Mute that phone: tips for workplace rookies

Don't pack smelly foods in a brown-bag lunch and don't send instant messages on the boss's time until you've checked out your new employer's IM policies.

Those are among the workplace etiquette tips for college graduates about to start their first job, and they're from Monster.com, an online website for job hunters and corporate recruiters with a big presence in Maynard.

MonsterTRAK, the firm's student division, compiled a list of do's and don'ts for workplace rookies, and other tips include advice about the photos that a new employee might display in his or her cubicle. The advice? Mostly stick to PG-rated family photos and steer clear of lurid visuals chronicling party-animal adventures with college pals, MonsterTRAK said.

Another hint for the iPod and MP3 generation: Ask your supervisor if playing music is allowed, and avoid downloading music on your work computer, MonsterTRAK advises.

As for the cellphone, set it to the silent mode, especially if your ring tone is the latest dance beat, and keep personal calls and text messaging to a minimum.

Over the last year, Monster, whose parent is Monster Worldwide Inc., a New York-based communications and technology company, has forged agreements with media companies representing more than 200 news publications.

In February, Monster announced such a relationship with The New York Times Co., whose properties include The Boston Globe and Boston.com; those entities later unveiled a co-branded website for Boston-area employers and job seekers.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)