Imposter Syndrome at work
Ever feel like a fraud at work? Stuck in a negative mindset? You’re not alone. Find out how imposter syndrome holds you back you at work and learn tips to better manage.
Imposter Syndrome: TIPS for Success in the Workplace
By Tayla Stucke
Work is a core component of our identity – we spend around a third of our life at work, building relationships and a sense of self. Imagine, then, feeling like an imposter at work and wondering when you’ll be found out you’re not as competent as others think you are. Remarkably, around 70% of people have experienced Imposter Syndrome at some point in time [1] - where they feel like a fraud and aren’t able to internalise their successes. It affects people from all professions, including university students, academics, students, lawyers, tech professionals, construction, and the like. Transitions in work roles, increased work complexity, and promotions can all trigger self-doubt and lead to imposter syndrome. Let’s see how imposter syndrome shows up in the workplace:
Tate is hard worker who puts in long hours on a minesite. Their performance and can-do attitude has caught the eye of senior management, and Tate has been promoted multiple times within the first year at work and is now supervising people they first started work with. This causes Tate anxiety – after all, why would they listen when Tate has the same years of experience as them? Feeling underserving of the supervisor position, Tate takes on extra reading about management in addition to long days working onsite.
Alice is starting her first year as a surgical registrar. Whilst relieved to finally make it onto a surgical program she has significant doubts – Did she deserve a spot or was she let in due to an error…did she just fluke the interview? Alice feels like an imposter, and this is amplified on a daily basis when she encounters information she doesn’t know. To cope, Alice spends her free time studying up so that she has an answer for any question that comes her way, and tries to avoid giving responses if she is able to. Needless to say, she experiences overwhelm and burnout as a result.
Fresh out of university and two months into his first ‘real’ job as a lawyer, Ethan jumps at the opportunity to join a panel discussion on burnout in lawyers in front of an auditorium of university students. It’s not long until panic sets in as Ethan feels inferior to the other more experienced panellists, leading him to researching exhaustively on the topic. Whilst Ethan does receives positive feedback at the panel discussion for sharing his experiences with burnout, he brushes it off, more relieved that he hadn’t been exposed to be a fraud, and considers himself lucky that he had such a ‘junior’ audience.
Tate, Alice, and Ethan are all competent individuals who have earned their positions through hard work. However, they feel undeserving of the positions they find themselves in and can’t seem to shake persistent self-doubt. That’s the thing about imposter syndrome…it takes away your accomplishments and competence, tricking you into thinking that external factors are the reason for your achievement – luck, your skill in deflection and deception, and the audience’s kindness or lack of awareness of the subject matter.
“I still have a little imposter syndrome...it doesn’t go away, that feeling that you shouldn’t take me that seriously. What do I know? I share that with you because we all have doubts in our abilities, about our power and what that power is.”
SIGNS OF IMPOSTER SYNDROME AT WORK
Think of imposter syndrome like a nagging voice in your head telling you that you're not good enough, even when all signs say otherwise. The term imposter syndrome is a variation of ‘imposter phenomenon’, a phrase coined by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes to describe the persistent doubt of one's success despite evidence suggesting otherwise, alongside an inability to internalise successes [1]. Below are some ways in which imposter syndrome shows up at work.
You feel like a fraud, that others think you are far more competent than you really are, and that you’ll be exposed.
Like our doctor Alice, there’s moments of looking over your shoulder and thinking that you’re only in your position because of some error, and that it will all be taken away from you in an instant. Holding this belief often leads to heightened pressure on yourself to maintain this perception of you. [2, 4]
You routinely compare yourself to your colleagues and come off worse.
Social comparison is a strong maintaining factor in imposter syndrome - you compare your perceived shortcomings to what you consider to be the talents of your colleagues. That is, you cherry pick your flaws and hold them up against others’ strengths – understandably, feelings of inadequacy can arise, and reinforce the belief that you’re not good enough to perform in your role. [5]
You struggle to internalise your achievements and successes
Thanks to imposter syndrome, your achievements are dismissed and explained away as resulting from external factors like luck or others’ support, rather than recognising the role that your skills and abilities played in the success. [2, 4]
You rely on behaviours to hide your perceived shortcomings
When you feel like a fraud, you behave in ways to avoid being found out:
You may overcompensate (perfectionism, we’re looking at you!) by working towards impossible standards to avoid potential failure and exposure much like Ethan the lawyer.
You may also procrastinate at first, then rush to finish the job and qualify your performance with the time pressure you were under (Learn more about the link between perfectionism and procrastination here).
Or, you try to avoid the task altogether to avoid the potential for failure.
