Book Description
In the last five years, the United States has lost 2.6 million jobs — the most in any five-year period since the Great Depression. In the 2006 edition of his legendary job-hunting book, WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE? Richard Nelson Bolles offers hope and presents an inspiring and detailed plan for finding your place in this uncertain job market. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE? has been the best-selling job-hunting book in the world for more three decades, in good times and bad, and it continues to be a fixture on best-seller lists, from Amazon.com to Business Week. It has well over eight million copies in print and has been translated into 12 languages around the world. With an extended preface that addresses job loss, vacancies, and outsourcing and updated references on how to use the Internet in your job-hunt throughout, the 2006 PARACHUTE addresses the top concerns of today 's job-hunters. In the words of Fortune magazine: "Parachute remains the gold standard of! career guides."
Customer Reviews:
A great help!.......2007-09-21
I was recently "downsized" and starting a job search for the first time in 22 years. Fortunately some one recommended this book to me. Beginning a job search can be confusing and overwhelming. This book has great advice for every step of the way.
Part of my company "goodbye package" was a few months of services with a career counseling firm. Many on the concepts from the firm are contained in this book. I have just recommended this book to a friend who is unhappy in her current job.
You've probably heard people talk about the importance of networking/using your network. ("It's all in who you know.") That is a central theme in this book, as it enlightens you on how to make use of the people you know -- friends, family, co-workers, friends of friends, etc. -- to find opportunities and land interviews.
A book worth having.
Your reference guide to a healthy job-hunting experiance.......2007-08-05
Whether you are a new graduate looking for a job or an experienced employee who wants to
change his/her job, pick up this enriching and engaging book to guide you through to a healthy
job hunting experience.
Mostly Common Sense.......2007-07-09
Great book to use as a refresher, but I found it to be a compilation of stories and anecdotes that were mostly common sense.
What color is your parachute review.......2007-07-08
This book is a helpful tool in career choice making. It is especially insightful for self evaluation during the career search. This book helps the seeker to become more organized and narrow the search to an area best adapted for the individual.
This book was a requirement for one of my master's level courses dealing with career development. We did the flower exercise and it was quite revealing. The work book which was designed to accompany this book deals precisely with this exercise. I would definitely recommend this book to those exiting high school, community college, trade school, or college at any level.
What Color is Your Parachute.......2007-06-30
This is a funny, well-written book, but more importantly, he does an excellent job in helping the reader find the job that best suits their interests, passions and talents.
Book Description
Richard Nelson Bolles presents an updated version of one of the most widely acclaimed exercises from PARACHUTE, the Flower. This highly effective tool, reproduced here in handy workbook form, helps readers target their ideal work situation. Simple step-by-step worksheets focus on translating personal interests into marketable job skills as well as often-ignored issues such as spiritual or emotional fulfillment in the workplace. These exercises are easy to do yet thought provoking. When completed, the workbook will present you with a full picture of your ideal job.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent resource, but full book is better overall.......2007-04-14
This is an excellent workbook resource for those who don't want to spend the time and money to read the full book and do the excercises there (although I would recommend that as a first choice). I did like this slim resource though, and bought multiple copies to use with my patients in a vocational program -- they loved thinking through the exercises, but I needed to explain many portions for them because the guidelines are rather broad at times, and too specific at others. If I hadan't guided several them through the exercises, it would have been worthless. The full book is a far richer and better resource, and gives you much more to think about -- but this is a good workbook approach that summarizes the main exercises in the full book. A hint -- there is one exercise (Very time consuming) that you can skip -- the first exercise asks you to write 5 life stories, then examine them for commonalities in skills -- You don't need the stories to do the ratings at all.
If you've got the regular text, you don't need this..........2007-02-22
I though this would provide more info than the book ("What Color Is Your Parachute?") but what's inside are the same exercises... so if you have the book or are getting it, then you don't need this. On the other hand, if you don't want to read all of the insightful text of Bolles's original book, then this is a nice book of exercises! :) [I'd just recommend the original text, though.]
