Tackling Imposter Syndrome Head-On In Your New Role
Let’s set the scene. You’re excited to walk into the office or enter the Zoom meeting for the first time. Today is the first day of your new role. You’ve jumped through every interview hoop and your team is excited and ready to welcome you aboard. So why do you feel like a fraud? Have all of your accomplishments up to this point just come down to charisma and luck?
That feeling of self-doubt is imposter syndrome. Maybe you’ve recognized it in yourself already or you’ve heard about it from the experiences of others. Either way, it’s very real and very common. The pressure to climb the corporate ladder is always there, especially earlier on in your career, and it’s easy to second-guess whether or not you’re worthy of reaching that next step. But don’t worry. Here’s why you’re right where you need to be.
Understanding the 5 types of imposter syndrome
Before we dive in, did you know there are multiple types of imposter syndrome? And that it’s actually incredibly common? One of the reasons imposter syndrome feels so overwhelming is because it feels like you’re the only one going through it. But that’s not the case at all. Imposter syndrome affects 65% of young professionals.For women, it’s more like 75%.
In her book The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: And Men: Why Capable People Suffer from Impostor Syndrome Dr. Valerie Young talks about the 5 types of imposter syndrome, also known as competence types:
- The Perfectionist: Every task and project must be 100% successful, or else it’s a complete failure.
- The Expert: You have a reputation as an expert and any question you can’t answer or task you can’t complete brings you shame.
- The Soloist: Sometimes masquerading as a “self-starter,” the soloist is too ashamed to seek guidance or coaching, because they believe they should be good enough without help.
- The Natural Genius: Not being an expert on the first attempt is a failure and you may as well give up.
- The Superhuman: Success is measured by your ability to juggle multiple responsibilities perfectly. Burnout? Never heard of it.
Do any of these sound familiar to you? Reading these descriptions might already be highlighting the absurdity of imposter syndrome for you, so now let’s take a look at how to move forward.
Skills that thrill
So you went into the interview process in toot-your-own-horn mode. As you should. Now what? You need to walk the walk.
You have hard skills that landed you the role and soft skills that will help you navigate it. As you meet people and get comfortable, here are a few of those soft skills you can build up and keep handy to ensure success and avoid that imposter syndrome:
- Over-communicate: Bring your ideas to the table with confidence, and let your team know how they can help and how you can help them. Be vocal and present throughout your onboarding process, don’t try to squeak by unnoticed.
- Show you’re a great listener: Actively listen by asking questions, repeating things back, and seeking clarification. You’ll have a lot to learn early on, so take in everything you can.
- Give feedback: Let your peers and boss know what’s working well, and where you (and maybe others) are getting stuck. As a new hire, you can give your team a fresh perspective on things they’ve been doing a certain way for a long time.
- Branch out: Does your company host social activities? Can you set up coffee with someone in another department? Get to know the people you’ll be spending your day-to-day with.
Your team knows you have the experience that earned you your spot, but they don’t know how easy you are to work with — yet. By working on your soft skills, you’ll show them you’re a great fit and a team player, all in one.
Don’t compare yourself to others
Outside of the office, you may be well-connected to people in similar fields. Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are filled with career achievements and glowing endorsements. It can be tough to see everyone excelling in their careers while you’re second-guessing whether you deserve yours.
You already know this, but it bears repeating: social media is a highlight reel. Don’t take it too seriously. Behind the status update about the new job title, or the post about a winning strategy, there’s a story of how that person got there. How many times did the CEO think twice about their ideas? How many leaders have stumbled while trying to provide coaching? The point is, it’s easy to get swallowed in self-doubt when it looks like everyone else has had a perfect career. But there is no perfect career.
Comparing yourself to others because of your imposter syndrome can have some long-term negative effects. For one, feeling the need to best others to relieve your own self-doubt is a quick way to burn out. Imagine constantly measuring your own achievements to your colleagues to make sure you come out on top. Sounds exhausting, right? Those feelings of burnout combined with your imposter syndrome can really cause your drive to take a hit in the long run. Focusing on your own abilities, your opportunities to grow, and where you can seek mentorship is much less draining, and more often the faster route to reaching your professional goals.
It sounds a little cheesy, but at the end of the day, everyone in your organization is on the same team. Don’t look for competition where there isn’t any. Your colleagues are there to lift you up and learn from you, so get to know them as people and work with them, not against them.
A little one-on-one time goes a long way
The best resources you have while learning how to perform your role are the people that do it already each day. They already know the tools, processes, and office etiquette. Ideally, your workplace will assign you a buddy or will have you shadow someone who’ll show you the ropes. Take this as the perfect opportunity to ask the questions about the job that worries you most, and take your imposter syndrome down a couple of notches.
No question is too silly when you’re still finding your way around. If anything, it could be argued that it’s more of a red flag if you don’t ask any questions. Don’t be shy to ask about the product or service the company is selling, how the team collaborates, or for clarification on processes. Nobody knows what you don’t know, except you, and the more you ask, the quicker you’ll ramp up.
If you have any downtime with your colleagues, ask about their journey with the organization. Not everyone is going to have the same entry-level-to-exec success story, but the more humble beginnings will bring your imposter syndrome down a notch. Comparing your growth trajectory with someone else’s might reassure you that you’re both on an even playing field.
Small improvements lead to big wins
Typically, imposter syndrome comes at a time when you feel new to a role, but it can also surprise you in the lower moments of your career. Maybe you’re nervous about spearheading a new project, or maybe you find your new boss intimidating. Whatever the situation, it can certainly be difficult when you’re in the thick of it.
Try to remember that this is simply an opportunity to grow and improve. Your team understands how you feel, and you don’t need to compare yourself to colleagues who have been there for ages. Focus on making those soft-skill efforts, ask questions, buddy up, and celebrate your accomplishments.
There may not be anything you could do to prevent the imposter syndrome from coming on at least a little, but now you know how to navigate through it a bit better. Here’s to your growth. You deserve it.