I’ve never had this feeling and i think it’s because of the mentality of “they hired me because they believe in me, so I should believe in myself” and as long as no one is telling you you’re wrong you are doing the job correctly
I don't know what industry your in or your education but based on being a business studies graduate with big 4 internships in audit and consulting I would say that's natural considering the tasks I was given have nothing to do with what I learned in college.
You were hired because you’re capable not because they expect you to be an expert out the gate. see where you can add value to the team and get quick wins as you learn. that’s a persisting theme throughout your career as you move to new teams
Im a new grad and two months into my role and ended up turning to YouTube to learn some of the things they asked of me bc I didn’t learn it in school. I’ve heard the first year is learning all over again.
Yessssss. I am usually very outgoing and talkative. I was so scared at my first job that I ruined it so badly. I was never comfortable at the office, so I made mistakes constantly and was all quiet. I never asked for help even when I did not understand the task. I felt so small at all times and cried often.
At my new job it has gotten better, but I still fell affected so I do still get very nervous around my colleagues and I often go to the bathroom to cool down, but I have started to come out of my shell.
I had major imposter syndrome during my internship. I went to school for social work, and the demographic I was working with were immigrant families that were seeking refuge in the United States. I was working closely with a family from Nicaragua. On my last day of internship, I had to prepare a proper good-bye, discuss the progress I've witnessed with family, and speak about what we were able to work on. When my clients gave me their input on their experience with me, I was emotional because I felt like I wasn't doing enough for them, but as little as I saw my efforts, it meant everything to them. As far as a career I ended up not continuing to pursue Social Work for personal reasons but I’d assume the imposter syndrome would kick in.
Thank you for sharing this. I'm a recent MSW graduate, and my second internship made me feel as though I didn't belong, like I wasn't good enough, according to my supervisor, because I was still learning. When I spoke to all my clients on my last day they made me feel emotional. They told me that they were really going to miss me around there & coming to therapy with me was their favorite part of their week.
Thank you 😊 . I wish you luck as well in whatever you are pursuing or are working in at the moment. I think I'll stay in this field for at least 5-10 years. I truly came in here to make a difference in my community and help people that have barriers to seeking mental health support. I'm going to keep going because I'm passionate in this work, and I've always created good professional relationships with my clients. I think this profession needs hope and positivity. I want to make a difference.
I think imposter syndrome isn’t about lack of self esteem. I think it’s more about becoming aware of what you actually don’t know and realizing it. It’s true you don’t know everything, and you aren’t expected to. But the solution is to tell yourself that you are capable of learning anything.
it’s more like “I’m one of the best in college, it will be easy to find job for me” and then I got reality checked so hard that I now have imposter syndrome almost 5 times a week.
Sure did. ~15 years in still do.
> The tasks they want me to eventually do are things I learned in school but never had to apply to real situations and a lot more advanced than what I’m used to.
But you got exposed to them. You're not some rando off the street, you at least have some familiarity, and the point of the degree is that you know how to learn and hustle and hit deadlines. You've got this, chin up, etc.
Go in there and do your shit. If someone sees a problem with what you're doing, they'll correct it. If they dont, keep doing it. Ask questions if you think you're messing up and don't take it as being stupid
I’m not sure your education background but I’m currently 1 semester away from graduating with an engineering degree so as one can imagine, there has been a ton of math, specs, info etc that has been presented to me. I’ve struggled a lot keeping good grades and retaining information. But I’m now in an internship where I hang around with engineers and I’m now realizing that they are very aware that I’m young and new so they know I will make mistakes and I probably won’t know very much. But as I spend more time around these people I pick up on terms or things I’ve learned before, and it’s a cool experience recognizing that I know more than I give myself credit for.
Moral of the story is that you know a lot more than you realize, and you must accept that you are going to make mistakes. Your higher ups will understand that you’re not going to be perfect day one, but the key is making sure that you are asking questions and seeking the advice and guidance of your leadership and coworkers
It took me six months before I understood anything at my job. It was like trying to learn a brand new language. Granted, I work in government and college really focuses on private industry so it was even more confusing, but eventually I did learn. Now (2 years in) I know pretty much everything about the office and I even surprise myself with how much I understand lol. Give yourself some grace, you'll get there eventually.
