The assimilation literature suggests that newcomers need several types of information to reduce the uncertainty surrounding organizational entry. One hundred seventeen newcomers were surveyed to assess the perceived usefulness of seven types of information and the extent to which they had actively and passively obtained them. In general, newcomers obtained more information actively than passively and more through monitoring than through inquiry. Appraisal information and technical information were seen as the most useful types and were actively sought more than the others. Although newcomers rated organizational information relatively low on usefulness, they passively received it more than any other type. The results provide new insight into the information that newcomers obtain during organizational encounter.
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