What Color Is Your Parachute Workbook.......2007-02-14
The book is mostly limitless propaganda. I had to order it for a career building course.
Just do it!.......2007-01-12
This was recommended to my by my sister as being more useful than the book of the same name. So I got the book from the library and the workbook from Amazon. What my sister didn't mention that there is a lot of work to do! I am not finished yet but it is good to go through this mid-career reassessment of where I am.
It has been helpful to see and remember what my gifts and areas of strength are.
I may end up changing nothing about my life but at least then it will be something I have chosen rather than just slid into!
Great Resource.......2007-01-04
This is a great resource to use in conjunction with the ground breaking "What Color is Your Parachute" used for years to help people find work they truly enjoy.
Book Description
Based on Richard Nelson Bolles's What Color Is Your Parachute?, the best-selling job-hunting book in the world, What Color Is Your Parachute? for Teens teaches high school and college students to zero in on their favorite skills and apply that knowledge to get the most out of school, set goals, and find their dream jobs. Filled with interactive exercises, worksheets, and profiles of young adults who have found their unique paths in life, What Color Is Your Parachute? for Teens is a crucial book for every teenager who cares about his or her future.
Customer Reviews:
Great book for students or resource for couselors!.......2007-07-19
This book uses Hollands theory of interests to help the teen discover what they want to do. The book helps prioritize interests and translate them into potential careers. This book is an excellent resource from self-discovery to building your resume to interviewing and negotiating an offer. This book is easy to read and understand and the information is useful and current. I highly recommend this book to any teen trying to determine their career path or any adult working with teens with plans to help them determine their career paths.
Excellent Series.......2007-01-16
Anything by Bolles is well-researched and well written. He is the undisputed master of the job hunt.
book.......2007-01-10
it is an easy guide to help others and yourself to overcome daily crisis.
Excellent Resource For The Young Adult.......2006-07-12
As a part-time personal career coach for college students trying to identify their major, I was thrilled to see the "What Color Is Your Parachute" franchise has created a version for the late teens/early twenties demographic. Despite the best efforts of college career counseling offices, I still encounter many young people needing help identifying career options that complement the person they are. Resources such "What Color Is Your Parachute" provide young adults with critical learnings they can use to educate themselves about the importance of their personal interests, their strengths, and their skills to ultimately make an informed career decision. And it doesn't hurt if the parents of the young person have read this (or similar) works, as well, so they can be educated coaches for their young adult. In many cases, parents have invested time, emotion and money into getting their child into an institution of higher learning and keeping them there, so their participation in this stage of their child's life is a logical next step. Trust me, parents - they want your involvement more than they let on.
As a HR Manager, the regular version of "What Color Is Your Parachute" has been a resource I've relied on and recommended for the past 15 years to those affected by unexpected downsizings and by the `I want to do something different but I don't know what' bug. After reviewing this new version, I feel confident young people will benefit as much from this work personally as I have professionally. Highly recommended for young people who seek answers to the simple but complex question, "What's next for me?"
Definitely a crucial book for any teenager who cares about his/her future!.......2006-06-02
Wow! I wish I had this wonderful book when I was a teenager.
I remember very vividly when I came across Richard Bolles' 'What Colour is Your Parachute', it was way back in the late 80's/early 90's. At that time, I was embarking on a journey to find out about what I wanted to do with the second half of my life.
Naturally, I was attracted to this new book when I saw it in my local bookstore. I am pleased to note that the author has now teamed up with Carol Christen, a career strategist & Jean Blomquist, a college counseller, to come out with this great guide to help teens zero in on their favourite skills & apply that knowledge to get the most out of school, set goals & pursue their dreams.
More importantly, this book actually brings back some sweet memories of what I have perused - pondered about & worked out - for the first time.
