Avoid Office Politics and Gossip
As with any social organisation, the workplace is full of rumours and gossip. Your mission is to keep your nose clean of all of it - and be sure not to associate too often with the office gossips or risk having your image associated with them. ' DO NOT get involved in any trash talking around the office,' says a 2002 English education grad. 'Don't -- repeat -- don't solicit gossip.'

Magennis agrees: 'Stay out of the office politics for as long as possible,' he says. 'It's inevitable that you will be exposed to them sooner or later, and you will most likely participate in them as well as it's human nature. But stay out of the game for the first few months.'

Keep Personal Business on Company Time to a Minimum
Studies show that just about everyone conducts some amount of personal business on company time -- checking email, making dinner reservations, buying stuff online. Your goal is to keep your personal business to a minimum and stay focused on work.

Take Advantage of After-Hours Activities
Many organisations have formal or informal after-hour activities, such as sports leagues. Get involved -- even if only as a cheerleader -- because these types of activities are great ways to bond with your co-workers. Do be on your best behaviour during these outside-work activities, though.

'If attending happy hours with co-workers, never drink more than one drink,' suggests Anne Johnson, senior corporate relations coordinator for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Johnson, a 2002 economics grad from the University of Dallas, goes on to recall, 'A co-worker that started about four months after me came to a happy hour with us and had too much to drink. Now, no one will invite her again. You don't want to make a stupid mistake like that.'

Listen More than Talk
'Listen, Listen, Listen . . . don't act like a know-it-all right off the bat,' cautions one entry-level worker. 'The idea is to communicate that you have some very marketable skills and you are here to learn and apply your skills to help the organisation achieve success.'

One of the hardest skills to learn for some of us -- especially extroverts -- is that, when we are new to the organisation, it's better to listen than talk. You don't want to get the reputation as the office know-it-all -- or worse, someone who always has to have the limelight. If you have a legitimate contribution, make it, but if not, do more listening and absorbing those first days on the job.

Track Accomplishments
As we say repeatedly, it's up to you to track your accomplishments; no one else will do it for you. Tracking your accomplishments is great for any number of reasons -- for your personal satisfaction, for raise and promotion meetings, and for future job-hunting.

Show Appreciation
Nothing works like kindness and genuine appreciation. So, show your appreciation to everyone who helps you learn the ropes during your first days on the job -- from your co-workers to receptionists to the human resources folks.

Find a Mentor
You don't need to jump on this task your first day, but as you get introduced to senior staff, begin thinking about developing a mentoring relationship with a member of management above you -- and outside your department -- in the organisation. Mentoring has numerous benefits, from a simple sounding board to someone who helps direct and advance your career within the organisation.

Get and Stay Organised/Set Goals
If you're one of those super-organised people, this tip will be easy for you. The rest of us, however, need to develop a system for keeping track of meetings, appointments, assignments, and projects. Get an organiser or planner and keep on top of all your work. You certainly don't want to miss an early key deadline or meeting. As you look ahead, set goals for yourself -- and then strive to achieve them. 'I set goals for myself,' notes a 2001 education grad. 'I wanted to appear professional in my dress, posture, and speech. I wrote that goal on index cards and put them everywhere.'

Keep Your Boss Informed -- of Everything
Your boss is not a mind-reader, so keep him/her informed of how you are doing. Especially in those early days, meet with your boss to further establish a rapport and relationship. 'Request meetings with your boss on a consistent basis to review performance. Express interest in moving ahead and ask what else you can be doing to get to that next step,' advises von Staudach. Be sure she/he knows you are a self-starter and hard-worker. Just don't bring the boss every little problem; instead, for minor issues, ask for help from co-workers.

Meet and Network with Key People in Organisation & Profession
'Network,' advises von Staudach. 'Join an organisation outside of work. Take additional classes to stay ahead in your field. Take advantage of every opportunity to network with key people in your organisation and profession -- attend staff meetings, professional organisation conferences, trade shows -- every opportunity to meet colleagues in your field.

Just because you have a new job does not mean you suspend your network; constantly manage and grow your network of contacts because you never know when a problem or opportunity will arise. And networking with key people can also help you in finding one or more mentors.

Similarly, a 2002 psychology grad cautions against getting too comfortable: 'Keep setting goals, networking, and keeping your ears open. Most college grads will switch positions or companies many times before the age of 30.'

Final Thoughts
Being the newest member of the organisation -- the rookie -- is both challenging and exciting. You'll be faced with both difficulties and opportunities, and your goal should be to make the most of all situations. These 10 tips should help provide you with some insights and direction as you approach that new job, but don't worry if you don't make a perfect first impression in those early days on the job -- few of us ever do.

Remember to relax, keep your mind open, get to know your team members, and do your work -- and you should go far in making a lasting impression and reputation.