see also http://ononoma.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/newrelic-rpm-with-resque/

resque_with_rpm_job_sample.rb

# BaseJob is a super class of Resque jobs which you want to track with RPM
class BaseJob
  include NewRelic::Agent::Instrumentation::ControllerInstrumentation

  # This is called from Resque.
  # To be wrapped with the common operation, please describe job in the instance's perform method.
  def self.perform(*args)
    NewRelic::Control.instance['forked_job'] = true
    self.new.perform_wrapper(*args)
  ensure
    NewRelic::Agent.shutdown
  end

  # Sends a hint to our monitoring system, newrelic rpm
  def add_custom_parameters(key, value)
    NewRelic::Agent.add_custom_parameters(key => value.to_s)
  end

  # Calls :perform with monitoring on newrelic rpm
  def perform_wrapper(*args)
    # :task seems available only for charged plan. When you test this with a free plan, you have to get rid of it.
    # perform_action_with_newrelic_trace(:name=>'perform') do
    perform_action_with_newrelic_trace(:name=>'perform', :category => :task) do
      begin
        perform(*args)
      ensure
        logger.flush if logger && logger.respond_to?(:flush)
      end
    end
  end

  # Override this method instead of the class method.
  def perform(*args)

  end

  def logger
    RAILS_DEFAULT_LOGGER
  end
end

# Test purpose job. It just outputs the information to log.
# e.g.
# Resque.enqueue HelloWorldJob, 'RPM'
class HelloWorldJob < BaseJob
  @queue = :low

  def perform(who='World')
    # This sends the information to NewRelic RPM
    add_custom_parameters :whom, who

    logger "#{Time.now}: Hello #{who}!"
    sleep(3)
  end

end