What Color Is Your Parachute? 2011 : A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers

“How many jobs are out there, in this economy?”

“Where do I go from here with my life?”

These are some of the questions at the forefront of the modern job-searcher’s mind. And they are thoroughly and thoughtfully answered with all-new chapters in the 2011 edition of What Color Is Your Parachute?, the best-selling job-hunting book in the world for more than three decades--in good times and bad. A longtime fixture on best-seller lists, What Color Is Your Parachute? features life-saving information that is updated each year to cater to the specific requirements of today’s job market.

Career guru Richard N. Bolles leads job-searchers to find meaningful work. He asks, WHAT skills do you most love to use? WHERE--in what field--would you most love to use them? And HOW do you find such jobs without depending on agencies, ads, and online postings?

This book is not only about finding a job in hard times, it’s also about finding your passion. In the words of Fortune magazine:

“Parachute remains the gold standard of career guides.”

What Color Is Your Parachute? is the world’s most popular job-hunting guide, with 10 million copies sold, in more than 20 languages. Written by career guru Richard N. Bolles--who coined the terms “informational interviewing” and “transferable skills”--this New York Times and BusinessWeek best seller answers such questions as:

“What are the five best--and worst--ways to search for a job?” See chapter 3 (starting on page 31).

“What are the most helpful job sites on the Internet, out of the thousands that are out there?” See pages 53-54.

“What interview questions can I expect to be asked, and how do I answer them?” See chapter 6 (starting on page 93).

“I want to use a resume. What should I include?” See chapter 5 (starting on page 71).

“I haven’t a clue how to do salary negotiation. Help!” See chapter 7 (starting on page 121).

“There are no jobs out there, so I’m thinking of starting my own business. Where do I begin?” See chapter 9 (starting on page 147).

“Since I’m out of work, I’d like to use this opportunity to find more purpose and sense of mission in my next job. How do I do that?” See pages 15, 179, and 269.

“What are the ten biggest mistakes made during interviews?” See page 92.

“How is the way employers hunt for people different from the way people hunt for employers?” See page 44.

“How do I figure out what my best skills are?” See pages 201+.

“If I decide I need some career counseling, how do I avoid getting ‘taken’?” See Appendix b (starting on page 288).

“I had a job dealing with manufacturing. Now it’s gone. How do I find jobs in related fields?” See page 45.

“I’d like to emphasize my traits in my next job interview, but I don’t have ‘a trait vocabulary.’ Got any lists?” See page 50.

“I have a handicap. How can I get around it, in interviews?” See page 57.

“I am painfully shy. I dread interviewing. What can I do?” See page 62.

“I want to use a resume. What should I include?” See Chapter 5 (starting on page 71).

“In general, what are employers looking for?” See page 48.

“How long should I expect my job-hunt to last?” See page 32.

“I’m over fifty. What special problems do I face when I go job-hunting? ” See chapter 10 (starting on page 167).

“I’m just starting on my job-hunt. I know ‘networking’ is important. I haven’t got a network. How do I build one from scratch?” See page 86.

PARACHUTE has all the answers you’re looking for and more. It’s the guide that millions of job-hunters have turned to for more than three decades.

RICHARD N. BOLLES has led the career development field for more than thirty-five years. A member of Mensa and the Society for Human Resource Management, he has been the keynote speaker at hundreds of conferences. Bolles was trained in chemical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and holds a bachelor’s degree cum laude in physics from Harvard University, a master’s in sacred theology from General Theological (Episcopal) Seminary in New York City, and three honorary doctorates. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Marci.