It is filled with interactive exercises, provoking worksheets & interesting profiles of young adults who have found their uniques paths in life, all beautifully structured in a three-part layout:
- Part I: Discovering Your Dream Job;
- Part II: On the Way to Your Future;
- Part III: Landing Your Dream Job & More;
With a track record of some thirty years in the career advising arena, the lead author's 'What Colour is your Parachute' has been recognised as the world's best selling job hunting book. To me, it is very much more than that - it's about you & your future; about exploring who you are, what's important to you & what you like to do.
I fully concur with the authors: Life is meant to be lived to the fullest.
In order to achieve a fulfilling life, all of us must do what we love & love what we do!
To sum up my review, this is definitely a crucial book for every teenager who cares about his/her future.
Attention: Mums & Dads, please go & buy this book for your teenaged kids as soon as possible!!! You will be ambly rewarded in the long term.
Book Description
"WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE? HOT AGAIN, 30 YEARS AFTER DEBUT." So ran the headline this past October in the Seattle Times. Actually, it has been "hot"—the best-selling job-hunting book in the world—year after year, for more than three decades now, so much so that it is referred to as "the job-hunters' bible." Each year it is updated, and sometimes vastly rewritten, by the author, giving first-time and veteran readers alike something new to discover. For those who have not read an updated version in recent years, this is a reminder of why, in the words of Fortune magazine, "PARACHUTE remains the gold standard of career guides."
Customer Reviews:
Soar over a universal obstacle........2007-05-12
I've studied this book thoroughly because I really want to master the job-hunt. Just imagine having the ability to get paid to do whatever it is that you most enjoy at the moment. I'm not referring to momentary pleasures like eating ice cream or having sex, but things that you could enjoy doing for weeks or months. And that's the trick I discovered while reading this book. It's more effective to follow the advice of the book if you think of it as ways to get a job that you would enjoy doing for a while and not necessarily for the rest of your life. When you think of your whole life it becomes next to impossible to decide on something. It's easier to decide on a job when in your mind it's just something you could see yourself doing temporarily.
The book is long and full of useful information you can put to use immediately. For example, things to say when negotiating salary.
It has titles and web addresses of a bunch of non-fiction books and alternative search engines.
It is written by someone with hard science degrees from both Harvard and MIT.
It has lengthy exercises that show you how to do research on yourself and on organizations.
It does not claim to help you gain a job overnight.
It does say that even if you work full-time at finding a job it may still take many months (depending on the job of course).
It directs you to a companion website [...]that is a compilation of the best job-hunting info and websites on the web.
You may want to check out Paul Graham's essay "How To Do What You Love" for more on this theme.
Life changing classic.......2006-07-04
Rather than following the simplistic approach of "100 useful tips that will get you hired", 'What Color Is Your Parachute' gives in-depth explanation how things work and what kind of decisions you must take to get not just any job, but a job you really want.
As people here mentioned, this book is definitely not for everybody. But if you get it right, you'll get much better control over your career. To me it helped to switch career in a direction I wasn't sure was possible at all.
Some of even vital chapters were not very relevant to me - in particular, (note to the author) US resume is written in a very different way than Australian or European. However, it didn't render the author's advices unusable.
The book is really trying to be culturally neutral; unlike many other equivalents, it is relevant not only for American job market but just about anywhere.
A good book, but not for everyone.......2006-01-31
If you're contemplating a major career change, Bolles should be somewhere up at the top of your reading list. His strong suit is helping people figure out what kind of work they want to do, and he's certainly one of the best authors on that topic. Some of that material is in this book, and more in others.
His general job search advice is also very useful, but a bit rambling and certainly not systematic. I've talked to lots of people who've read Parachute. Some love it and say it changed their lives and would give it a six-star rating. Others don't like it at all and ask why everyone's making such a fuss over it. You don't need to have the latest edition of Parachute, since the annual changes are usually minor.
In parachute, Bolles now and then includes references to his Christian beliefs (He's an Episcopal minister.), but generally sticks to the work of job hunting. In case you don't already know, this is the best selling job hunting book ever written, popular for over 30 years.
