What Color Is Your Parachute 2018 by Richard N. Bolles copy

a psychiatrist, either at a private clinic or at a university or hospital.
You ask for fifteen minutes of his or her time, and pay them if
necessary. Then you ask the psychiatrist if he or she knows how to
combine psychiatry with one—just one, initially—of your other two
favorite knowledges. Let’s say you choose gardening, here. “Doctor,
do you know anyone who combines a knowledge of psychiatry with a
knowledge of gardening or plants?” Since I’m talking about a true
story here, I can tell you what the psychiatrist said: “Yes, in working
with catatonic patients, we often give them a plant to take care of, so
they know there is something that is depending on them for its future,
and its survival.” “And how would I also employ a knowledge of
carpentry?” “Well, in building the planters, that’s a start, isn’t it?”
This is the way you learn how to combine your three favorite
knowledges, all at once, no matter what those three may be.
4. Jot down everything these people suggest to you, on your computer,
iPad, smartphone, or small pad of paper. Whether you like their
suggestions, or not. This is just brainstorming, for the moment.
5. After you have done this for a week or so, with everyone you meet,
sit down and look at all these notes. Anything helpful or valuable
here? If you see some useful suggestions, circle them and determine
to explore them. If nothing looks interesting, go talk to five more of
your friends, acquaintances, or people you know in the business
world or nonprofit sector. Repeat, as necessary.
6. As you ponder any suggestions that look worth exploring, consider
the fact we saw in chapter 8, that all jobs can be described as working
primarily with people or working primarily with information/data or
working primarily with things. Most jobs involve all three, but which
is your primary preference? It is often your favorite skill that will
give you the clue. If it doesn’t, then go back and look at the whole
Transferable Skills petal, on your Flower Diagram. What do you
think? Are your favorite skills weighted more toward working with
people, or toward working with information/data, or toward working
with things?
7. Just remember what you are trying to do here: find some names for
your Flower. Typically, if you show it to enough family, friends, or
colleagues, you will end up with about forty suggestions.