My parachute might be changing colors

Griff Wigley and What Color is Your ParachuteThe 2012 edition of What Color is Your Parachute? was published this week.  I got my copy from downtown Northfield’s only bookstore, Monkey See Monkey Read. I had owner Jerry Bilek take my photo (crappy phone photo, I know) to show that, yes indeed, I still engage with print occasionally.  Parachute has many illustrations and charts that don’t translate well on my first-generation Kindle.

I’ve been using this book for my own career development and job hunt/job creation since author Dick Bolles first published it back in the early 70s. I probably have purchased six versions (it’s updated annually) and I wanted this one since it’s the 40th anniversary edition with a lot that’s new. From the publisher:

2012 What Color is Your ParachuteThis is not your father’s Parachute; and not your mother’s, either. They’d be astounded at the changes. This book keeps building–in insight, helpfulness, relevance, and urgency–through new invention and information each year. And this year it’s the critical resource to help Americans (and others) get back to work…

This year’s edition of What Color Is Your Parachute? has been vastly rewritten, because job-hunting has increasingly become a survival skill. Career expert Richard N. Bolles describes the five strategies most needed to survive, and explains how to incorporate social media tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter into your job-search.

The new ideas are wrapped around the familiar core message of Parachute: WHAT, WHERE, and HOW, with an emphasis on finding your passion and identifying your best transferable skills. With fresh insights into resumes, networking, interviewing, salary negotiation, and how to start your own business, this book will give you the tools, exercises, and motivation you need to find hope, land a job, and fulfill your purpose in life.

Dick BollesFlower Diagram - That one piece of paperIn the late 90s, I met one of author Dick Bolles’ sons at a tech conference and he helped me arrange a visit at his dad’s house in the Bay Area. It was a treat to meet him and thank him for the influence that this book has had on my life.

It’s been over a decade since I last did all the Parachute exercises in order to fill out my Flower Diagram—’that one piece of paper.’  I’m not job hunting, but I am trying to better understand all the interesting work-related stuff swirling around in my head. Sabbatical stuff.

The Parachute web site is Job Hunter’s Bible. Bolles hasn’t posted to his blog in almost a year but he’s active on Twitter: @ParachuteGuy.

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