Interview with Dick Bolles

The Factory Podcast Interview with Dick Bolles

Sadly, Dick died on Friday 31st March 2017 soon after his 90th birthday. I am re-posting this interview that he generously granted me in 2010 in California. In the interview amongst other things, he discusses the idea of legacy.

Vale Dick Bolles.

Jim Bright 8th April 2017

The interview

I arranged to meet with Richard Nelson Bolles or Dick Bolles as he is otherwise known during the National Career Development Conference in 2010. He is no stranger to anyone as the author of the spectacularly popular What color is your parachute? self-help careers guide. I was interested in hearing what motivated him to write the book, how it came about and how his life took him in this particular direction.

His book has been published for more than 40 years and is updated every year – something that is very rare in publishing, let alone careers publishing. Dick was concerned his book had been trimmed down for the recession the US was experiencing at the time and had resolved to increase the size of the book in the next edition. The striking thing about the book is how the ideas are presented in very practical terms and always from the job hunters perspective. Nor is Dick afraid to tackle bigger subjects, and his religious training gives him the authority of voice to address issues of purpose very effectively. This is an area of job hunting that is often overlooked, yet how common is it, that job hunters lose heart and motivation in the face of rejection?

The interview was recorded over lunch in a restaurant in the hotel in San Francisco. It was interesting and impressive to see several people including waiters come up to our table to thank Dick for his work, telling stories of how his book had improved their lives. In the interview, I ask Dick what he wants his legacy to be. His answer is very interesting. Enjoy!