Finally Found That Job? Start It Off Right

Don't Be So Quick to Befriend

Unless you're already perusing the online job listings for greener pastures, eat lunch with your coworkers at least twice a week. Cafeterias are the breeding ground of many an inside tip. (If no one invites you to lunch, toss out a "Mind if I join you?")

This, of course, isn't a license to cultivate one BFF you spend all your break time with, at least not until you have the lay of the political land.

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Why It's Not So Bad to Be a 'Sell Out'

"Because you're unfamiliar with people's allegiances, you need to avoid aligning yourself with a single colleague or group of colleagues," Levit advised. "In your first month, you should aim to know a little about a lot of people rather than the other way around."

Or, as Renate Raymond, deputy director of a museum in Bellevue, Wash., put it:

"Beware of the 'helpful' co-worker or employee that wants to give you the real scoop right away. They are trouble ... and are usually the office gossip or someone who wanted your job."

Be Resourceful, but Don't Be a Know-It-All

Your boss is not your babysitter. Never ask for help without first trying to solve the problem or answer the question yourself. The Internet is a beautiful thing; use it. Ditto for your corporate network.

"Collect questions before approaching a colleague," said Donnie Cameron, a senior programmer analyst in New Orleans who works remotely for a database clearinghouse for the book publishing industry. "Resist the temptation to interrupt a colleague with a single question."

Keep in mind that products and procedures at your new organization may be different than what you're used to. Some may be outmoded, cumbersome and quite frankly stink. Don't whine about this. Whiners are the first to get the axe during layoffs. Same goes for know-it-alls who always have a better way of doing things, especially during their first few weeks on the job.

Sure, your last employer may have had a better software system. But your current employer may not be able to afford one. Or your boss may already be in the process of trying to secure budget for an upgrade. Or he or she may be the one who designed said clunky software in the first place. Be careful not to put your foot in your mouth.