While these behaviours may help you avoid scrutiny in the short term, unfortunately they maintain Impostor Syndrome by reinforcing your belief that your abilities aren’t good enough as they currently stand. [2, 3, 4]
WHEN DOES IMPOSTOR SYNDROME APPEAR?
Impostor syndrome can rear its head in a variety of workplace scenarios, with transitions and changes in roles and responsibilities often highlighting imposterism, as seen in the situations facing Tate our supervisor and Alice our doctor. Stepping into higher responsibilities often involves being confronted with unfamiliar tasks and scenarios at work, which can lead to uncertainty and feelings of imposterism. [2] Some more specific transition points may include:
Moving from studying or training into a work setting when you find yourself facing new challenges whilst working with highly experienced colleagues. Feelings of insecurity and self-doubt can intensify due to unhelpful social comparisons with those far more experienced than you. [6]
Promotions and advancement into more senior roles can also trigger impostor syndrome, leading you to doubt your competence and ability to meet the increased demands of your new position – this may be working on more technically complex projects, or taking on new tasks (for example, managing a budget for the first time). [2]
Stepping into the leadership space or being lauded for your expertise can also prompt feelings of imposter syndrome. Being seen as a leader in a particular space or field means people may expect you to have all of the answers and be skilled at guiding and mentoring others. The pressure to meet both your own and others' expectations can be overwhelming. [2]
A NOTE ON IMPOSTER SYNDROME + MENTAL HEALTH
Given a significant amount of time is spent at work, constantly living in the imposter headspace can have a real impact on your mental health.
Feeling out of your depth and scrambling to learn everything you can is likely to lead to overwhelm and burnout. In James’ case, spending all of his time learning about lawyer burnout has resulted in increased stress and leading to panic. Similarly, Tate is new to being a supervisor and upskilling on management techniques in addition to long work days onsite.
Spending all your time preoccupied at work and/or overcompensating to avoid being exposed can result in stress, reduced quality of life and work/life balance, and depressive symptoms, as in Alice’s case. Unfortunately, Alice is only at the very start of her long surgical training period.
The challenge is that these difficulties can affect energy levels, motivation, concentration, and memory – all of which are important for work performance. This, in turn, can lead to feelings of inadequacy and exacerbate imposter syndrome.
TIPS TO MANAGE IMPOSTER SYNDROME AT WORK
If you feel plagued by imposter syndrome at work, here are our top tips to help you contain your inner critic.
TIP 1: Flip the Script on Unhelpful Self-Talk
Unhelpful self-talk can be a relentless companion, especially when grappling with imposter syndrome. Recognising and challenging the thoughts that come from your own inner critic can be a great first step.
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there. ”
The next time you feel anxious when faced with a competence-related task, turn your focus inwards to your thoughts. What do they sound like? Here are some examples to look out for:
"I just got lucky this time. I'm not really that skilled."
"Everyone else seems to have it all figured out. I'll never measure up."
"I only succeeded because someone was nice to me. I couldn't have done it on my own."
"I don't deserve to be here. Eventually, people will find out I have no idea what I’m doing."
Once you've identified your unhelpful thoughts, practice interrogating them, looking for what evidence there is to support your thoughts vs. what evidence there is against it, acknowledging BOTH positive and negative evidence exist.
For Tate the supervisor, this looks like balancing feeling out of depth in a new role and area they are not knowledgeable in (managing others) with recognising that they have been promoted on the merit of their performance.
TIP 2: Embrace Failure as a Friend and Not a Foe
A fear of failure in imposter syndrome can trigger stress and anxiety, as well as frantic efforts to avoid having failed. Fundamentally, it is the viewing of failure as a threat that contributes to negative feelings and actions. What this mindset ignores, however, is that failure is not always a negative outcome, but rather it is crucial to both personal and professional growth:
“Failure is information – we label it failure, but it’s more like, ‘This didn’t work, I’m a problem solver, and I’ll try something else.’”
If failure is viewed negatively and as something to avoid, being faced with the possibility of failure stress and anxiety can be daunting and result in avoidance and/or overcompensation.
If failure is seen as part of a problem-solving exercise (involving trial and error), challenges and setbacks are seen as crucial to growth and development. A fear of failure (and, by extension, being ‘found out’) eases.
For our doctor Alice, this may include acknowledging that:
She has a very steep learning curve ahead of her, and that she will make many mistakes - no registrar starts off as an expert and comparing herself to senior consultants with decades of experience is unhelpful.
