How long should I wait before leaving a new job?

Q: I graduated from college and have been at my new job for about two months. However, I am beginning to lose interest because the work doesn't match my training. When is the earliest I should look around and start applying for new jobs?

Nick's reply: Hindsight is 20/20, and it would have been best to select your first job more carefully. To help avoid this problem in your career later, don't accept a job offer unless it clearly defines what you're being hired to do. Most companies leave this vague because they will need to assign you work based on their changing business needs. That's why it's your responsibility to protect yourself before you accept an offer. Request that an offer letter outline what you'll be working on for the first year and define limits on alternate assignments. (For example, a maximum one-year assignment outside the specific job you were hired to do.) While most companies will balk at putting this in an offer, such a request opens an important discussion that may prevent misunderstandings. But that's a lesson for the future.

It's very common for new grads to get quickly frustrated with the realities of the work world. It can be a shock to move from studying topics you chose yourself to having to do mundane work assigned to you by a boss. It's a challenge to navigate the waters of a career so your employer will get what he wants and you get what you want. It requires compromise.

As a new grad, you have a bit more license to discuss these topics than more seasoned employees do. Go to the manager who hired you (or to another manager you trust and respect), and ask for advice. Explain that you accept your responsibility to do the work that needs to be done, then ask, "What is the best way to direct my career here so I can get more exposure to the work I was hired to do?" (Be careful: Diplomacy is critical!) "I realize this isn't school and employees must to do the work that needs to be done, not just what they'd like to do. I'm happy to do the job you've assigned to me, but my real interest is XYZ ... If you were me, how would you try to shape your career here to ensure a mix of what the company needs and what I really want to do?"

Unless you think it has shown bad faith, it's important to give the company a chance as you're starting out. A career takes time to build, and there's lots you need to learn. It takes at least a year -- especially on your first job -- to get acclimated and to let your employer decide where you fit best.

It's common for a new grad to be in a hurry. The key is to make sure you're on the right career track and that the company actually has a plan for you. That's why you need to talk to management. If you believe there is no career plan, then it may be time to start looking for another job, either internally or outside. But give this a chance. The company may just need to see that you're willing to work your way up the ladder.

While you're trying to figure all this out, start visiting departments you might like to work in. Get to know other employees. Have lunch with them. Ask about their work. Show your interest. Offer your suggestions on their projects. Get close to them. That's where your next assignment may come from.

Copyright 2008. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate

Nick Corcodilos is author of "Ask The Headhunter: Reinventing the Interview to Win the Job" and the host of www.asktheheadhunter.com. He can be reached by e-mail at seattle@asktheheadhunter.com or at North Bridge Group, P.O. Box 600, Lebanon, NJ 08833. Sorry, no personal replies.