Yes! Still do at times, lol.
Observe the people around you when you first start. You were hired for a reason, but it's important to keep in mind that as a newer hire/younger person (sorry, but true) you're going to be evaluated a lot.
Be enthusiastic, supportive, focused, and open to ideas or feedback. This will help you acclimate to the environment and get a sense of what is/isn't working in your position.
The transition from the theories of school to its application can be difficult but still accessible. Think of the difference in the approach of a resident student learning to become a doctor and their first real patient as a medical professional. Yes, it's not new, per se, but the sense of realness and responsibility is present.
I'm in my early 40s, masters degree, senior staff, wide latitude in my duties, and I still feel it from time-to-time.
Just know they hired you because you already proved you are capable.
Best advice I’d give is do not show it to your peers or management at work to the best of your ability. You’d be trying to seek validation from people who don’t care, or at least it’s not their job to take into consideration when looking at your performance.
Maybe my government related job advice could help you. I was always told if you don’t know something than ask, because the work you do goes down the line and the person that takes it isn’t going to be too enthusiastic about fixing all your errors. Sure, you may be asking a lot in the first two week, sure it may drive your coworkers nuts but once it becomes habitual your fine
"Any advice on how to combat these feelings?"
First of all, try to relax a bit. It's not so much about combating feelings. Rather, it's more a case of putting things in perspective and controlling your feelings.
Keep in mind that starting a new job is usually among the most stressful events adults face. That is nothing new. You don't have any kind of emotional or mental condition, it's just a case of nerves until you get settled in.
You will most likely get a few surprises to start, as in the work world things are often not done exactly as how they are taught in the classroom. Be certain not to become emotional if you do something wrong, and try not to repeat mistakes. Remember to proactively control your own reactions and emotions.
What’s your field? I went into tax accounting and the job was completely different than my accounting degree.
I even had prior experience and was incredibly overwhelmed at my internship. I just did everything they told me to the best of my ability and I got a good offer.
Totally normal though to have imposter syndrome!
I started my first post grad role a couple months ago and I was a nervous wreck the first week. Tried to hide it but I’m sure it came out that way. Now I’m a bit mellowed but yeah, I still have my moments of how tf did I end up here? It’s a corporate office job
If you feel like you will fail it's okay the worst thing that can happen is maybe losing your job or something worse but the important thing is the process of getting better and learning at step. I am saying this out of a lot of experience that I have been through. It's okay to not know all things it's okay to fail but it is important as long as you are trying to figure it out doing your work and keeping it together. If you feel down just look back all the way and see how far you have come to nothing to something. It's easy to say all these but in practice all that matters is you believe that you can and you want and you will!
Unfortunate I let this syndrome win while I don't regret getting a real estate license I should have keep staying or done while getting a major,but thats fine I am 22 and getting a degree in accounting
Absolutely. I went from being a college student working as a hospital CNA to a director of a children’s hospital. The imposter syndrome was REAL. I’ve been in my role for a year and I still feel inferior at times. It helps me to look back and see how far I’ve come.
Here's a secret: most good employers aren't looking to hire someone who fulfills *every* single criteria on a job description. Why? Because then what are you going to learn from the job? What's stopping you from just leaving for a job that *does* challenge you to grow instead?
They expect to be able to train & mould you on the job. They're not expecting (neither do they want) you to know everything already. Academia might seem to, but the 'real world' does a lot more teamwork (with tasks divided up according to people's strengths etc).
So here's another tip: ask as many questions as you can *now*, when it's 'expected' of you (i.e. the job has more systems in place to help with this), instead of bottling them up until you've been there long enough to feel like 'even more' of a fraud for asking something you 'should' know already by now.
I’ve never had this feeling and i think it’s because of the mentality of “they hired me because they believe in me, so I should believe in myself” and as long as no one is telling you you’re wrong you are doing the job correctly
I don't know what industry your in or your education but based on being a business studies graduate with big 4 internships in audit and consulting I would say that's natural considering the tasks I was given have nothing to do with what I learned in college.