What she perceives to be ‘failures’ is just a collection of knowledge that she doesn’t yet possess, but being around the consultants highlight specific areas for her to focus on in her training. Adopting such a growth mindset helps her to embrace failure better.
TIP 3: (Really) Celebrate the Wins!
Imposter syndrome can overshadow successes, leading to the discounting of achievements. However, taking time to reflect on the work that you did, the skills that you drew on, and the process of achieving your goal can help bolster your sense of self-efficacy and esteem.
“Success is a series of small wins.”
For James, this would involve recognising that he was invited to speak on the panel, appreciating the positive feedback he received from his presentation, acknowledging that his input was well received alongside his more senior co-panellists, and seeing the panel discussion as an opportunity to learn from others.
TIP 4: Seek Tailored Support
As you can see from the examples of Tate, Alice, and James, each person’s experience of imposter syndrome and the circumstances they face are all unique. So, whilst we have suggested general tips above, we recommend you seek tailored support for imposter syndrome with a psychologist experienced working in the intersection between work performance and wellbeing (like me! I also have a particular interest in helping those stepping into the leadership space). Work collaboratively to understand the specific triggers for your imposter syndrome, identify unhelpful mindset and self-talk, and find a path forward to ease the hold of imposter syndrome.
REFERENCES
[1] Clance, P. R., and Imes, S. A. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 15(3), 241–247. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086006
[2] K.H., A. and Menon, P. (2022), Impostor syndrome: an integrative framework of its antecedents, consequences and moderating factors on sustainable leader behaviors, European Journal of Training and Development, Vol. 46 No. 9, pp. 847-860. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-07-2019-0138
[3] Grubb, W. L., & Grubb, L. K. (2021). Perfectionism and the Imposter Phenomenon. Journal of Organizational Psychology, 21(6). https://doi.org/10.33423/jop.v21i6.4831
[4] Maftei, A., Dumitriu, A., & Holman, A.-C. (2021). ”They will discover I’m a fraud!” The Imposter Syndrome Among Psychology Students. Studia Psychologica, 63(4), 337–351. https://doi.org/10.31577/sp.2021.04.831
[5] Gutierrez, D. (2022) The Impact of Impostor Phenomenon in the Workplace: A Multi-Generational Perspective. dissertation. https://www.proquest.com/openview/549a251f717dbda4948fc53ef61abaf3/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
[6] Stelling, B. E. V., Andersen, C. A., Suarez, D. A., Nordhues, H. C., Hafferty, F. W., Beckman, T. J., & Sawatsky, A. P. (2022). Fitting In While Standing Out: Professional Identity Formation, Imposter Syndrome, and Burnout in Early Career Faculty Physicians. Academic Medicine, Publish Ahead of Print. https://doi.org/10.1097/acm.0000000000005049
Early career burnout - Part 2: Workplace factors
Burnout is on the rise, and it’s disproportionately affecting millennials, Gen Zs, and those in the early stages of their career. Read on to learn what workplaces can do to help.
EARLY-CAREER Burnout (Pt 2: workplace factors)
by Giulia Villa, Fel Donatelli + Joyce Chong
EARLY CAREER BURNOUT – A REFRESHER
In case you missed it, our last article was a primer on early career burnout and those individual factors that increase the risk of suffering from this affliction. To refresh:
Early career burnout refers to the work-related state of mind comprising exhaustion, distancing from one’s work, and decreased personal achievement [1] affecting new graduates.
Burnout is affecting millennials at a higher than average rate compared to the general population (84% vs. 77%), resulting in higher levels of turnover according to a survey on burnout conducted by Deloitte.
The proportion of Gen Z experiencing burnout is catching up to Millennials, with this in part attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic that saw the lines between work and play blurred even further, as well as removing office-based social networks as a coping strategy.
Individual factors that lead to early career burnout include constant connection to work (no) thanks to technology, a fear of failure and negative feedback, as well as mindset, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism.
Looking at individual factors in burnout sheds light on only one piece of the puzzle. Critically, workplaces shape conditions that lead new graduates down the path of burnout. In this second part of our series on early career burnout, we look at those organisational factors and see what actions workplaces can take.
Organisational factors in early career burnout
Various organisational factors contribute to early career burnout, and it’s helpful for workplaces to consider how they can promote better wellbeing to buffer against it.
Job characteristics and design
The overall environment of a workplace is a major contributor to the wellbeing of every employee. Burnout has been linked to excessive workload, inadequate compensation, lack of community and absence of administrative support [2] . More specifically, the following job characteristics are believed to contribute to burnout:
Low autonomy and job control where an employee does not have much independence or influence in their role.
Low role clarity where an employee has low understanding of their role and responsibilities.
