The first year of teaching is a significant period in a teacher's life but for many it can signal the end, rather than the beginning, of their career. The demands of beginning teaching are well documented (Devos et al. in "Teach Teach Educ" 28(2): 206-217, 2012; Fantilli and McDougall in "Teach Teach Educ" 25(6): 814-825, 2009) and the attrition rate of new teachers is an international problem (Buchanan et al. in "Aust J Teach Educ" 38(3): 112-129, 2013; Le Cornu in "Aust J Teach Educ" 38(4): 1-16, 2013). So why and how do some beginning teachers persist and overcome early career issues, going on to have rewarding and positive teaching careers? This study examines the positive experiences of three first year primary teachers in New Zealand, interrupting and challenging the negative discourses about beginning teaching dominant within the existing research literature. Accounts of beginning teachers' experiences were gathered through a series of semi-structured interviews during participants' first year of teaching. The findings demonstrate that school culture and the nature of the individual were key factors in shaping their experiences. The paper concludes with a discussion of the transition to work of teaching graduates, including implications for initial teacher education and school based practices.