Impostor Syndrome: What It Is and What You Can Do to Stop It

We are living in a very competitive era, and more employees are working harder to be successful. Many of these employees suffer from impostor syndrome. Based on a study by Blind, 58% of tech employees say they experience Impostor Syndrome.

Why do they feel like they are undeserving of a job in the tech field, even though they are qualified? Why is this syndrome becoming more prevalent than ever?

In this article, we will look into the roots and impacts of impostor syndrome.

Impostor Syndrome: What is it?

Impostor syndrome is an internal experience of thinking that you are not as competent as others believe you to be. It is the experience of feeling like a fraud or as if you do not belong where you are and that you only got where you are because of luck.

Impostor syndrome affects everyone regardless of their background, social status, degree of expertise and skill level.

These are the characteristics of a person suffering from impostor syndrome:

Self-doubt.
Berating their own performance.
Unable to realistically assess their competence and skills.
Afraid that they will not live up to expectations.
Overachieving.
Self-sabotaging.
Believes that their success is due to external factors.
Setting very tough goals and feeling disappointed when they fall short.

The causes

Most of the time, an employee may experience impostor syndrome after reaching a new milestone, such as a new job or promotion. Rather than feeling happy, they have negative thoughts about whether their success was well-earned, and it evolves into doubts about their competency.

A newly promoted employee felt comfortably competent in their previous position, but the promotion caused them to self-doubt about their competency.

Those with impostor syndrome believe that they don't deserve to be where they are.

Impostor syndrome could also affect anyone regardless of their experience. One person who took part in the study linked above said they experienced the syndrome after 14 years of working as an engineer. The industry veterans could develop impostor syndrome in response to increasing pressure to meet higher expectations.

Nowadays, everyone's career goal is to continuously grow by learning new skills. If one is not being challenged in their job, they will probably not progress to where they want to be.

But in reality, it's the challenge that some employees find hard. Some feel like they're not ready or unprepared, or that the challenge is too big, and that they're set up for failure. These challenges can make employees question their experience, expertise, and credibility, paving the way to impostor syndrome.

The effects

Employees who experience impostor syndrome can become deadlocked in an 'impostor cycle'. An employee feeling like a fraud can lead to perfectionism. They rarely ask for help and delay menial tasks because they think they need to complete them perfectly.

They could also over-prepare by spending too much time on a job. If they finish the job with high success, it can lead to a sense of stage fright which is a paralysis caused by the pressure to perform well on the spot.

Employees with impostor syndrome believe that they have to work extra hard to achieve success rather than crediting their success to their own natural talent. They do twice the work as their colleagues to prove that they are worthy. This thinking results in a working life full of anxiety, exhaustion and could result in a major burnout.

Identifying employees with impostor syndrome

Though this syndrome is not a recognised disorder, it is pretty common. About 70% of people will experience an episode of impostor syndrome in their lives.

Someone who thinks they might have impostor syndrome should ask themselves these questions:

Do you agonise over the tiniest errors or imperfections in your work?
Do you think your success is due to luck or outside factors?
Are you very sensitive to criticism, even constructive ones?
Do you feel like you will be exposed as a fraud?
Do you downplay your expertise, even in areas where you genuinely more skilled than your peers?

If one often finds themselves feeling like they are a fraud or an impostor, it may be wise to talk to a therapist. Negative thinking, self-sabotage and self-doubt can affect other aspects of one's life.

How to cope

To get rid of impostor syndrome, one must ask themselves some tough questions such as:

Do I believe I am deserving of love as I am?
Must I be perfect for my peers to approve of me?
What core beliefs do I hold about myself?

Employees with impostor syndrome believe that they are a fraud.

These are some of the techniques you can use to move past the impostor syndrome:

Stop comparing yourself with others. Focus on listening to what your colleague is saying rather than finding fault with yourself.
Don't fight your feelings. Try to lean into your emotions and accept them. When you acknowledge them, you will start to see the core beliefs that are holding you back.
Question your thoughts. Ask yourself if your thoughts are rational. Does it make sense that you are an impostor, given everything that you know?
Take baby steps. Instead of focusing on doing things perfectly, you should do things reasonably well and reward yourself for taking action. For instance, in group conversations, share an opinion or a story about yourself.
Focus on others. Try to help others in the same circumstance as you. If you see a colleague who seems awkward, ask them a question to bring them into the group. As you practice your skills, you will become more confident in your abilities.
Assess your skills. Write down your achievements and what you are good at, and compare that with your long-held beliefs about your incompetence.
Share your feelings. Talk to your colleagues about how you are feeling. Your irrational beliefs grow when they are hidden and not talked about.

Keep in mind that if you think you are an impostor, you are attributing your success to luck. In reality, it is your achievements and hard work that brought you where you are now.

Sources: VeryWellMind, Career Foundry

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