Don't doubt yourself!

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Don’t doubt yourself!

January 28, 2013

I heard this term in university once called “imposter syndrome.” It basically refers to our own professional self-doubt. We begin to attribute our success or accomplishments to luck and happenstance, rather than to our skills and abilities.

For instance, you start this amazing new job somewhere and on your first day you suddenly start feeling as if maybe you’re not cut out for the job, that you’re too inexperienced or that your coworkers will “figure you out” soon and realize you’re not all your résumé made you out to be. It’s a scary feeling, especially when you’re starting a new job. While these feelings are perfectly normal and are experienced by many, there are ways to tackle them!

1. Understand what’s behind the feelings.

Are these feelings of self-doubt a result of a previous mistake or failure? If you identify the reason behind the feelings, you’re better equipped to tackle the situation head-on. It could be that starting something new is very scary for you. It happens. Try to overcome it with positive thoughts and encouraging words for yourself!

2. Talk with others.

I’m not suggesting you should go to former colleagues and ask them to praise you and marvel in your glory, but I am suggesting you ask for feedback. What are your strengths? What have been some of your biggest accomplishments? It could be that all you need is a bit of a boost and a reminder that you have great skills!

3. Appreciate past work.

I’ve done this before. Sometimes, in order to put things into perspective, you need to appreciate what you’ve done in the past and understand how you can carry over your skills and experiences. When I applied for grad school, I read over many of the essays I wrote in the past and absorbed any feedback I received. It helped me feel more confident knowing that when push came to shove, I wrote great essays!

4. Do research.

This seems like an odd suggestion, but what I’m getting at is that confidence comes with knowledge. It could be you’re feeling doubtful about your abilities because you’re not confident about your knowledge of your new company or the new challenge you’re facing. Spend some time getting to know this new situation. Once you feel confident that you understand how things work, you’ll feel more at ease applying your skills and experiences to the situation.

5. Ask questions.

Many of the mentors I’ve had in the past have said to me that they prefer when new employees ask questions. It not only shows that you’re eager to learn more, but also that you’re not over-confident and think you know everything. Asking questions will help you understand what’s expected of you and how things work.

Rob

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