The What Color Is Your Parachute Workbook: A Practical Manual for Job Hunters and Career Changers Paperback – March 1, 2004

Richard Bolles has published a new version of this book every year. I read it first in college and used it extensively when I worked as a career counselour. I also used it for career seminars. I can honestly say that every edition seems to be quite different from previous versions, so it is not a waste of money at all to buy a more recent version. (the most recent editions seem to talk about online job search, appropriately enough)As a writer, I can admire his work for its readability, sense of humor and gritty realism. Bolles tells some remarkable stories and while not directly applicable to your career area, they make you aware of how similiar job searching is regardless of your field. Before reading this, you should be aware of what this book is NOT: it does not provide resume advice nor does it provide very much advice about general trends in the job market. This book is a sobering dose of reality, but the interesting thing is that the reader finds this information heartening rather than disappointing because it unmasks many of the treacherous parts of the job search process. As such, this book is a great gift for a loved one who is out of work. It will make them feel good about themselves, and that is good, because a lot of unemployed approach job searches with a chip on their shoulder.I used the exercises in the book with clients to help them analyze what they wanted in an ideal job because clients really had little idea what was important to them. Other readers might find that part helpful. I was a little surprised to find that the 2000 edition was smaller than previous versions. Bolles decided to reduce some of the religious/spiritual stuff and to cut out some of the reference lists (with the internet, a lot of references can be put online).Overall, I was not impressed by how Parachute covers online job searching aside from discussing generalities. People really need to learn more about job boards like monster and how freelancing opportunities are opening up that never before existed.Another thing is that I thought it was unnecessary to deemphasize the spiritual component in the latest version of the book. I'm not superreligious, but his stuff on the spiritual element added a unique perspective to the book and was nondenominational enough not to offend anyone. In summary: this is a milestone of a book. Bolles has spent his entire life making each version of the book better than the last. His effort shows.

This book is a classic, and worth the read for anyone at any time in their life or career.

I owned various copies of this book many years ago but was not ready to tap into the potential I sensed it would release in me. Instead I pursued a long path toward education and training as a counselor, but then came to a threshold that I couldn't step over. Job stress prompted me recently to take vacation, and I spent many hours soul searching using this book. The various exercises led me to articulate my vision and renewed my energy to continue on a path I'd spent years pursuing. The result was a confirmation of what I intuitively knew about my vocation and increased confidence to act. The section on networking, researching, interviewing, and negotiating gives practical guidance. Lastly, the section on "finding one's mission in life" provides gentle discourse that accommodates and respects the reader who does not necessarily share the author's religion. Now that I have effectively used this guide, I plan to share the strategies in my new position as an employment specialist working with mentally ill adults. I am grateful to Mr. Bolles for his dedication to this work and for inspiring hope through his pragmatic optimism.

This is actually a must have as a companion to the manual. The workbook gets you to look deeper into your talents, likes and dislikes and how it may affect your job hunting. For example, it should be no revelation to anyone that if you don't like to sit long hours in a desk and work with pencils, then maybe you should not be an accountant or bookkeeper. You might be smirking at this but it can be an eye-opener for others who were maybe in denial over their career choice.

Definitely a classic. This item arrived on time and is an excellent purchase.I like it very much and am VERY glad I ordered it. Thank you so much Amazon.com for the great price, good value and prompt delivery. I use this item frequently.

Still appropriate for those who don't know what to do or how to get there. It helps a person sort themselves out to set out on a career search. Pretty dated, but aren't most ideas?

Got the answer to some of my questions but I was hoping for an easier solution because I was depressed. But when you are depressed, there is no easy solutions. Just solutions. And when the fog lifts, you can give some credit to the info that helped. Which in this case was this book.

Not essential to own, but a good working companion to the `What color is your parachute?' book.As you will be creating a plan or map of yourself and your career objectives, having a workbook that you fill-in, will refer to, and keep for life...then the small amount of its cost is worth it.

I first became aware of Richard Bolles about seven years ago probably through the Amazon website. Buying this book is more and investment that than perhaps many other self-help/career advice books around today. It is fun to read. Its supported by interesting biographical details about the author himself, hilarious and in context "period" cartoons and multi-faceted tools for developing your own work destination in life. There is a strong spiritual i.e. Christian aspect too, which the reader can take or leave, but whatever your own religious outlook it is still helpful if you believe that work itself forms part of your own betterment. I use you it as an on-going reference point and it worked as a motivating influence when I eventually decided to become self-employed.

We know that interviews and job search hardly ever lead to job success. This book offers unusual and effective ways to meet the important people in an organisation, which may lead to job success.

A+

Everythimg as expected

The book arrived in the timescales given - just! Book in good condition. No complaints.