The venerable classic.......2005-08-21
Although this is the legendary bible for job hunters and has now been around for three decades (and two different centuries and millenia now :-)), I have to admit that I found it only marginally useful. There's some good advice here, and a lot of interesting data and info relating to jobs and careers, but much of the author's approach is very touchy-feely and relates to analyzing and determining exactly what you want in a job, and then going after it--assuming such a "dream job" exists at all.
I think it's safe to say that in the current employment environment, such jobs don't exist and the reality is, what with more jobs having been lost overseas than any other time in the last 65 years, including possibly the Great Depression, that you will probably have to settle for considerably less than your hoped-for dream job. Although I certainly agree with Bolles that one must find one's passion and pursue it if one can, since if you're doing it 40-80 hours a week you may as well do what you enjoy, the reality is that is more difficult now than ever before.
I still give the book four stars for effort and for its historical importance, I guess you'd say, and there is a lot of good info and data on the job and career area that this book brings under one cover. Some of the ideas are useful, and Bolles's many checklists and questions may get you thinking in a more creative way about your choice of a job, how to strategize and go about finding a job, and how to zero in on exactly what you want. But overall this famous volume on getting a job really doesn't address the issue of just how hard it is to actually find one, especially for those of us who are now over 50 and have been put out of work by the recent trend of jobs going overseas.
All Self-Help Books Look The Same To Me.......2005-06-12
I'm not sure which edition of this book I read. The edition I read had a section on what employers are looking for, which I enjoyed, but it had no section on career fairs.
Actually, I didn't read the entire book, just skimmed through it, reading certain sections. Perhaps this will not make my review credible, but I feel I still have a right to express my opinion as long as I make everyone aware of the circumstances.
The main thing I noticed about this book is that it contained a statistic saying that 50% of all jobs are obtained by walk-ins. My guess is most of these jobs are at places where you make minimum wage with no benefits. I've tried calling and walking in on some companies only to be told, "You have to apply on the internet. Go home."
It remains true that networking is the best way to get jobs. I however, have an unfriendly personality and would rather work flipping burgers than do a job search by attending parties and making friends. I will do information interviews though, since they're strictly business. I have to give credit to this book for giving me that idea.
But like all self-help books, none are miracle workers. It's not what you read that will get you what you want, it's hard, efficient work that will give you the opportunity to go for what you want. I believe this book makes a statement of that nature. Most people in life don't get to do what they really want, probably because they go down a path in college, specializing in some discipline and if they don't like the line of work, they're in trouble. It's tough to change disciplines, since it's very costly, and many are already in debt as it is. They decide it's best to just settle, and as long as a job doesn't break my back or make me hate life every day, I guess I'll be content with just settling.
This book did inspire me to combine all of the talents and enjoyments I think I have and put them into a project that has a (very small) chance of being profitable. Since I had the resources to do it, I went for it. But like most people, I'll probably end up working at a job I don't like very much to pay bills, looking for better opportunities during my spare time. Most people don't need a book to help them figure that out.
This book also tells you to go after something that your heart really desires, since that will give you an edge over the competition. Good advice. There's a lot of competition out there. This book really deserves more than the rating I give it, probably a 3.5, or a 4, but because I don't like seeing all of the 5-star reviews, I kicked it down a notch. I think self-help books always promise more than they deliver.
Amazon.com
For nearly 30 years, What Color Is Your Parachute? has been the guiding light for those in pursuit of satisfying and fulfilling employment. This year's edition has been completely revised and rewritten and is designed to work in conjunction with the book's Web site. At the heart of Bolles's formula for finding the right job are two questions: What do you want to do? Where do you want to do it? Answer those and you're well on your way to finding the job you really want. Packed with time-tested advice, What Color Is Your Parachute? works as a good companion for those just starting out in the "real world" as well as for those who are thinking seriously about a career change. --Harry C. Edwards
Book Description
In the words of Fortune magazine, this is "the gold standard of career guides". Here's why:
•PARACHUTE is always current and up to date.•It discusses what has changed about the job-market, and the new attitudes that are required in order to survive therein.
