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Book Reviews



What Colour is your Parachute?

By Richard N Bolles

Ten Speed Press 2007



Billed as the “Best-selling job hunting book in the world”, this is arguably the Bible of all career books and has sold more copies in the last thirty years than any other self-help title.



Parachute is a practical, working book that is ideal for people at all stages of their careers. It is perfect for newly qualified graduates who, by tradition, enter the job market too quickly without truly realising what careers they are best suited to.



And, it is perfect for career-changers and costs less than a careers counsellor, too. In January this year, 75per cent of UK workers were planning to look for a new job, according to research. But, simply moving from one company to another to do the same job is not the solution to a better career. And, this is where Parachute helps.



This isn’t simply a book telling you the best way to go about your job search. Instead, it focuses on how to get the job, the job that is right for you, that matches your skills and talents and your passions.



It demands that its readers do a personal audit on themselves so that they can gain invaluable insight into themselves which will in turn empower people to identify what careers will best suit them.



But, don’t be put off by the 400-plus pages: the book is broken up into sections that involve practical interaction, notably the Flower Diagram – an exercise that will reveal a huge amount about yourself in terms of identifying your favourite interests, people environments, working conditions, values, salary, level of responsibility and skills.



The key underlying tone of the book is to make the point that a job should not simply be something we do to pay the bills.



Go online or visit a bookshop to look for a careers advice book and you will do no better than Bolles’ book which has sold over 8 million copies worldwide. Updated each year, Parachute is perhaps the most comprehensive careers guide in print today and it is easy to see why.



(Picture: Photo of the cover of the book ‘What Colour is your Parachute’)





Take Charge!: Focuses and Inspirational Advice for Career Changers

By Claire Coldwell

Author House

2006



Take Charge!, by Ad Astra’s Claire Coldwell, is an exploration of career topics for those people who need a quick fix of careers inspiration. It is essential reading for those seeking a new career path, change of job, new job, the ‘right job’ – or simply looking for career advice, career guidance and exploring different career options.



The experience for many people is that their work or career does not provide the satisfaction or fulfilment which they had hoped to achieve.



So what’s the solution: a new job or a change of career path? Where do you get career advice and career guidance? How do you find the right job for you? How do you explore your career options?



Claire has written a very powerful & practical book that gives some really good career advice, obviously based on the author’s extensive practice as a career coach. It is very easy to read and you can hear Claire’s authentic voice throughout.



Buy a copy if you are about to make some big career decisions, are in transition or just feel you’re stuck in a rut regardless of your age, gender or the sphere of your career. Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32