Subjective overload where the expectations of the workplace exceed the employee’s capabilities.
Optimising job design means crafting a balance between keeping the employee engaged and benefitting the organisation. The presence of low autonomy/job control, low role clarity, or subjective overload, all pose a risk to employee motivation and satisfaction. Indeed, job characteristics are more likely to predict burnout than individual factors, suggesting that job re-design is the most effective way to prevent burnout.
Onboarding processes: Lack of adequate support, training, and socialisation in the role
Commencing a new role is fraught with confusion and uncertainty. Questions fill the heads of new graduates - what will my colleagues be like? What does my future have in store? What’s expected of me? Indeed, a lack of role clarity is most frequently observed as ambiguity in relation to:[3]
How their job performance will be evaluated.
Whether there are paths for career progression.
What is the scope of the responsibilities.
The expectations of others.
This confusion about their role is just another thing for new starters to worry about and in fact has been linked to higher stress levels and emotional exhaustion.[4] A good understanding of the job description and the relevant duties and responsibilities is crucial to ease the anxiety and inadequacy often experienced by new graduates. It is important to inform new starters of all things relating to their role as part of their onboarding process.
Sometimes, new graduates face a culture of ‘learning by osmosis’. However, a lack of adequate support, training, and socialisation as part of an onboarding process, can contribute to individuals feeling overwhelmed early on in their career. This can lead to feeling underprepared for the role, and inadequacy and frustration can set in thereafter. A lack of socialisation with peers into the role may mean new graduates struggle to assimilate into the role.
Flexible work practices and ever-evolving technology breeds the ‘always on’ culture
Even before COVID-19’s arrival we were witnessing an increasingly blurred boundary between work and play due to technology and flexible work practices (in fact, take a look at this article on constant connection contributing to burnout amongst millennials ). Smartphones and laptops have revolutionised the way that we work; their portable nature means we can essentially always be ‘always on’. Notifications and alerts can lead to overwhelming ‘telepressure’: the feeling that you have to respond to any email as soon as it arrives[5] .
If the separation between work and play wasn’t already challenging enough, the global pandemic transformed traditional ideas of what can constitute a workplace. Many companies opted out of physical office spaces indefinitely in favour of working from home, whilst others were in prolonged lockdown and forced into a more permanent state of blurring the boundaries between work and home lives.
Unfortunately for those commencing their careers just before, or during the pandemic, working from home early in the piece meant missing out on structured formal onboarding processes as well as the informal, ad hoc collegiate support that emerges from being co-located. Put simply, it meant that some new graduates were left to navigate the overwhelming world of their new career from the solitude of their home.
Organisational culture
Workplaces play a pivotal role through their culture, so is your organisational culture building graduates up or burning them out? Organisational cultures that expect high performance and value output above all else, reinforce maladaptive perfectionistic behaviours, emphasise constant connection with the expectation of immediate replies to emails sent all hours of the day, and disparage errors made upon first attempt, are environments that may contribute to burnout.
Certainly, organisations hiring graduates are aware that they are in the early stages of their career, thus careful consideration should be given as to how to support them through this process through a combination of setting expectations in relation to a learning and feedback culture, as well as communicating realistic work practices and performance expectations.
Tips for organisations
Given the importance of the workplace in fostering burnout or sustainable work practices amongst new graduates, how can organisations better support those in the early stages of their careers?
1. NURTURE A SUPPORTIVE ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE
Getting an organisation’s culture right is critical as it serves to support new graduates early on in their career. Ways to promote a positive organisational culture include:
Hiring the right leaders who practice intentional leadership styles who will promote a culture of support and sustainability across the employee lifecycle and emphasise realistic work practices as well as valuing the idea of failing forward. The standards and behaviours imposed by leaders trickle down to affect all employees, greatly influencing organisational culture. Transformational leaders, who engage and motivate employees to enact the change they want to see, have been shown to decrease burnout by improving job satisfaction, performance and personal accomplishment.[6][7]
Actively discourage leaveism, or the practice of working when one is not supposed to be working, including using annual leave, sick days, or weekends to catch up.[8] This may include limiting access to technology and encouraging ‘proper’ time off. Discourage long working hours and constant connection as badges of honour, and instead stress the responsibility of employees to look after themselves to enable optimal performance when they are at work.
Model realistic work practices and work/life balance, particularly in high performance cultures. It’s important for early career individuals to get an idea of how to step into this next phase of their lives, and how to set boundaries around work so that they have time to recuperate and focus clearly the next day.
