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This advice is heavily biased towards positions in Computer Science at R1 universities. There's likely lots of survivorship bias, which means that some of this advice is bad for you. That said, I hope that there are a few things in here that are useful to everyone. 2/
1) Define what success is for you, then tell everyone else. Demand on that being how you are evaluated. I try to focus on impact. That could be a top quality publication, or kicking off a start-up. Folks in your department need to know why what you've done has value. 3/
Some places have really silly metrics (e.g., "You need X papers below Y acceptance rate pre-tenure"). Quantity of output does not equal quality of output. I'd rather read one amazing thing from you each year than 10 mediocre things. Don't get caught in a numbers game. 4/
2) Get the money you need to do your best science, not more, not less. Many fall in to the trap of only chasing dollars. Don't get me wrong, it's very important and a big part of your job. Refusing to do it at all is not a recipe for success. We all have to help pay the rent. 5/
However, the other extreme results in being entirely removed from the science itself. I know many folks who point to their research dollars as THE measure of success. Most of these folks would help science best by taking VP jobs in industry, and get paid better for doing so. 6/
I won't tell you what the "right" amount is, because it will vary depending on many factors. I will have 9 Ph.D. students this fall, so supporting each and every one of these great folks is my goal. Having 50 means you're probably not spending meaningful time with any of them. 7/
3) Treat students with the utmost care and respect. Grad school is hard, and everyone is fighting their own battles. Make sure that their goals are your goals. Most students don't want a tenure track position, so be sure to listen to them and help guide them on THEIR journey. 8/
I tell my students that, "If you want to go to clown school after this, my job is to buy you the red nose and the make-up and prepare you accordingly." Help them explore possibilities, but never try to make them you. Help make them the best version of them. 9/
Student health and wellness (mental & physical) must be top priorities. I encourage students to take breaks. I'm here to help, and tell them that other faculty members can help, too. I regularly remind everyone that the university has professional resources if they need them. 10/
Never talk poorly about your students. I have heard many faculty (never at @UF) saying, "Things would be better if my students were better". Stop waiting for Godot. Great students are everywhere, & students not reaching their potential is often a reflection on their advising. 11/
4) Make a "lab manifesto". Use this as a shared set of values, and make clear your expectations for your lab members. Also make clear to them what you believe your job to be, and what they will get from sharing these values. 12/
Our manifesto is 7 pages long, and covers values including collaboration, accountability, and leadership. We detail these (and other) topics. This is a great way for you to think clearly about culture, and for students to know from the beginning what they are getting in to. 13/
5) If you are on a break and you are wondering what you should be doing, work on your slides/class. Even if you only have ten minutes between meetings, adding a slide here and there and getting yourself a week or two ahead will pay for itself later. 14/
6) Find work/life balance. Now laugh out loud, because it has changed. It will change again tomorrow, too. Find things outside of work. For me, that is family and running. I try to do both of these things away from screens, and it makes me a better person and scientist. 15/
Seriously, you can't be a good researcher if you try to work 24/7. You may have to over short periods (see work/life rebalancing above), but it is ultimately unsustainable. Get a hobby. Get outside. Do not allow yourself to be solely by your job - you are more than it. 16/
7) Be a good teacher. It makes your job more fun, and is also a great way to recruit. That doesn't mean that you should spend all your time on assignments & study guides. Aim to be inspiring in the classroom and provide work that encourages meaningful growth outside of it. 17/
By the way, know that preparing any new class takes a huge amount of time. Before tenure, I strongly recommend that junior folks only have three different courses in their repertoire: one undergraduate, one graduate service course and one graduate special topics. 18/
Others may ask you to take on more courses, but the reward is likely zero. I have never heard of a tenure case at an R1 being saved because someone "took one for the team" and picked up an extra class. Thank them and suggested that you'd be happy to do it post-tenure. 19/
8) Find real mentors. As a senior faculty member, I am happy to have my senior students work with new folks. If I don't make a contribution, I don't need to have my name on the work. Similarly, my name is only on a grant proposal if I have something meaningful to offer. 20/
I have met (and worked with) many senior faculty who view junior faculty as their personal workhorses. You were not hired to forward my research agenda. You were not hired so that I could impose a tax on your grants. Collaboration should provide mutual benefit. 21/
The job of senior faculty should be to provide research contributions AND to help remove obstacles for you. Be very careful of folks who don't believe this, and be prepared to change mentors if you find you have one. These people are unlikely to help when you need them. 22/
9) Set up a Google Scholar page. Your website will almost certainly be out of date, and this allows me to see what work people are citing. Yes, I think h-index is largely silly and one dimensional, but Scholar is a great way for me to see a representative slice of you. 23/
10) Finally, you got here because you're great. Try to love what you do - even the small stuff. This job is an amazing privilege, but it is certainly not for everyone. 24/
If you are miserable, change something. Move. Enjoy the privilege of being able to redefine yourself with regularity. This job is hard, and if you're not feeling that it is rewarding, there is no shame in doing anything else! Best of luck on your adventure! 25/
