Application of Principles from the Book ‘What Color is Your Parachute?’

Book Summary and Application of Principles

What Color is Your Parachute is a book by Richard Bolles first published in 1970 that explores the job applications and career search among the unemployed. The book has been republished each year with the latest version issued in 2016. Moreover, What Color is Your Parachute, which in most cases has been referred to as the jobseekers’ bible serves as a perfect manual for individuals desiring for jobs or new businesses. Prior to the annual publishing, the author conducted an adequate research in order to ensure that the contents are up-to-date with the latest trends in the corporate world. Besides, with rapidly changing trends in the job-hunting systems, the book emphasizes on the alternative methods of finding the jobs apart from the traditional use of resumes and interviews.

From Bolles’s perspective, the alternative job hunting system always begins with the job seeker’s self- inventory. Such an approach involves determined individuals knowing their strengths and weaknesses before deciding what career they want to pursue. In addition, the aspect of self-appraisal also lays much emphasis on accepting the job that we love, hence, it can always contribute to our best performance. In order to enhance the relevance of his contents to the audience, the author takes into consideration the current trends in the job seeking market. In fact, the latest changes on incorporating the new technologies by the employers, starting one’s own business, and the nature of job seeking are the other major elements viewed before the re-publication.

In this compelling edition, the readers are introduced to the issues of job-hunting and starting one’s business through in-depth discussions. Furthermore, the author presents the other significant facts using 11 carefully structured chapters. Each of these parts contains valuable facts and principles which have been of great assistance to my job seeking attempts. Thus, this paper aims at explaining how I am applying these principles as well as providing real life examples.

Application of Principles from the Book

In the first chapter, Bolles introduces the job seekers to the new trends in the job hunting market. According to the author, the nature of the job seeking market keeps changing from time to time. In the past, people preferred the traditional resumes, adverts, and agencies (Bolles 9). While applying for my first job I actually presented a hand-written resume to the interviewing panel which was not acceptable by the board Chairman. Through Bolles’ publications, I have realized that the modern world offers more effective approaches which job seekers can absorb to attain their objectives. The constant changes in the employer trends occur concerning the kind of personnel wanted and the way the recruitment process should be conducted. As a result, there is an equal need for the job seekers to update themselves with more modern hunting antics. As an appropriate option, the author hints to the readers the emergence of technology as an effective arena for job opportunities and the ideas of starting an individual business.

The aspect of technology as an effective tool is adequately expounded in the second chapter. Here, Bolles focuses on Google as the new resume point for job seekers. As far as I am concerned, the online platform has offered me an unlimited flow of information on the work placements, business ideas, and trends in the job seeking market as well as the employers’ attitudes. Moreover, using the author’s guidelines I have managed to search and acquaint myself with the relevant information about a company or a business opportunity before making the next big step. In addition, the online community provides the job hunters with the chance to assess the latest resume formats in such a way satisfying the expectations of the employers. Undoubtedly, this enhances the job hunters with the right information which is a crucial step towards achieving the goal. In the result, the principal of using Google as a source of vital data has been effective in obtaining the information prior to the job interviews.

The author arouses the aggressiveness of individuals in the job seeking market through his arguments in chapter three. He achieves this by outlining the various possibilities that are available for the job hunters on a monthly basis. Moreover, Bolles notes that every day, an individual receives an opportunity in one way or the other. In fact, his chapter serves as a timely eye-opener for me, especially at this moment when people believe the jobs are rare and hardly accessible. One can reach the job offers via media, online platforms or simply within the environment around us. The author’s discussions in
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