Although graduate programs typically prepare university students well for research activity, many have been less successful in educating for other aspects of academic careers. This article discusses Iain Hay's "Letter to a New University Teacher," which has been used internationally to help new lecturers beginning their career. Prepared as an autoethnographic account for a recent graduate, "The Letter" distils principles held to underpin a successful academic career. Five university teachers and academic managers discuss critically the content and their applications of "The Letter" and make some suggestions for its use in continuously transforming higher education contexts.