Have a culture of learning and foster a feedback culture insofar that a new graduate is expected to not know the answers, to make errors, and to fail and these are all viewed as a necessary part of career development. Emphasise the value that new graduates can bring to the organisation. A rigid feedback culture can foster feelings of frustration and hopelessness in new hires. The ability to give feedback is an important component of any employee’s job control and engagement, which we know can be a predisposing factor for burnout.
2. HIRE NEW GRADUATES FOR ‘BEST FIT’ AND CHECK IN REGULARLY
Organisations that hire on the basis of school grades fail to consider if a graduate will be a good fit for that particular role. Developing capability frameworks and success profiles means that organisations are aware of what it takes to succeed in the roles they are hiring for. This cascades down to the hiring process, and incorporating psychometric assessment to match job characteristics to new graduates can not only reveal who may be the ‘best fit’ for the role, it may also reveal areas for an employee’s development and potentially reduce turnover.
Once hired, it’s important to check in on a regular basis with graduates particularly on those aspects known to contribute to burnout (autonomy, job control, role clarity, workload) and make adjustments to their role where indicated.
3. INVEST IN YOUR LEADERS (and, in turn, your culture)
Leadership plays a vital part in your organisational culture.[9] Leaders set the tone for their team in terms of expectations for performance, they can motivate them towards high performance and cohesion, and in doing so weather challenging times.
There are factors that contribute to good leadership, and by investing in the development of their leaders organisations are investing in better organisational culture. Perquiro outlines these factors in their A BRAVE Leader model, identifying these qualities as critical to good leadership:
Authentic leaders have a strong understanding of their own values and act with integrity.
Balanced leaders remain calm in challenging situations and are open to feedback.
Rational leaders use logic to guide decision making, are consultative, and check their own assumptions.
Action-oriented leaders act promptly and demonstrate accountability.
Visionary leaders communicate the organisation’s vision and invests in building collective goals.
Empathetic leaders show genuine care and concern for others.
4. SEEK ASSISTANCE
In much the same way that we would encourage individuals to reach out and seek help if they’re experiencing burnout, organisations would be well-placed to call in consultants to look at their overall culture, as well as their hiring and onboarding processes, and how these facilitate or buffer against burnout in their team and, particularly, their new graduates.
A blend of organisational design and workplace consultants (such as our organisational psychology arm Perquiro) and clinical and registered psychologists that focus on workplace mental health (that’s us!) can help set your organisation on the right path through helpful work design, appropriate recruitment practices, and equipping employees with the right tools to help them manage their own wellbeing.
Early-career burnout getting you down? Grab our tip sheet below to learn more about how to help yourself.
REFERENCES
[1] Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W.B., & Leither, M.P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review in Psychology, 52, 397-422.
[2] Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2008). The truth about burnout: How organizations cause personal stress and what to do about it. John Wiley & Sons.
[3] Handy, C.B. (1976). Understanding Organisations. Penguin, Harmondsworth.
[4] Jackson, S. E., Schwab, R. C., & Schuler, R. S. (1986). Towards an understanding of the burnout phenomenon. Journal of Applied Psychology 71, 630-640.
[5] Peake, M. (2015, July 10). Do you have early career burnout? Friday Magazine. https://fridaymagazine.ae/life-culture/people-profiles/do-you-have-early-career-burnou-1.1547679
[6] Lowe, K. B., Kroeck, K. G., & Sivasubramaniam, N. (1996). Effectiveness correlates of transformational and transactional leadership: A meta-analytic review of the MLQ literature. The leadership quarterly, 7(3), 385-425.
[7] Zopiatis, A., & Constanti, P. (2010). Leadership styles and burnout: is there an association?. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
[8] Hesketh, I., & Cooper, C.L. (2014). Leavism at work. Occupational medicine, 4, 146-147.
[9] Mohelska, H., & Sokolova, M. (2015). Organisational culture and leadership – joint vessels? Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, 171, 1011-1016.
Early career burnout - Part 1: Individual factors
Burnout is on the rise, and it’s disproportionately affecting millennials, Gen Zs, and those in the early stages of their career. Read on to learn what you can do to manage your burnout.
EARLY-CAREER Burnout (Part 1: Individual factors)
by Giulia Villa + Joyce Chong
What is EARLY CAREER BURNOUT ?
Commencing a career is an important transition point in a young person’s life, and the first ‘real’ job should be an exciting new adventure. Yet the challenge of adapting to a new role and a new lifestyle can come with a great deal of stress. For many who are in the early stages of their career, and starting to feel stressed and anxious about work, it’s important to consider if poor wellbeing is tipping into early career burnout. Burnout is a work-related state of mind comprising exhaustion, distancing from one’s work, and decreased personal achievement [1].
