How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome in A New Job?

It is nothing new to feel like you don’t deserve the job you’re working at. This feeling of self-doubt and incompetency can arise at any time during your career, but it is most commonly experienced during the initial days in a new job. This is indeed a phenomenon that is quite common among young professionals, particularly if they have chosen a non-traditional career path. This is known as imposter syndrome.

What is imposter syndrome?

People experiencing imposter syndrome often feel like they’re committing fraud because they are of the opinion that they do not deserve to be there in the first place. Despite being totally qualified and eligible for the job, they are constantly comparing themselves with their peers. It is this comparison that often drives them to the conclusion that they are not performing equally well and their peers are better than them.

This imposter syndrome, if not tackled correctly, can take a toll on their personalities as well as their mental state. Over time it can cause loss of self-confidence, inability to handle pressure and may even lead to anxiety or depression in some individuals.

What causes imposter syndrome?

One of the major reasons behind imposter syndrome in people is because of setting unrealistic expectations for themselves. Particularly when someone has achieved some kind of success, be it landing a new job or getting a new degree, they begin to feel undeserving soon after if they cannot perform equally well in the next stage.

As new responsibilities are added, people begin to feel the pressure build up and often find themselves paralyzed by this pressure. Gradually this becomes an avalanche effect, with one small failure at the new job leading to another, till a point where they lose the drive to perform at all.

If you are going through a similar phase, it is extremely important to acknowledge these feelings and find out ways to overcome this imposter syndrome. Rejecting these feelings and blaming yourself or considering yourself as incapable will not lead to a solution. The best advice can only be given by a millennial career coach who has the expertise and experience in guiding young professionals to success. But there are some things you can try on your own too.

Here are a few tips to help you overcome imposter syndrome and regain your confidence at your new job.

1. Give yourself some credit

If you are in a good position at a good company right now, you must have gone through a rigorous hiring process. Most companies pay very keen attention to who they are hiring. Remember that the Hiring Managers at your company are not giving away jobs for free. You have had to face interviews and answer very tricky questions to prove your merit. You have been hired only because the people at the other end thought you are a perfect fit for the role. So, if they think you are a fit, there is no reason for you to doubt yourself.

If you are feeling incompetent or aren’t being able to handle the pressure at work, remember that the beginning is always the toughest part of a new job. This is a phase that will pass. If you have good, helpful colleagues, you can always ask for their help to navigate your way around this new role. All you need is to have enough confidence in yourself and to remember that you have been chosen just as everyone else in your company has been chosen.

2. Remember your achievements

Many a time, it helps to remind yourself of your past accomplishments. It becomes much easier to regain confidence when you remember every time you made a positive impact in some way or the other. It could be in your current role or in a past job or even in your academic career. Try and remember every occasion where your work made a difference. Remember when you were applauded for your work or when you did something meaningful.

All of these recollections will help boost your self-confidence. You are the same person who achieved all of this in the past. So, there should be nothing stopping you from doing the same now. What you are feeling right now is just your own thoughts and not proof that you are incapable. Changing your thoughts can change the scenario, as well.

3. Try to identify what is causing these feelings

Quite often, it may not be your fault at all. There are a lot of factors that can affect your state of mind. Imposter syndrome may also be induced by one or more of such external factors. So, it is important to identify the root cause of it all. Is your boss always criticizing you for your work? Are your colleagues not inclusive and don’t welcome you in their conversations or listen to your inputs in team meetings? Have you not been promoted or given a raise when it is due, despite performing all your work as is expected of you?

These, and many other external factors, can be the cause of imposter syndrome in a person. Try and pinpoint the reasons. Once you have done that, talk to someone you trust. There can be many solutions to this. You may be advised to talk to your boss and explain how his/her or your colleagues’ behaviour is affecting you. Or you could even start looking for another job where your work will be appreciated more. But before you take any step for betterment, you need to be absolutely sure yourself.

4. Build on your strengths and knowledge

If you think that the reason behind your imposter syndrome is not an external factor but has something to do with yourself, then you need to work on it fast. It is possible that you cracked the interview based on your prior knowledge of the field or your strong academic background. But once you join the new job, you see that the work here is very different from what you did previously. You also feel that your experience or knowledge is not enough to excel in this role.

This is not a thing to worry about, though. Everyone is expected to learn and grow in their new roles and environments. Just because you are finding it hard to cope up right now, does not mean you can’t upgrade your skills. The more you try and learn about the job and the industry you are working in, the more command you will have over your work.

Learning should never stop. Grab every opportunity that you get to learn something new. Attend workshops and seminars by industry experts, read as much as you can on related topics, interact with people in similar roles, and ask your supervisors. In today’s highly connected world, there are so many channels that you can use for learning. Make sure you’re using them well.

5. Consult a career coach

The modern career coach does not just tell you which career to choose or which industry is currently booming. He or she can also help you handle your emotions and your stress better. Getting help from a professional is always better than seeking advice from peers or friends. That is not because your peers won’t give good advice. It is just that an expert has better knowledge of the situation you are in. They handle similar cases on a daily basis and know what the outcome of a particular action can be.

They are trained for this job, so it would be best to trust them in matters of career-related problems.

6. Respond to failure positively

Nobody can perform without making a few mistakes now and then. Failure is as much a part of professional life as is success. How you deal with failure is what makes the difference. Taking failure to heart and considering it as incompetence will never let you grow or learn from your mistakes.

Instead of being too hard on yourself for failing once, try and focus on what you did wrong and how that can be corrected. Failure is not permanent as long as you keep trying to improve. Learning from your failures ensures that you won’t commit the same mistakes again.

7. Stop seeking validation from everyone

Often, the feeling of worthlessness or incompetence stems from the need for validation. We want to please everyone around us and expect everyone to praise us for our efforts constantly. What you need to realize is that you may not receive that validation from everyone or everywhere. Some people may just consider that you are aware you’re doing a good job and don’t think it is necessary to appreciate you every time.

That validation is not as important as you might think. Learn to reward yourself instead. When you know that you are doing well, don’t wait for others to appreciate you but congratulate yourself and be confident that you pulled it off. You are the first and most important person who can lift you up.

8. Figure out your priorities

Any good creative career coach would always emphasize upon the importance of prioritizing, be it in life or in your career. When you are trying to do everything at once, achieving success becomes near impossible. You need to set your priorities straight if you want to perform and get out of this sinking feeling brought about by your imposter syndrome.

Think about why you are here. What did you want from this job in the first place? What are the skills that you need for this job? Which of these skills do you need to work on? When your priorities are set, you can develop a process that helps you get the job done every day. If you are unable to prioritize things on your own, try discussing this with your manager or your team. You will understand clearly what your responsibilities are what they expect of you. This can give you a better idea of what you should be focusing on.

Conclusion

Imposter syndrome can affect anyone, and you should not feel any different from others for going through this phase. But you should accept how you feel and work on your thoughts and actions to change things for the better. It is important to take pride in every little thing you do successfully. Focus on doing your work well, rather than trying to achieve everything at once. When you learn to prioritize, celebrate small wins, and practice continuous learning, you will definitely find yourself coming out of this hollow and achieving new heights in your career.