A new career in academia can be a challenge. While academia's formal rules are published in faculty handbooks, its implicit rules are often difficult to discern. This volume guides readers through academia's informal rules and describes the problems beginning social scientists will face. With humor and insight, leading academics share the lessons they have learned through their own hard experience. Individual chapters present the ins and outs of the hiring process; the advantages of a postdoctoral fellowship; expert strategies for managing a teaching load; insider and applicant advice for winning a research grant; detailed instructions for writing and publishing a journal article; and a straightforward explanation about intellectual property issues. The book also addresses the latter stages of a career. It offers thoughtful suggestions for keeping one's career dynamic. Chapters that provide specific information for minorities, women, and clinical psychologists are also included. The volume even presents options for working outside of academia.