Research has shown that a tenure track incorporates both commitment and control aspects: the career system offers junior-level academics long-term job prospects, but subjects them to performance control. This study complements existing research on tenure track positions, which has mostly been conducted in northern America. Universities in Finland have established new organisation-specific tenure track systems. Drawing on interviews with academics working in tenure track positions, this study elucidates the inconsistencies and tensions academics feel during their career, the criteria they interpret as being emphasised in promotion, and their experiences in combining work and private lives. While academics were formally encouraged to excel in various areas, the study found that academics interpreted the tenure track as emphasising research performance and success in acquiring research funding. The study concludes that career systems encourage academics to adopt entrepreneurial mindsets and makes the individual responsible for their own career progress.