The recent U.S. financial crisis has unfortunately forced many Americans to hunt for a new job or change their career, both of which involve skill sets that rust quickly. Luckily there’s What Color Is Your Parachute? — originally self-published by Richard N. Bolles in 1970 — which has been one of the world’s most popular employment guides for 40 years. It has been published in more than 20 languages and sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. Bolles stands out for packing information that’s both practical and profound, and he covers the entire employment process, from how to successfully search for a new position to how to negotiate salary. Readers learn the basics — where to find a job, how effective various job-hunting methods are — but are also taught how to best match their personal hobbies, skills and passions to potential professional opportunities. At the center of this popular book is Bolles’ signature exercise, the Flower diagram (also referred to as That One Piece of Paper), which calls on readers to list their favorite interests, skills, values and other conditions in order to determine their ideal job.