A Praxis apprenticeship is not your typical internship. It’s much more than that.
Participants are in real jobs, creating real value. During all of this, they are surrounded by a strong support network of peers, advisers, Praxis staff, and entrepreneurs. Relying on this support network, however, can only take you so far.
Like most things in life, the more you put into Praxis, the more you will get out of it. Don’t simply rely on the support network–actively leverage it.
Here are some things you can proactively do during a Praxis apprenticeship to extract and create as much value as possible:
Invite someone out for lunch.
Praxis has a strong network of business partners. When a participant begins an apprenticeship, they already have a huge advantage: Our existing relationship with that company.
Praxis business partners trust our application review and educational processes. When a new participant comes their way, they already know that participant is ready, willing, and able to step up to the plate to create value. This means business owners and department heads are usually willing to take you up on offers to shadow them, or speak with them 1 on 1 over lunch or coffee.
However; don’t expect them to give their time for you for nothing in return. Creating value is an ongoing process. Show them why talking to you is worth it for them. Minimize the cost of them spending an hour with you rather than getting their work done. Instead of “Hey, can I pick your brain for an hour?” Tell them what you want to discuss, specifically, and make it clear that you’re utilizing them to become a more valuable asset for their company. Ask good questions. Here are a few:
Create value through self-guided projects.
Throughout the entrepreneurial boot camp, participants learn how to actively create value for themselves and the people around them. Most of this happens through PDPs or self-guided projects.
If you have an interest in photography, offer to take professional headshots of everyone in the office in your free time.
If you enjoy writing, offer to write an E-Book outlining the company’s solution to their customers’ problems.
It doesn’t matter so much what you do, as long as you do something and it results in value that wasn’t there before. Any employee can simply do their job. Praxis participants go above and beyond. This is the very reason they end up in positions that require years of experience after only 6 months. They consistently decide to create value on their own time. They show, through their actions, that they are more valuable to the company than the amount they are getting paid. The only logical result of doing so is moving up into more responsibility and more compensation.
Pull on the Praxis Advising team.
Praxis advisers are hand-picked for a reason. They all have a passion for coaching and are all eager to share their unique skills and experiences. Participants have the opportunity to meet with these advisors every week. They are there to help with anything you need, personal or professional.
Advisers are full of good ideas and good questions. They are always suggesting new ways to create value and challenging participants to follow through. These advisers and the peers within the Praxis community are ready to help. All you have to do is ask.
They will not seek you out and make sure you’re taking responsibility for your own growth. Part of why participants ascend in their careers so quickly is because they take initiative to find the help they need by utilizing the resources in front of them.