We talk a lot at Praxis about building a better signal than generic degrees and institutional imprimaturs. Whether or not you have a degree, you need to learn to 1) create value and, 2) signal your ability to create value to the world. Degrees are a very weak way to achieve either. You need something more.
I got an email today from a guy who decided to put that advice into practice. Check out what Daniel Myers had to say:
Hey Isaac,
You know how Praxis always talks about creating value? About taking the entrepreneurial route in your work? Well, I decided to do just that, by writing a 44-page report on business and entrepreneurship for a venture capitalist firm here in TN. I had read an article this past Fall on the Praxis website about value creation for a company instead of just shooting a CV/Resume out to everyone and expecting it to do all the work. This report has been well received by the public and has truly allowed me to create a name for myself, rather than just being another undergrad with “some resume”.
All this said, I want to thank all of you at Praxis for what you do. I am continually inspired by all of you at Praxis and hope you all continue to be successful in all your endeavors. Again, thank you for your inspiration!
Best, Daniel
P.S. I’m reading Derek’s book on “How to Get Any Job You Want“. It aligns perfectly with what I did and will continue to do in my career.
Here’s a link to Daniel’s report on startups in TN.
I don’t know how long it took for Daniel to put together such an in-depth report. But compared to what? How does time spent creating a valuable resource like that compare to time spent sitting in a classroom, blasting out generic resumes, or waiting and hoping for a cool opportunity?
Daniel gained not only a great signal of his value creating potential, but a lot of knowledge, skill, confidence, and even some free PR along the way. In short, by creating value now instead of waiting to be invited to with a formal job offer, Daniel became more of who he wants to be, instead of waiting for someone to tell him what to do.
Go start building now. What are you waiting for? And of course, if you need some help, a great apprenticeship with an entrepreneur, and an intense year-long experience in value creation, discover Praxis.