Imposter syndrome at work: The silent confidence crises among young professionals

What is imposter syndrome? Have you ever felt like a fraud, worried that others will discover you’re not as competent as they think you are despite objective evidence of your competence? Do you attribute your success to luck or timing? If the answer to any of this is ‘Yes,’ then you might be experiencing imposter syndrome. A psychological pattern where individuals doubt their abilities and fear being exposed as a ‘fraud’ despite evident success and accomplishments.

How do I know if I have imposter syndrome?

• Being overly critical of the smallest mistakes at work.
• Sensitivity to constructive criticism.
• Fear of being discovered as a fraud.
• Downplaying your expertise even in areas where you excel.
• Fear that you won’t live up to others’ expectations
• Experiencing negative thinking or self-doubt

Leading Dr Valerie Young describes the 5 main types of imposters:

1. The perfectionist: Not acknowledging the hard work, but being too critical of even small mistakes that might happen; resists taking in new things if they believe it cannot be done perfectly
2. The soloist: Handling everything alone because asking someone for help is perceived as not being able to match self-standards, feeling inadequate and considering oneself a failure.
3. The natural genius: Expects that if they learn anything new, they should be able to do it immediately and effortlessly.
4. The expert: Wants to acquire all the knowledge before starting something new, and if they miss out on any knowledge or do not know the answer to something, then consider themselves a fraud.
5. The superhero: Linking competence to the ability to succeed in every role, even putting maximum effort, leaves one with the feeling, ‘I should do more.’

Strategies to overcome imposter syndrome

1. Challenging your thoughts

Remember, not every thought is a fact. It’s essential to question the critical thoughts that arise on autopilot. Journaling can be a powerful tool for becoming more mindful of these thoughts. Ask yourself:

• If my friend were in the same position and succeeded, what would I tell them?
• Is this thought a fact or just my opinion?
• Am I attributing success solely to luck, or can I also acknowledge personal factors like my effort, skills and perseverance?

2. Stop comparing yourself to others

Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to where someone else is today. It’s just not a fair fight! Think about it, you wouldn’t compare a 5th grader’s skills to a 10th grader’s, right? That’s how unfair it is when you compare your journey to someone else’s. And if you do find yourself looking at their big achievements, take a look at their confidence, too; often, that’s the real difference.

3. Own your strengths

Imposter syndrome makes us feel like we don’t belong or don’t deserve our spot. When those thoughts creep in, remind yourself of the hard work you put in to get here. It wasn’t just “dumb luck.” You get what you believe: if you trust your skills, you’ll feel way more confident at work and in everyday life. But if you keep telling yourself you just got lucky, you’re always going to end up doubting yourself.

4. Seeking professional help

Talking to a professional / a trusted friend can help you get objective information about this situation.

If you’re experiencing imposter syndrome, it often means you’ve achieved a level of success you’re not fully recognising. Instead of attributing it all to luck, practice gratitude and acknowledge your efforts.