Why are new graduates at the beginning of their career at a higher risk of burnout? There may be a combination of factors, including experiencing challenges they feel underprepared to cope with, or unable to fit into a new culture and way of life. Overwhelmed and unable to adjust to their new circumstances (both professionally and personally), these individuals then start to experience burnout.
Burnout is a phenomenon recognised in many professions - something routinely identified amongst junior doctors and nurses, teachers and academics (amongst many others) - yet we all have the potential to experience burnout, no matter our profession or our stage of career, and it has a very real effect.
“Consider the impact of health professionals caring for the lives of others, workers operating heavy machinery, and teachers tasked with educating the next generation, turning up to work feeling frazzled and overwhelmed. ”
Indeed, burnout is regarded as such a significant issue that the 11th Revision of the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) has classified it as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.[2]
Organisations should sit up and notice the very real implications that burnout has for employee wellbeing and mental health, lost productivity, and turnover, and it is something that is disproportionately affecting early career employees. In fact:
Burnout is affecting millennials at a higher that average rate compared to the general population (84% vs. 77%), resulting in higher levels of turnover according to a survey on burnout conducted by Deloitte.
The proportion of Gen Z experiencing burnout is catching up to Millennials, with this in part attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic that saw the lines between work and play blurred even further, as well as removing office-based social networks as a coping strategy.
In this two-part series on early career burnout we look at reasons why new graduates at the beginning of their career trajectory are at risk of burnout, and what can be done to make the transition easier at the organisational and individual levels. Here, we shine a light on those personal factors that contribute to early career burnout.
Individual factors in early career burnout
For many, ‘early career’ follows many years at university or in an apprenticeship. Stepping into a job can look very different from sitting in a classroom, or working under significant direction, as you transition into working independently in an organisation. Below are some individual factors that contribute to early-career burnout.
Mindset, Imposter syndrome, Perfectionism, and early career burnout
Mindset plays a powerful role in early career burnout. Consider the expectations you had of your first ‘real job’, and your desire to make a good impression in the workplace. Stepping into the real world may even trigger Imposter Syndrome, in which you feel like an intellectual fraud and fear being exposed. These fears can then lead to perfectionistic coping behaviours so as to avoid negative evaluation, which in turn can inflate workload and contribute to burnout. [3][4]
Openness to feedback and normalisation of ‘failing’
When there is a fear of failure, feedback and asking for help can seem taboo - as if bringing into sharp attention one’s inability to understand what’s expected of them. This mindset [5] can be self-sabotaging, particularly where goals are not communicated clearly to you - rather than asking for clarification, a fear of failure can lead you to spend too much time trying to guess what you’re supposed to be doing.
Ability to manage yourself - what your study habits reveal
Congrats! Your uni days are finally behind you. Or are they? You may have heard every tertiary student’s favourite saying: “Ps get degrees”, mainly that passing your course and getting a degree helps with finding a job. While this is hard to argue against, there are certain student characteristics that set you up for a helpful adjustment to your new role or early career burnout. An 18-year exploratory longitudinal study tracking students through their university studies and subsequently into the workforce found that individuals who showed high initial social optimism, and whose social optimism increased, were less likely to withdraw and ‘self-handicap’ through task avoidance.[6],[7]. Put simply, being able to manage yourself and avoid procrastination bodes well for an easier transition into the workforce.
Constant connection and social comparisons
Yes, smartphones and laptops, as well as the blurring of work and personal spaces thanks to COVID-19, means that many early career individuals can essentially be constantly connected. However, is it in your best interest to be tethered to your work at all hours of the day, dreading each time you receive an email notification?
Constant connection can also breed upward social comparisons with other early-career colleagues, or even those whom you studied with. This can lead to lowered self-esteem as you believe that everyone else has achieved more than you, and create pressure to perform at - or even exceed - what you think others are doing [8].
Tips TO MANAGE early career burnout
1.Manage your expectations
The start of your career is an exciting time indeed, but it’s important to manage your expectations (about the job, about your work pace, about what is expected) appropriately to avoid burning out. Learn all you can about your role, look to others who perform similar roles for guidance, but above all recognise that you are at the very start. Avoid comparing yourself to someone who has done this for 5 or 10 years.
2. Practice self-care (no, really!)
Nurturing your mind, physical health and social life is just as important as nurturing your career. Some ideas for finding balance are:
Make the most of your lunch breaks. Take a mindful break by going for a walk, enjoying a meal away from your desk or calling a friend. This will give your brain a much-needed rest and boost your energy levels for the rest of the day.
