I thought people in various groups would like to know what the current
advice is from the author of "What Color Is Your Parachute" regarding
today's job market.  Important advice for those thinking of switching
jobs.

Kelly




San Francisco Chronicle


    Saturday, March 1, 2003

'Parachute' author's advice
Dave Murphy

    Richard N. Bolles acknowledges that job hunters and the economy are
fueled by optimism, but the normally upbeat Bolles can't provide much
fuel these days. "I think this is going to be a terrible year, frankly,"
he said in an interview. It isn't that the author of the landmark
job-hunting book, "What Color Is Your Parachute?" expects widespread
layoffs, but he does foresee spending cuts, in businesses and in homes.
Part of him knows the recession is just a typical economic cycle, and
this one might be longer than most because the economy grew for so many
years. But he also believes that the dot-com implosion and other
political and economic problems, including the potential war in Iraq,
make it that much harder for the economy to bounce back. "The key to a
recovery is optimism," says Bolles, an East Bay resident. "It isn't that
you artificially stimulate the economy with money. People need optimism
above all else." For people who have been laid off, Bolles suggests
doing whatever they can to give themselves a little joy, from spending
time with family to taking a long walk to getting a good night's sleep.
Realize, too, that many people are out of work for seven months or
longer, so spend some time studying, pursuing other interests and doing
informational interviews. "They have got to keep at it," he said. "A
huge percentage of job hunters give up within two months. I would be as
persistent as I possibly could be." Job hunt every day and try three or
four approaches to getting a job, such as networking, visiting companies
that look interesting and, in particular, thoroughly evaluating your
skills and interests with an open mind, considering alternative careers
in case you can't find anything in your previous field. Bolles said too
many people simply tell people they're job hunting without going into
detail. "I would never hit my friends for leads unless I knew exactly
what I wanted." Self-aware job hunters will know what separates them
from the 20 others applying for the same job, Bolles said. "When times
are tough like this, it isn't luck that makes the difference." And don't
count on the Internet, Bolles said. "I think it's a false producer of
hope," said Bolles, who previously had written a book called
"Job-Hunting on the Internet." He says many job hunters don't make the
best use of the Net: researching companies, industries, occupations and
useful contacts. They can also look for news articles about successful
companies, and find out which businesses have a good reputation. So what
wouldn't Bolles emphasize? Sending resumes, especially online.
Networking and dropping in on people is far more effective than spewing
out resumes by the hundreds, he said. He said it's so easy to post and
copy resumes on the Net that it's almost impossible for employers to
sort them -- even on the employer's own Web site. "Once you post your
resume on the Internet, it becomes immortal," Bolles said. "That means
every week there are more resumes than there were on the Internet the
week before."


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