ABSTRACT
As the field of school psychology grows, early career faculty are integral to the future of the profession. Although being in the early career development stage can bring upon stressors professionally and personally, it is also a time of immense growth and opportunity. Support for early career faculty should begin in graduate school and extend to an individual’s initial professional position. In this chapter, early career faculty are encouraged to routinely reflect on their teaching, research, service, and career development needs, as well as augment their priorities and time allocation to meet their personal, professional, and institution’s goals. Accessing various types of mentorship, taking steps to demystify the tenure process, seeking strategies to enhance productivity, and working to maintain positive personal relationships and work–life integration are integral to promote productivity and success among early career faculty. This chapter includes a description of resources available both at an early career faculty member’s institution and resources available in the field that may be beneficial for professional growth and success. Also included in the chapter is a description of the research needed to better understand how to support early career faculty to stay in academia and enjoy long, productive careers.