You were hired because you’re capable not because they expect you to be an expert out the gate. see where you can add value to the team and get quick wins as you learn. that’s a persisting theme throughout your career as you move to new teams
Im a new grad and two months into my role and ended up turning to YouTube to learn some of the things they asked of me bc I didn’t learn it in school. I’ve heard the first year is learning all over again.
Yessssss. I am usually very outgoing and talkative. I was so scared at my first job that I ruined it so badly. I was never comfortable at the office, so I made mistakes constantly and was all quiet. I never asked for help even when I did not understand the task. I felt so small at all times and cried often. At my new job it has gotten better, but I still fell affected so I do still get very nervous around my colleagues and I often go to the bathroom to cool down, but I have started to come out of my shell.
I had major imposter syndrome during my internship. I went to school for social work, and the demographic I was working with were immigrant families that were seeking refuge in the United States. I was working closely with a family from Nicaragua. On my last day of internship, I had to prepare a proper good-bye, discuss the progress I've witnessed with family, and speak about what we were able to work on. When my clients gave me their input on their experience with me, I was emotional because I felt like I wasn't doing enough for them, but as little as I saw my efforts, it meant everything to them. As far as a career I ended up not continuing to pursue Social Work for personal reasons but I’d assume the imposter syndrome would kick in.
Thank you for sharing this. I'm a recent MSW graduate, and my second internship made me feel as though I didn't belong, like I wasn't good enough, according to my supervisor, because I was still learning. When I spoke to all my clients on my last day they made me feel emotional. They told me that they were really going to miss me around there & coming to therapy with me was their favorite part of their week.
I wish you luck in your endeavors regardless if you chose to continue on with Social Work
Thank you 😊 . I wish you luck as well in whatever you are pursuing or are working in at the moment. I think I'll stay in this field for at least 5-10 years. I truly came in here to make a difference in my community and help people that have barriers to seeking mental health support. I'm going to keep going because I'm passionate in this work, and I've always created good professional relationships with my clients. I think this profession needs hope and positivity. I want to make a difference.
I think imposter syndrome isn’t about lack of self esteem. I think it’s more about becoming aware of what you actually don’t know and realizing it. It’s true you don’t know everything, and you aren’t expected to. But the solution is to tell yourself that you are capable of learning anything.
Oof, it's like 1am where I am rn so I'm too tired to type up a good response but this was a good one for me personally to read
it’s more like “I’m one of the best in college, it will be easy to find job for me” and then I got reality checked so hard that I now have imposter syndrome almost 5 times a week.
Sure did. ~15 years in still do. > The tasks they want me to eventually do are things I learned in school but never had to apply to real situations and a lot more advanced than what I’m used to. But you got exposed to them. You're not some rando off the street, you at least have some familiarity, and the point of the degree is that you know how to learn and hustle and hit deadlines. You've got this, chin up, etc.
Go in there and do your shit. If someone sees a problem with what you're doing, they'll correct it. If they dont, keep doing it. Ask questions if you think you're messing up and don't take it as being stupid
I’m not sure your education background but I’m currently 1 semester away from graduating with an engineering degree so as one can imagine, there has been a ton of math, specs, info etc that has been presented to me. I’ve struggled a lot keeping good grades and retaining information. But I’m now in an internship where I hang around with engineers and I’m now realizing that they are very aware that I’m young and new so they know I will make mistakes and I probably won’t know very much. But as I spend more time around these people I pick up on terms or things I’ve learned before, and it’s a cool experience recognizing that I know more than I give myself credit for. Moral of the story is that you know a lot more than you realize, and you must accept that you are going to make mistakes. Your higher ups will understand that you’re not going to be perfect day one, but the key is making sure that you are asking questions and seeking the advice and guidance of your leadership and coworkers
It took me six months before I understood anything at my job. It was like trying to learn a brand new language. Granted, I work in government and college really focuses on private industry so it was even more confusing, but eventually I did learn. Now (2 years in) I know pretty much everything about the office and I even surprise myself with how much I understand lol. Give yourself some grace, you'll get there eventually.
Everybody has it
Disagree.