Schedule ‘me time’ as you would schedule meetings. Whether it’s an exercise class, your meal-prep time or a social outing, blocking this time out in your calendar will help you stick to your plans.
Listen to your body’s cues. Everyone is different. You may find yourself losing sleep, getting sick more often, or simply being in a worse overall mood. Ignoring these signs is likely to lead to a breaking point later down the track, so be vigilant that your body may be trying to tell you something.
3. Set boundaries with others and with yourself
This may seem daunting to a new starter, but protecting your own wellbeing will make you a better employee in the long run. If you are able to, consider removing unessential work-related content from your mobile phone. Reducing the notifications you’re receiving after work hours will help you switch off, so that you can be more refreshed and productive the next day. New employees often overestimate what their boss actually expects of them. To avoid miscommunications, setting boundaries may involve having a conversation with your employer about your availability outside of work hours and the importance of this time for your rest and wellbeing. Our article on leavism can help you understand what leads us to work outside of work hours or on holidays and what we can do about this.[7]
4. Seek help
Our tip sheet below looks at some ways in which you can manage burnout, but if your burnout symptoms have reached a level that you feel you no longer can control, it may be time to speak to a professional. Most workplaces provide confidential psychological support services via Employee Assistance Programs, or you can reach out to an external professional to assist you in this time such as a psychologist who works with workplace mental health (like us!) to help you understand the cause and drive of your burnout as well as help you manage them so you can go back to feeling like yourself.
Early-career burnout getting you down? Grab our tip sheet below to learn more about how to help yourself.
REFERENCES
[1] Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W.B., & Leither, M.P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review in Psychology, 52, 397-422.
[2] https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases
[3] Sakulku, J., & Alexander, J. (2011). The imposter phenomenon. International Journal of Behavioral Science, 6, 75-97.
[4] Dudau, D.P. (2014). The relation between perfectionism and imposter phenomenon. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 127, 129-133. Doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.03.226.
[5] Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House.
[6] Salmela-Aro, K., Tolvanen, A., & Nurmi, J. E. (2009). Achievement strategies during university studies predict early career burnout and engagement. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 75, 162-172.
[7] Salmela-Aro, K., Tolvanen, A., & Nurmi, J.A. (2011). Social strategies during university studies predict early career work burnout and engagement: 18-year longitudinal study. Journal of Vocational behavior, 79, 145-157.
[8] Patrick, H., Neighbors, C., & Knee, C.R. (2004). Appearance-related social comparisons: The role of contingent self-esteem and self-perceptions of attractiveness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 501-514.
[9] Hesketh, I., & Cooper, C.L. (2014). Leavism at work. Occupational medicine, 4, 146-147
Imposter Syndrome: When the perfectionist feels like a fraud (and how to overcome it)
Ever feel like a fraud, that you'll be found out? Perfectionists often fall prey to Imposter Syndrome - read on to find out why, and learn steps to help overcome it.
IMPOSTER SYNDROME: WHEN THE PERFECTIONIST FEELS LIKE A FRAUD (AND HOW TO OVERCOME IT)
By Joyce Chong
Jessica, 29, looks like someone who is winning in life. She has a great job in her dream organisation, is the youngest person to hold the position that she does, and there’s considerable buzz surrounding her amongst senior managers and in the wider industry as being ‘one to watch’.
Yet…Jessica finds it hard to accept any of this.
She thinks she obtained her job through good fortune and timing. That people in her industry view her capabilities positively only causes her to worry more about being found out – she can’t possibly know as much as people think she does!
Sound familiar? That’s because what Jessica experiences is quite common, and around 70% of people have experienced the Imposter Syndrome at some point in time. Indeed, Imposter Syndrome has been uncovered in university students, academics, medical students, marketing managers, and physicians.[1] Heck, even Natalie Portman, actress and Harvard graduate, has alluded to experiencing the Imposter Syndrome.
WHAT IS IMPOSTER SYNDROME?
The Imposter Syndrome, or Imposter Phenomenon as it is also known, refers to when people believe themselves to be intellectual frauds due to an inability to internalise their successes. Along with this is a fear of being exposed.
There are certain transition points in life when we may expect Imposter Syndrome, for example:
- Starting a new education adventure like Natalie Portman (e.g. high school, university, postgraduate studies).
- Becoming 'qualified' in your field, leading others to treat you as if you are 'fully-fledged' yet you feel you have only just scratched the surface of the knowledge in your field.
- Being looked up to due to your years of experience (e.g. relative to junior members or people outside of the field) or to your position as an expert (e.g. teacher, lecturer, tutor).
