Is “What Color is Your Parachute?” still a thing? Do you know what I mean when I say that?
Please say what age you are, too.
Thanks.
Are you referring to a golden parachute? As in, a rich family with tons of money is there to back you up if you fail? That’s the only thing I can think of.
Nobody ever asked a question even remotely like that before, during, or after graduation.
I graduated in 2010. I have no idea what you’re talking about.
Graduated in '07 ( which I suppose isn’t all that recent any more. Sigh)
I don’t know details, but it’s some self-help/career/business book. I think it is somehow related to “who moved my cheese”.
Graduated six months ago, 27, I’ve seen that book before but never used it.
Graduated in '08. My dad gave me his old copy after I gave up on my first major and was trying to pick a second major and figure out what I wanted to do. I skimmed it but I don’t think it really helped at all.
I am not a recent college graduate but that reference does reminder me how much the working world has changed (and not for the better) in the last ten years. The buzz used to be about flexible hours, working from home, job sharing or working with your employer to customize your job to you. Now it is about basic survival and doing whatever you have to do so you don’t lose your home.
Some of the book is still relevant. Everyone needs a ‘parachute’ of some sort but much of it is antiquated now as well. It presumes that job seekers have more power than they really do and that every combination of skills and job preferences has a market somewhere. That last part is not nearly as true as it once was. Most people’s real parachute is just doing whatever it takes to bring in some money whether it is related to their schooling or preferences at all. The networking suggestions are still true.
Graduated '11, 25. Never read it, might have heard of it.
If it makes you feel any better, most of the working world wasn’t like that when the book was first published (1970), either. It was always more inspirational literature than a practical guide to finding and keeping a job.
Not a recent grad- though I did finish grad school last year at 30. I got a copy after undergrad, and found it very helpful during a discouraging first job search, as it teaches a lot about how to sell yourself rather than just sending resumes out into the void.
I read it when I was 25 and in grad school because I was working in a career services office. I’ve drawn on at least one idea when talking with students about what they want to do.
Graduated undergrad in '08. Heard of it, my aunt gave me the book. Don’t remember much about it to be honest.
Thank you. Appreciate the replies.
For those who didn’t know and still haven’t figured it out from the thread, it’s a self-help career-kickstarting book. Do a bunch of self-introspection, take some quizzes, figure out where you want to live and what career you want to have.
The answer to my real question, “Would it make me seem old and out-of-tune to name-check it?” is apparently yes.
It’s sort of like the book “Who Moved My Cheese?”. WMMC has a very simple message - when change is forced upon you, you need to accept your circumstances and then take proactive steps to adapt. And yet many people continue to miss the point and make statements “that book is stupid! What am I supposed to do for a new job when the economy sucks!?”
Old fashioned like being one of those olde tymie people who work for a living instead of living in their parents basement until they can find a six figure job as a Director of Social Media?
It’s not a long book. I’m curious as why you wouldn’t just pick up a copy and read it?
Now most of these sort of books are somewhat idealized. But in generally, planning your career is a good idea and the earlier you start, the better off you are. If someone has a bullshit major or can’t pick a major, has no summer work experience, no idea what they want to do when they graduate, no idea who the companies are in whatever industry they might be interested in (assuming they are even interested in one), haven’t amassed the skills or qualifications needed to get a job, how is someone supposed to hire them?
I’m 23 and I know about it because my mom told me to read it
It’s almost 400 pages, that makes it longer than 99.9% of the books that populate the self-help section of your local bookstore/library.
To the OP, I’ve heard of it, but only because I work in a library. I have no idea what the book is actually about beyond the jacket text of saying it helps you with your job search. It’s also ridiculously unpopular and only seems to get purchased at regular intervals because of older librarians doing the purchasing or straight up inertia.
I’ve read Who Moved My Cheese, and it has the same problem that most other business self-help books have: it’s incredibly obvious, and if you’re the kind of person that needs “keep your skills relevant in a changing economy” spoonfed to you, you’re going to have trouble anyway. And the complaint you listed is not entirely invalid - handing that book to a college grad in Spain, where unemployment is over 50% for youth, is not going to magically cause them to find a job.