is now generating revenue for the company is strong.
@pahuja Can I have the letter from a tech expert from customer stating my achivement in designing the migration, the impact it had , cost saved, accelerated the delivery and benefit the application is giving to the organization. will this be a good evidence
@Raphael
Having internal awards does not show international or national recognition, but with a reference letter from a reputable expert in your company, it can be used as supporting evidence for that criterion.
I can get letter from Director Technical, who can state my contribution and impact over the company of my work.
Your customer? Which you designed? These statements may connote self authorship, make the project look small, hence, many applicants are surprised when feedback labels their evidence as self authored.
If itâs a company and you led the team that did the work, with a reference letter specifically describing what you did, how it brought change, and what benefits it provided, then it can be used as supporting evidence for that criterion.
Yes its my customer, This was a small project over which I was responsible for design and in development phase I have worked with the team for its developmeint. Shall I ask for a reference letter or I have an old appreciation email which states the impact it has contributed over their network and MAn Hours( cost savings)
I have an email from a UK telecom customer, who has mentioned that my effort in designing the solution and continues support has lead to successful migration of application from AWS to Azure.
You have to be careful about personalization - âMyâ âCustomerâ - This will weaken your evidence. My response before this applies here as well.
The eamil was appreciating work of my team with names mentioned including me, is that good enough and strong avidence.
If you can add third party verification for this statement â The module has now been productized and being sold by my company to customersâ based on what you designed, that will be a solid evidence.