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Impostor Phenomenon In Your Career

It’s a bit of a cosmic joke, isn’t it? The more competent you become, the more you feel like a fraud. This phenomenon, known as the Impostor Phenomenon, usually strikes high-achievers because they are actually aware of how much they don’t know.

If you’re feeling like a “refined amateur” in a room full of experts, well, first thing to know is you are not alone. Many of our clients feel this way. For us, as Career Coaches, it is really hard to see and hear our clients put themselves down, devalue their worth, and feel overwhelmed by their perceived inability to do great things in their jobs and overall careers.

We recall a time when we updated a client’s resume, and they saw their achievements on paper; they felt shocked and like an impostor. They couldn’t believe the accomplishments listed, which were genuine facts they provided. When writing a resume, we simply ensure the information is presented effectively – we do not fabricate facts. This realisation of their achievements left our client feeling paralysed (mainly in shock), taking weeks to regain the confidence to apply for jobs. Instead of feeling confident about their success, they could not believe they were capable of it.

But here is a breakdown of how to flip the script…and why you should flip this thought process once and for all:

1. The Reality Check

Self-doubt isn’t a sign of lack of talent; it’s a sign of  Personal and Career growth. If you never felt a ping of doubt, you’d likely be stagnating in your comfort zone.

  • The “Dunning-Kruger” Inverse: People with low ability at their jobs often overestimate their competence. If you’re worried you aren’t good enough, you likely have the self-awareness required to actually be good.

  • The Spotlight Effect: We often feel like everyone is watching our mistakes. In reality, everyone else is too busy worrying about their own “impostor” status to notice yours. Only you are judging yourself, and most often than not, we are the harshest critics out there when it comes to our work.

  • The other school of thought is that our efforts are not stand-alone; we received help from others in the workplace. Whilst that might be true, that help can only get you so far. Unless you stood there watching your team do the entire job for you, do not take away the value you added.

Self Doubt at work

Practical Strategies to Rebuild Your Confidence For A Better Career

1. The Reality Check

Self-doubt isn’t a sign of lack of talent; it’s a sign of growth. If you never felt a ping of doubt, you’d likely be stagnating in your comfort zone.

  • The “Dunning-Kruger” Inverse: People with low ability often overestimate their competence. If you’re worried you aren’t good enough, you likely have the self-awareness required to actually be good.

  • The Spotlight Effect: We often feel like everyone is watching our mistakes. In reality, everyone else is too busy worrying about their own “impostor” status to notice yours.

 

2. Practical Strategies to Rebuild

To move from “I’m a fluke” to “I’m a work in progress,” try these shifts:

Concept The Shift Why it Works
 

Fact vs. Feeling

 

 “I feel like a fraud” instead of  “I am a fraud.” Separates emotional spikes from objective reality. Are you really a fraud, or is it just how you feel? Remember, feelings and thoughts are not facts. 
 

Evidence Log

 

 Write down three wins every Friday. Creates a “receipt” of your competence for bad days. We forget the good we do, but the bad, well, that stays like a rotten smell. When you start to mark down the wins, you will quickly realise that you are achieving a lot more than you think.
 

The “Pro-Novice”

 

 Embrace being a learner, not a master. Lowers the stakes; you aren’t “faking,” you’re learning. And let’s face it – learning should never stop. Knowledge is power – so if you really want to succeed in your career and grow, keep learning. 

Re-framing the Internal Monologue

Confidence isn’t the absence of doubt; it’s the management of it.

“The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.” — Charles Bukowski (with a bit of edge)

Instead of trying to kill the doubt, invite it to the table, but don’t let it drive the car. When that voice says, “You don’t know what you’re doing,” answer with, “I don’t know what I’m doing yet, but I have a track record of figuring things out.”

This word – YET, is so powerful. We have been using that word well before Megan Markle discussed it at her last Podcast.

If you feel you need help with this, send us an email to info@mycareerangels.com.au to join the waitlist for our new Networking and Building Confidence online course, where we help you break down those walls of impostor syndrome.

My Career Angels…become who you want to be