•It aids career-changers, as well as job-hunters, and has a detailed step-by-step plan for identifying a new career, as well as more detailed strategies for locating just the job you want in the geographical area of your choice.
•It has a detailed description of interview questions, and what kinds of answers the employer is looking for, plus step-by-step salary negotiation strategies.
•It is thinner, by 200 pages, than earlier editions, slimmed down for reading (and doing the paper and pencil exercises) in this fast-paced world, where time is precious.
Customer Reviews:
Don't Miss Out On What Others Obviously Have.......2006-01-06
Let me start by saying I am not just a huge fan of this annually updated guide book, I am an example of someone who actually "used" it and has benefited greatly by doing so (in other words, I found the work I was meant to do and have been enjoying it now for over five years!).
Like anything in life, the more effort and work you put into following Mr. Bolles' advice, the more you get out of it.
I can only speculate that those who have given this book anything less than 4 stars has not actually read it, nor taken the time to complete its exercises to learn what they are really looking for in work and career.
If they had, they would have known that Richard Bolles has put the value of his 30-40 years of successful career counseling into every page.
I encourage you not to give up on your dream of doing what you love. Bolles encourages us in every way he can. And gives us the ideas, tools and belief that we really don't have to work just to make a living. He shows us that work CAN make a life worth living.
Now I'll get off my soap box. Good luck to you!
Satisfied.......2005-10-24
I had to order this book for a class and I have yet to read it through but others have told me its a great tool to have when exploring your career options.
What Color Is Your Parachute Workbook: How to Create a Picture of Your Ideal Job or Next Career (workbook) REVIEW.......2005-09-01
This used book I bought, What Color Is Your Parachute Workbook: How to Create a Picture of Your Ideal Job or Next Career (workbook), by Richard Nelson Bolles, was in perfect condition.
It can't get any better than this.
Excellent Book for all ages!.......2004-06-08
This book is great for people of all ages! It really helps you find your niche in life by doing a little soul searching. I was able to identify my strengths and use them to get a job I love! This book should be a part of all high school and college graduates itinerary before going into the 'real' world. Thank you Mr. Bolles!!
Essential Job Search Book.......2004-05-13
Bolle's book is still timeless for job seekers of all kinds. I feel that his book updated each year to meet the current trends in society is critical. He needs to address those issues, like the web, downturn in the economy and the like.
The most critical part of the book is the self evaluation section. This is a very structured process that can be used intutitively as well. Bolles asks you to write a few stories about yourself, then, what did you like and dislike about those stories? What did you do well, where did you fail or feel challenged beyond your abilities? These are the critical areas of the book that take time to get through, yet you can evaluate yourself and understand what you like, it is what you do best, usually.
We excel what we are good at, according to Bolles, this method will help us discover what we are best at.
I have recommended this book to many over the years, and still do. Whether someone is in college, or someone is going through a long term transition after being in a job for a long time or moms returning to the work place, this book will be very instructive for you.
One of his processes is very simple asking you to compare who you would most like to talk with or groups of people you would rather relate with. This is a standard set of tests for some very expensive career consulting, he gives it to you for the price of his book and the time to self evaluate yourself. Then, he breaks down the possible job areas and skill sets related to these groups.
Again, a worthwhile journey for anyone not wanting to wander any longer in the world of work.
JOE SLEVIN
Job Coach
Book Description
In the last four years, the United States has lost 2.3 million jobs—the most in any four-year period since Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression. Currently, millions of workers are unemployed both in the United States and worldwide and the problem isn't likely to abate anytime soon. In the 2005 edition of his legendary job-hunting book, WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE? Richard Bolles presents a detailed plan for facing this societal problem head-on, declaring that we must each begin by mastering this new world for ourselves and then, once empowered, share our knowledge with others to empower the world.