However, there’s also suggestion that Imposter Syndrome is linked to stable personality traits such as neuroticism, conscientiousness, negative core self-evaluations across situations, and also maladaptive perfectionistic tendencies.[2]
IMPOSTER SYNDROME AND PERFECTIONISM: WHAT'S THE LINK?
Six key components of Imposter Syndrome have been identified, and show a link with perfectionism, including (1) A need to be special or the very best; (2) A desire for superhero status where there is pursuit of excellence most areas of life; (3) A fear of failure when faced with achievement-related tasks, leading to anxiety; (4) Denial of competence or discounting of praise; (5) Fear and guilt about success in instances where the imposter feels undeserving of success; and (6) The Imposter Cycle. [3]
The Imposter Cycle is a particularly important component of the Imposter Syndrome. Here, an achievement-related task triggers a fear of failure and anxiety, leading to over-preparing (or to initial procrastination followed by an intense last-minute work rate). When the goal is achieved a process of discounting may kick in, thereby diminishing the validity of the achievement.
As you can see, there is much overlap between the key components of Imposter Syndrome and perfectionism as outlined in our previous post from the pursuit of excellence, the desire to be the very best, and the discounting of achievements.
Delving deeper into the relationship between perfectionism and Imposter Syndrome, it’s been found that Imposter Syndrome is linked to perfectionistic self-presentation, a heightened concern over making mistakes, and a need for approval.[4]
With this relationship in mind, let’s look at some tips for change.
HOW TO OVERCOME THE IMPOSTER SYNDROME (AND PERFECTIONISM!)
1. Ease the unrealistic standards
Sometimes things seem daunting and unattainable because we’ve built them up in our minds so that they’re bigger than Ben Hur. The uneasiness and anxiety that goes with this is awful enough to put anyone off. Guess what? The unrealistic standards make you want to start the task even less! So ease the unrealistic standards, and consider setting a task that extends you rather than deflates you.
2. Ask THE tough question
For those who find procrastination a big stumbling block, this question may be confronting – Is it worse to go through life dominated by a fear of failure, or is it worse to have found your limit even if it's not exactly where you thought it was (and, be honest, are your perfectionistic standards likely to be met?)?
It's comforting to hide behind the possibility that you could’ve done better (“if only…”) and prop yourself up by going over the top in your efforts, but it can also be extremely tiring and never-ending.
3. Choose some, not all
Sure, you can choose some areas to focus your efforts on, but what happens when you try to be the best in all areas of your life, all at the same time?
Are your efforts diluted (and therefore, in your mind, less than perfect)? Do you have the energy to cope with applying unrealistic standards to all areas of your life, push yourself hard to achieve in every domain, and maintain performance at this level for a sustained period of time?
4. Set experiments to test your predictions
If you think your efforts will only be good enough if you put in 110% then let’s test if that is true. Let’s say you’re making lunch for friends. Maybe in your mind, your friends will only be happy if you prepare an eight-course degustation menu with matching wines.
Let’s test that. What if we served a four-course menu? Would it lessen their enjoyment?
What if you prepared one main dish, assembled a tasting platter, and bought a dessert? Would it lessen their enjoyment?
Putting your thoughts to the test is a great way to see if others really expect that of you, or if it's what you think others expect of you (see more on socially prescribed perfectionism here).
5. Be fair in weighing up the evidence
Remember Jessica from the start of this post, the ‘one to watch’ in her industry? The one who discounts her multiple achievements, instead worrying about being found out? How do you think Jessica would view criticism? Would she give it the same weight as she does praise? Or would she let one small speck of criticism cloud her judgement of her abilities?
There’s a real negative filter at play here (you can read more about the negative filter, and other unhelpful thinking styles here), where one small negative outcome overrules all positives that may apply. So, exercise fairness when it comes to weighing up the evidence.
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REFERENCES
[1] Sakulku, J., & Alexander. J. (2011). The imposter phenomenon. International Journal of Behavioral Science, 6, 75-97.
[2] Vergauwe, J., Wille, B., Feys, M., De Fruyt, F., & Anseel, F. (2014). Fear of being exposed: The trait-relatedness of the imposter phenomenon and its relevance in the work context. Journal of Business Psychology. DOI: 10.1007/s 10869-014-9382-5.
[3] Sakulku, J., & Alexander. J. (2011). The imposter phenomenon. International Journal of Behavioral Science, 6, 75-97.
[4] Dudau, D.P. (2014). The relation between perfectionism and imposter phenomenon. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 127, 129-133. Doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.03.226.
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