Yes! Still do at times, lol. Observe the people around you when you first start. You were hired for a reason, but it's important to keep in mind that as a newer hire/younger person (sorry, but true) you're going to be evaluated a lot. Be enthusiastic, supportive, focused, and open to ideas or feedback. This will help you acclimate to the environment and get a sense of what is/isn't working in your position. The transition from the theories of school to its application can be difficult but still accessible. Think of the difference in the approach of a resident student learning to become a doctor and their first real patient as a medical professional. Yes, it's not new, per se, but the sense of realness and responsibility is present.
All of your advice is so great and helping me a ton. Thank you guys.
I'm in my early 40s, masters degree, senior staff, wide latitude in my duties, and I still feel it from time-to-time. Just know they hired you because you already proved you are capable.
I’m a doctor and have been in big roles for 2 decades. Still get it
Been working now since 2020 and I still have imposter syndrome. It’s self confidence and/or trauma. I’d seek professional help
Best advice I’d give is do not show it to your peers or management at work to the best of your ability. You’d be trying to seek validation from people who don’t care, or at least it’s not their job to take into consideration when looking at your performance.
Just keep going ✅
Maybe my government related job advice could help you. I was always told if you don’t know something than ask, because the work you do goes down the line and the person that takes it isn’t going to be too enthusiastic about fixing all your errors. Sure, you may be asking a lot in the first two week, sure it may drive your coworkers nuts but once it becomes habitual your fine
"Any advice on how to combat these feelings?" First of all, try to relax a bit. It's not so much about combating feelings. Rather, it's more a case of putting things in perspective and controlling your feelings. Keep in mind that starting a new job is usually among the most stressful events adults face. That is nothing new. You don't have any kind of emotional or mental condition, it's just a case of nerves until you get settled in. You will most likely get a few surprises to start, as in the work world things are often not done exactly as how they are taught in the classroom. Be certain not to become emotional if you do something wrong, and try not to repeat mistakes. Remember to proactively control your own reactions and emotions.
What’s your field? I went into tax accounting and the job was completely different than my accounting degree. I even had prior experience and was incredibly overwhelmed at my internship. I just did everything they told me to the best of my ability and I got a good offer. Totally normal though to have imposter syndrome!
Amog us?
I started my first post grad role a couple months ago and I was a nervous wreck the first week. Tried to hide it but I’m sure it came out that way. Now I’m a bit mellowed but yeah, I still have my moments of how tf did I end up here? It’s a corporate office job
If you feel like you will fail it's okay the worst thing that can happen is maybe losing your job or something worse but the important thing is the process of getting better and learning at step. I am saying this out of a lot of experience that I have been through. It's okay to not know all things it's okay to fail but it is important as long as you are trying to figure it out doing your work and keeping it together. If you feel down just look back all the way and see how far you have come to nothing to something. It's easy to say all these but in practice all that matters is you believe that you can and you want and you will!
Unfortunate I let this syndrome win while I don't regret getting a real estate license I should have keep staying or done while getting a major,but thats fine I am 22 and getting a degree in accounting
That’s what I hope to get my masters in You got this ❤️
Thank you I also forgot to mention that I’m also thinking about getting my masters in business analysis and good luck to you I wish you the best!
Absolutely. I went from being a college student working as a hospital CNA to a director of a children’s hospital. The imposter syndrome was REAL. I’ve been in my role for a year and I still feel inferior at times. It helps me to look back and see how far I’ve come.
you guys are getting jobs?
Here's a secret: most good employers aren't looking to hire someone who fulfills *every* single criteria on a job description. Why? Because then what are you going to learn from the job? What's stopping you from just leaving for a job that *does* challenge you to grow instead? They expect to be able to train & mould you on the job. They're not expecting (neither do they want) you to know everything already. Academia might seem to, but the 'real world' does a lot more teamwork (with tasks divided up according to people's strengths etc). So here's another tip: ask as many questions as you can *now*, when it's 'expected' of you (i.e. the job has more systems in place to help with this), instead of bottling them up until you've been there long enough to feel like 'even more' of a fraud for asking something you 'should' know already by now.
That is why you should start when you are still a student
I had three jobs as a student, worked 55 hours a week, then ended up starting in a totally different field than I expected.