Book Nook: What Color is Your Parachute? for College

I recently had a chance to review What Color Is Your Parachute? for College, by Katharine Brooks, EdD, a guide for college students, adapted from the world’s most popular and bestselling career book, What Color Is Your Parachute?

The book is based on the bestselling job-hunting system, created by Richard N. Bolles, and covers deciding on a major, designing a four-year plan with your interests and values in mind, creating impactful social media, developing a resume that stands out in a crowd, and making invaluable connections to the workplace.

Filled with reflective activities designed to bring out students’ unique skills and knowledge for interviews, resumes, and cover letters, this book provides easy-to-follow templates, rubrics, and lists to help students create the best possible social media platform, including LinkedIn. Readers will discover how to leverage their skills and experiences throughout college to start their future—whether that means landing a meaningful internship (and making the most of it!), finding their first job, continuing on to graduate school, or taking a gap year.

I thought the book was a good guide for young adults. Even if they aren't going to college, the ideas about choosing a major can apply towards choosing any focus for higher education. The templates and rubrics I found really helpful too - instead of just vague guidelines, there were specific activities young adults and students can do to help focus their goals.

 

Katharine Brooks, EdD, is an award-winning, nationally certified counselor and career coach who is currently the Evans Family Executive Director of the Career Center for Vanderbilt university. She has also directed career centers at The University of Texas at Austin, Wake Forest University, and Dickinson College. She is the author of You Majored in What? Designing Your Path From College to Career and co-author of What Color Is Your Parachute? 2021. She writes a blog, Career Transitions, for Psychology Today.