In PARACHUTE 2005, Bolles offers a completely new book for this uncertain job market, laying out a simple, step-by-step plan for finding meaningful work and mission despite our economy's jobless recovery. Featuring fresh explanations of old concepts and the introduction of new ideas, Bolles defines the distinctions between "resume jobs" and "grapevine jobs," between "passive job-hunting" and "active job-hunting," between "weak ties" and "strong ties," and much more. These are not normal times. And this is not your normal PARACHUTE. It faces squarely the "workquake" that is shaking up the job market around the world, and gives not only simple steps but steady hope.
Customer Reviews:
Best Career book I've read.......2007-01-08
If you want to know how to get a job, this is the book to have. This book doesn't just give you a 1 dimensional to do list (i.e. wear a navy suit to the interview), it delves into different factors and explanations behind the job market. He also gives you practical pointers and great advice.
great read.
In late 2006, this book is still current...........2006-11-03
I'm trying to imagine what might be in the 2007 edition that isn't in this one, and what comes to mind for me is that this book doesn't have any advice about not sabotaging your job hunt by saying things better left unsaid or showing things better left unseen on your MySpace page.
But the things in this book are very pertinent to people not just trying to find a job, but trying to find more meaningful work, work they can do with joy, work they can do where their deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet. It should be noted that this is a book that should not only be read, but should be done as well. It is full of exercises that help to identify the components of this more meaningful work, either as an employee or an entrepreneur. If you wish to get the maximum value out of this book, you must do the exercises.
I hadn't really considered this, but on further review it seems kind of obvious. Bolles writes that sometimes, the only thing employers have to go on, as to whether a prospective employee will be a good employee, is the quality of their job search. How much do they know about the company and its work? Are they respecting the interviewer's time? Are they a job beggar or a solution to a problem?
Maybe one way of summarizing this book is, if you want more meaningful work, you need to be a more meaningful person doing a more meaningful search. This book will show you how.
Good book but...........2006-03-07
First off, note that this book is primarily for people who are looking for a new employer. While it has some info that could also be applied to people looking to be their own boss, the bulk of the book applies to topics that would not apply to entrepreneurs (how to interview, how to do your resume, how to negotiate salary, etc.). Also, in the section of the book that talks about trying to figure out your purpose (ideal career) in life, it was a little too religious for my taste, making references to God, and quoting passages from the bible. That said, in general this is a handy reference book for anyone looking to make a career change.
First Book To Buy For Job Hunting.......2005-10-12
"What Color Is Your Parachute" is the first book you need if finding a job is your goal. If you've not bought this yet, you haven't started looking.
Richard Bolles is the expert. His books sell because they are fresh each year with insight, purpose and ideas for determining what job you should do, and how to get it.
I used "Parachute" to get my first job. It continues to influence me today, as I job hunt again.
Thoroughly practical, Bolles asks you questions about your mission in life. His belief is that just getting a job -- even ones you are good at -- won't be a wise decision in the long haul. He helps you see your passions mixed with skills and experience, and guides you to getting their. Though it is hardly a self-help book, it is far more useful than the ones clogging up the Top 10 list.
He keeps you accountable. Finding a job is your job if that's what you say you want. And if you aren't working, he won't let you make excuses -- you've got the time. Either you are looking or you aren't. Dr. Phil could take a note from Bolles' direct yet congenial style.
Don't bother with the hardcover. You need the paperback. This is not a sit-on-the-shelf book, but a get-down-to-business book, and you'll appreciate the flexibility while at work or on the train.
I fully recommend, "What Color Is Your Parachute" by Richard Nelson Bolles.
Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com
Must have book for every job seeker; insightful........2005-09-13
Ok. This is the best of the best. Worth full price. I don't care so much for the exercises and things like that. But the book can be summed up as a three in one.
It covers:
Job seeking (main aspect)
Interviewing
Salary Negotiation
As well as identifying your true passion and learn more about the type of jobs you would really like to do. People that succeed generally like what they do so this book is a great resource that will help you identify what you love to do. When work is enjoyable, you tend to do better, get promoted etc.
I am a college grad and this book is worthy of being used in a college environment to teach a class that would cost far more than the price of this book.
No matter what field of work you do, get this book if you are looking for a job. I guarantee you will learn about yourself and identify some of your inner goals and desires.
