Imposter Syndrome - that lurking feeling that you're not actually as good as others think you are, that you don't really 'deserve' that placement, graduate job, promotion etc, that you somehow just got lucky and that one day people will realise you're just a fraud - is a very common theme for a lot of the students I work with. This article from the HR Director Magazine suggests that Imposter Syndrome can be an issue for women graduates in particular, and can impact on their confidence levels and salary expectations. There is a wealth of resources available on how to deal with Imposter Syndrome so it doesn't hold you back from taking the next steps in your career; we've put together a list of our favourites:
The Imposter Syndrome blog - a blog by Hugh Kearns with a wide range of articles relating to Imposter Syndrome, including managing the expectations the expectations we set for our ourselves and others set for us, the dangers of comparing ourselves to others, managing imposter syndrome at the start of a new job or project, and imposter syndrome at academic conferences.
Mind Tools- useful professional development website. Their Imposter Syndrome article suggests sharing your feelings with others (you'll be surprised how many people have experienced Imposter Syndrome), understanding your strengths and weaknesses and taking ownership of your successes and achievements.
University of Bath Staff Development toolkit - this article advocates keeping a record of good work and achievements, accepting compliments, challenging your inner critic and recognising your own ability to learn new things - just because you can't do something yet doesn't mean you'll never be able to!
Finally this Forbes article encourages seeing failure as an opportunity to reflect, learn and grow.
You might want to take a look at our previous posts on confidence and how to sell yourself and feel ok about it.
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