Career skills

[Redshirt]

Does anyone here know a good book or website resource that lays out all the good tips and strategies for career/professional ability and skills? Specifics would include:

- team ethic and strategies for working in groups
- time management, goals, priorities and organization skills
- interpersonal and communications skills
- conflict resolution and dealing with difficult co-workers
- leadership skills
- project management skills
- work ethic and workplace norms
- working independently and when to ask for help
- attitudes or strategies when dealing with challenges
- etc...

Basically, all the stuff you might hear in job descriptions these days or you might get asked in an interview.

[Redshirt]

*Bump*

(Yeah, I know, this can be kind of a boring subject, but for me it's an important one at the moment. Perhaps this has become an important subject to some of you as well, given the current economic climate).

I've just about finished a book called the Rules of Work: a definitive code for personal success (http://www.amazon.ca/Rules-Work-definitive-personal-success/dp/0273662716/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239635418&sr=8-1), by Richard Templar, a British management consultant. It's been a pretty good read so far. The book is targeted for those who want to be managers but I think most of is it quite applicable to other positions. Here are just a few things he gets into:

- don't gossip (but do listen)
- don't backstab
- don't bitch and moan
- be careful about volunteering for things
- don't let people know how hard you work
- be 100% committed
- know the people who count
- carve out a niche for yourself
- speak and write well
- have short and long term goals
- be a good listener
- know the workplace norms and unwritten rules

One difficulty with the book perhaps is that its behavioural advice is grounded in the cultural context of English social and cultural norms. What might work in a British office might not work as well in a Canadian, American, Aussie or Kiwi office. Despite that, however, I think most of the book's advice is universally applicable.

Have any of you read this book or something similar? What are your thoughts?