Product Description
A Practrical Manuel for Job Hunters and Career Charegers by Bolles
Book Description
For more than 35 years, WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE? has guided millions of job-hunters to find satisfying careers. Now, PARACHUTE FOR RETIREMENT will help them plan for the next stage of life. Going beyond financial planning, Richard N. Bolles and retirement expert John E. Nelson tackle readiness in terms of money, health, and happiness, using the latest research from economics, medicine, and psychology. PARACHUTE FOR RETIREMENT will inspire readers to take the helm of their retirement destinies, while fulfilling their lifelong goals, passions, and dreams.
Customer Reviews:
Build your own retirement.......2007-10-07
I have read several books on retirement, and this one is by far the best. It contains all the tools you will need to build a retirement that is best for you. It has lived up to its namesake, "What color is your parachute?" and I believe will be a classic itself. It begins by explaining you must build your retirement by balancing the big three of happiness, prosperity, and health. They overlap each other and depend on the others for fullfilment. Can you be happy if you are broke or sick in retirement? It explains the three boxes of life: education, work, and then retirement which takes you through the three dynamics of development, productivity, and then leisure. However you may want to make plans to have education or productivity in your retirement also and not just leisure. It briefly covers the financial aspects of retirement in examining what you will need from social security, your IRA/401K, and possible pension income, but it is brief, and covers the bases.
The book then takes you through exercises on the six fields of knowledge for well being that enables you to build a specific retirement plan that caters to you. They include the aspects of social, psychological, geographical,financial, medical, and biological. You will have to answer for yourself questions like:
Will I have an adequate network of friends after I retire?
What do I value most? Simplicity? Excitement? etc.
Where do I want to live? Keep my house or sell it for a condo in Florida?
Will I have enough income to support the lifestlye I want? Should I scale down for freedon or should I work part time in retirement?
Do I favor medical doctors, alternative care of a mixture of both? Will I have adequate medical coverage? Do I need to change my lifestlye of eating or exercise to maintain my health in retirement?
You will find specific answers to all these questions as you build a page of information that contains your answers to these questions. This will be the only book you need on retirement it is like a text book and when you are finished you have the answers. It doesn't matter what color your parachute is as long as it brings you safely to the ground after you jump.
Great tool for reflective, integrative "third age" planning!.......2007-09-16
As a professor in the area of adult development and aging I was enthused to read this accessible, practical, enjoyable "parachute" book addressing a new life stage that continues to evolve as society evolves and new cohorts of adults entering their midlife and older years traverse it. I appreciated the authors' innovative holistic model--emphasizing psychological and social considerations, as well as biomedical/health care and financial/geographic considerations. This book integrates contemporary social science with very practical reflective exercises to help readers develop an individualized "vision" for their "third age" (aka "retirement"). Congratulations to the authors for giving us such a useful life planning tool!
Not Much Help ..........2007-08-03
Here's the thing with me and books. When I am really into a book, I read it from cover to cover on consecutive days until I'm done. This helps with maintaining focus and retaining the context of the author's messages and themes start to finish.
When the writing is boring, repetitive, stale etc., I quickly lose interest, allow days to elapse between chapters, and begin scanning pages hoping for the epiphany to emerge. Sadly, this was my experience here.
For me, "What Color Is Your Parachute For Retirement" is ponderous and boring. There is little new ground, only repetitive process (which some people may prefer more than my preference for creative, challenging, thought provoking, expert imparting text).
There are numerous mentions of "The Number" (a book on my earlier review list) leaving me with a sense of deja vu and not anything really new. Bottom line - read "The Number".
