How to Cope with Impostor Syndrome at Work - Walrath Recruiting, Inc.

How to Cope with Impostor Syndrome at Work - Walrath Recruiting, Inc. Have you ever felt like a fraud at work? Or you think youve only been getting by on luck alone instead of actual skill? These thoughts arent uncommon, and they usually manifest in successful people. This misplaced feeling of inadequacy is known as impostor syndrome, and it affects many working professionals. Usually it is present in those who fear failure, like perfectionists, overachievers, and hard-workers. The same can happen to employees who are overworked, and expected to do an inordinate amount of work. Today well be providing some suggestions on how you can deal with impostor syndrome, and shift that focus to all you have to offer! Firstly, you have to recognize these feelings to address them. If you ever feel like: Luck has gotten you where you are. Your accomplishments arent enough. Someone may recognize youre not qualified for your job. Everyone around you is better than you at their jobs. you are likely feeling the effects of impostor syndrome. The important point to make here is that none of these feelings are true. People that experience them are typically very successful, but feel as if their own success isnt enough. The strategies below will help you realize your own potential, and also think of what you contribute to your workplace. Make a Running List of Your Accomplishments This can be a great way to realize your own value, and it can also help your career. Look at everything youve done at your place of employment, and start a list. Every time you accomplish something new, add it to the list. Over time, you will develop a fairly comprehensive list that shows all you have done. The longer the list gets, the more challenging it will be for you to tell yourself that you havent contributed, or been of worth to your employer. Also, this list will be incredibly valuable when it comes time for a performance review! Jot Down Your Strengths As long as youre on a roll composing lists, move on to a list of your own strengths. It doesnt have to be a specific list- and its probably better if it is more general. Include your skills, traits, qualities, certifications, education, characteristics- anything that makes you valuable. All of these items are what you bring to the table. No one else is able to offer this specific grouping of skills and talent, and its what sets you apart. Remember that the next time self-doubt begins to set it. Talk to Someone An outside perspective can be very important in situations like that. Ideally, this conversation would be one to have with your boss. However, this will require a certain level of comfortableness. Let your boss know that you would like to set some goals, and then review them later. If you dont have a formal performance review, this is a great way to find out if you are performing well in their eyes. Set some goals on a timeline, and then circle back on them to see how you did. Alternatively, you could let them know you wanted to check in on how you have been performing so far. This is a much more plausible option if you were hired recently, and theyll appreciate you checking in. On the other hand, if you dont want to have that conversation with a boss, consider approach a co-worker, or a mentor. If you are lucky enough to have had someone who has given you advice and coached you through your career, this is the perfect type of conversation to have with them. Hopefully these tasks have helped you realize that your success is more than just a result of good luck. However, if you still have doubts, you may want to consider speaking to a therapist. Unfortunately these types of thoughts can keep you from achieving all you can- so make sure you address them!