I spent last week with Dick Bolles, the author of the famous book, “What Color is Your Parachute?”
As a true professional with close to 40 years in the career industry, there is little he hasn’t seen.

The core message of his book is that when one looks for a career, it’s not simply a matter of looking for something out there to do, but rather a way to clarify what it is one wants to do. The core methodology used to arrive at this conclusion is the flower exercise. The flower exercise is a way to review all important elements for a career and is a worthwhile endeavor.

The only view I have that contrasts with that of Dick’s is the belief that one’s preferred skill set does not always correlate with the areas in which one performs best. Too often we are made aware of this reality when we watch aspiring singers who believe they’re the best at what they do, when in reality there are many others who can sing better than they can. See here for a funny example. That is why we designed Checkster. Checkster provides a way for you to make sure you get confidential feedback regarding your strengths and weaknesses so that you don’t pursue the wrong path. Try it for yourself here; the basic version is free here.