As a gray-haired faculty member with some success as a researcher, I'm sometimes asked to be a mentor for newcomers in my department. It's easiest, of course, to give advice, and I usually begin with a long list of suggestions. My department offers a master's degree, and I also advise some graduate students interested in pursuing doctoral study. I begin by listing academia's many demands, but also describe its many rewards. I warn graduate students that institutions everywhere are demanding more of faculty members and that, at times, the demands may seem overwhelming. To succeed, I add, new faculty members must work hard but, for the successful--academia's top performers--the rewards are enormous. There's the psychological reward of knowing that colleagues and students like and respect you. More tangible rewards include a comfortable income, rapid promotions, sabbaticals, opportunities to consult and travel, and myriad of awards and prizes. More than most Americans, faculty members also enjoy the freedom to set their own schedules, to pursue their interests, and to work with bright people in a stimulating environment. My suggestions are primarily for Ph.D.s interested in research, and focus on seven major hurdles that newcomers encounter. Pursuing a Ph.D. Spending three or four years pursuing a Ph.D. is not always an easy or pleasant experience, but it is a necessary one. A growing number of institutions want faculty members to have advanced study, and the degree will help make the next 20 or 30 years of your life easier and more rewarding. Some graduate students make the mistake of enrolling in the most convenient program, generally the nearest. Yet other factors are considerably more important. Look for a program that offers a sequence that interests you, perhaps in broadcasting, ethics, history, law, or research. Perceptive students also look for the best programs: for evidence of a productive faculty and adequate financial support. Because many assistantships include a partial or full tuition waiver, it may cost little more to attend a distant institution. Also ask how long it takes a typical student to complete his or her Ph.D.; what percentage of the students who start the program graduate; and what graduate courses, if any, will transfer into their program. Increasingly, good Ph.D. programs help students present and publish convention papers, even helping with their research and travel expenses. Some schools, such as the universities in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and Minnesota have been unusually successful in encouraging students to begin some publishable research, a crucial step for those hoping to advance in academia. It is difficult for any Ph.D. to start work as an assistant professor, with classes to teach, articles to publish, service to perform, and more. It is doubly difficult for faculty members with a dissertation to finish (for ABD's, or All But Dissertations). No matter how difficult, try to remain in graduate school until you finish. ABD's lack the time needed to finish their degrees, but also find it difficult to work with dissertation committees at distant institutions. Over a period of years, committee members develop other priorities. Some also move, retire, or die. Finding a good job Policies vary from institution to institution, but those hiring faculty members usually look for candidates with: a) an advanced degree, preferably a Ph.D.; b) several years of good professional experience; and c) evidence of their potential to become good teachers and researchers. Increasingly, a school's top candidates--even Ph.D.'s--have already presented or published several articles. Schools are reluctant to hire ABD's. Too many fail to complete their degrees. Thus, more and more schools reject ABD's or hire them as instructors and set a deadline for the completion of their dissertations. …