Must Read For Retirement Readiness.......2007-07-18
As a Certified Finanicial Planner®, I counsel people in all phases of life including those who are thinking about, getting close to and experiencing the "retirement" phase of their lives. "What Color Is Your Parachute for Retirement" is a must read for anyone who is thinking about retirement or helping others prepare for this phase of their life. While I like the entire book and found virtually all of it useful, there are two parts I like best. First is the simple structure that the authors provide to think about the myriad issues in retirement. The three part structure of happiness, prosperity and health provide a way to look at retirement piece by piece so as to not overwhelm and yet touch on the important topics. My second favorite part of this wonderful book is the section on "Where in the world will you retire?" I've read numerous retirement planning books, but this is the best treatment on this key subject that I've come across.
Everyone for whom retirement is relevant will find useful information, suggestions and resources in this book to help them plan and execute their own retirement journey. My hats off to the authors for a job well done. Thank you.
Parachute flys high above the retirement clouds!.......2007-06-22
What a great book! It really ignites new thoughts about retirement planning. Whether already in retirement, not there yet, or just starting a first job, this book shows that retirement is an entirely separate life stage that requires some careful thought and planning. As someone who has worked in the retirement field for over 20 years, this is a message that both young and old need to hear and by taking the approach suggested in the book, it can be a great help in deciding how much needs to be saved to support a retirement lifestyle.
I'm one of those people who are "kind of" retired, but still working and I'm not alone. Studies show that between 60% and 80% of retirees and pre-retirees today are planning to continue some type of "work" - whether for pay or volunteering - well into their retirement years. The reasons for working are generally because the retiree is bored, needs a social network and/or wants to add some purpose to their life.
Unfortunately, most people don't have a clue about how to actually plan for what their retirement lifetime will be like or even think about what their "dream retirement" is. What this book does is offer an approach that will let you picture your future and help you plan how to get there.
What I found really great about this book is that it is more than just something to read. I was able to complete the exercises/worksheets and really learn something about me and what I want to get out of my retirement years. It gave me a whole new perspective about what I can do when I "grow up" and really retire.
Will this book be for everyone? Maybe not. (I really disagree with the last reviewer, though.) If you already know what your retirement life will be like, you probably aren't looking for a book about retirement. However, if you haven't thought about planning for a retirement lifestyle - not just saving and investing money - or you are just leaving your retirement happiness to chance, this is definitely a book you should read.
You may not agree with everything that is in there but it will definitely make you think. And, after all, isn't that what a book like this is supposed to do?
Books:
- Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?: Leading a Great Enterprise through Dramatic Change
- Why Didn't I Learn This in College?
- Zaha Hadid
- 2007/8 Guide to Association Web Sites: For Recruiters and Job Seekers (Weddle's Guide to Association Web Sites)
- A Guide to Co-Teaching: Practical Tips for Facilitating Student Learning
- Aerosol Technology: Properties, Behavior, and Measurement of Airborne Particles (Wiley-Interscience)
- Baby Bargains: Secrets To Saving 20% To 50% On Baby Furniture, Equipment, Clothes, Toys, Maternity Wear, And Much, Much More! (Baby Bargains)
- Balanced Sourcing: Cooperation and Competition in Supplier Relationships
- Becoming a Manager: How New Managers Master the Challenges of Leadership
- Behavior in Organizations: Understanding and Managing the Human Side of Work (8th Edition)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Return to the River: The Classic Story of the Chinook Run and of the Men Who Fish It
- Mastering the Trade
- DNA and Protein Sequence Analysis: A Practical Approach
- Forensic and Clinical Applications of Solid Phase Extraction
- History: Fiction or Science
- Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology
- Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Cookbook: Enjoy Homemade Ice Creams, Frozen Yogurts, Sorbets, Sherbets
- The Decoration of Houses: Alexandra Stoddard
- Critical Regionalism: Architecture and Identity in a Globalized World
- Her Last Call To Louis MacNeice
General
| Job Hunting & Careers
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
What Color Is Your Parachute Workbook: How to Create a Picture of Your Ideal Job or Next Career
Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type
The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success
How To Find Your Mission In Life
I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work
![The New Quick Job-Hunting Map : How to Create A Picture of Your Ideal Job or next Career [The revised map from "What Color Is Your Parachute?" for job-hunters and career-changers]](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/21DH4eHUgwL.jpg)
