When the Job Is Not Quite as Advertised

How quickly you need to make them depends in part on the severity of the issues, said Trudy McCrea, chief executive of Achieve-It, a recruiting, consulting and executive coaching firm. "If safety and ethics are being violated with no chance of correction," leave.

Other justifications for walking immediately, according to McCrea:

¿ If there's a serious conflict with your boss, with no fix in sight, or you don't think the boss or company can be trusted in general.

¿ If your paycheck is off. If the salary and benefits aren't what they promised, and management doesn't immediately rectify the situation when you call attention to it, quit immediately. No reputable, financially stable employer would do this.

¿ If you have another open job offer, perhaps one that you would have chosen had you known the truth about this one.

Other differences merit a wait-and-watch approach, she said. Among them:

¿ Company priorities don't allow for focus on your role or training.

¿ The organization is undergoing a big change.

¿ The timing is wrong. Perhaps you were hired ahead of a need that hasn't materialized as quickly as the company thought.

So sit tight if you like the employer and the people there in general, are learning, and think there could be other opportunities.

If you're confident that the people who hired you acted in good faith, work with them to try to resolve the mismatch or issues, McCrea said. Ask questions to learn more about why the gap exists and what can be done to make you happy. "Talk to others inside and outside the company to validate your thoughts, privately. Be careful not to add to the problem with gossip."

The patient approach can help protect your r¿sum¿ as well as your bank account. "Trying to find a new job with several short career moves raises suspicions," McCrea said. "If you can't afford another career change, try to wait it out and look while employed."