We got the Degree, Now where’s the Confidence?
The first time I stepped into a university classroom, I held my breath. I had always done well in school, yet I doubted whether I truly belonged there. Being accepted to university triggered a wave of self-doubt. I later learned there’s a name for that: imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome, despite being a commonly used term, is not a syndrome but a psychological pattern in which individuals fail to internalize their achievements. They attribute their success to luck and fear of being exposed as a fraud.
Going to work or school can be a scary experience because they fear someone is going to rip off their mask and discover just how incompetent they really are, despite their degrees and experiences suggesting otherwise.
Luckily for me, I realised later in university that I was wrong to think that. University suited me just fine, and knowing that other people struggled with it, people who I can say with certainty are competent, made me feel better about myself and my capabilities. It also made me realise how common these feelings are among Gen Z.
What is imposter syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is driven by personality traits like anxiety and perfectionism. For Gen Z, known as the “anxious generation”, these traits are intensified by our addictions to social media, and the constant portrayal of unrealistic beauty and lifestyle standards obviously doesn’t help. Add to that the fear of climate change, economic uncertainty, and political polarisation that Gen Z is facing, and it’s not looking good.
Ironically, high-functioning and high-performing individuals are also more likely to experience imposter syndrome. The same traits that have led them to success, such as the fear of failure and the striving towards perfection, are also the ones that can lead to imposter syndrome.
The effects of imposter syndrome
Imposter syndrome has internal and external impacts on an individual. It negatively affects our health, energy, and internal lives, as well as our jobs and relationships. It can lead to stress, burnout, and avoidance of new opportunities.
| Internal Impacts | External impact |
| > Expends greater emotional energy on tasks, making things feel more daunting or stressful than they need to be | > Leads to burnout and impairs job performance, reinforcing the imposter cycle |
| > Negatively affects emotional well-being and coping skills | > Negatively influences our relationships with others |
| > Increases emotional exhaustion | > Impacts professional trajectory, making us less confident and motivated to pursue professional goals and advancement |
Students may hesitate to speak up in class or take on extracurricular activities. As a professional, imposter syndrome has similar effects, causing them to hold back from promotions or leadership roles.
Imposter syndrome is also likely to arise during the transition from university to the workplace. Young professionals, many of whom are Gen Z, are found to be particularly vulnerable to imposter syndrome. Their lack of experience compared to other colleagues leads to feelings of inadequacy.
On a broader level, a high presence of imposter syndrome negatively affects organisational productivity and disrupts an organisation’s talent pipeline.
Because of these negative impacts on the individual as well as the organisation, the issue of imposter syndrome deserves more attention, especially in spaces such as universities and high-performing workplaces.
How to deal with it?
There is no guarantee that the phenomenon of imposter syndrome will be completely mitigated, but its effects can be made less severe if different parties join hands. Some easy and accessible ways at the individual, employer, and university levels are discussed below.
Individuals
We can do a bit of our own homework when it comes to imposter syndrome. If we can rewire our brains to recognize the feeling without judgment and let ourselves feel it, we can find some simple ways to deal with imposter syndrome.
STEP 1: THROW FACTS AT THE INSECURITIES
Once the feelings have been acknowledged without any judgment, it is a good idea to identify the moments when the imposter syndrome is triggered. Then, counter those moments with evidence and facts. For example, if we enter a room and immediately think, ‘I don’t belong here, ’ we also need to immediately challenge it by asking, ‘What proof do I have for this?’. Keeping a journal with all our successes and accomplishments definitely helps with the refuting part.
STEP 2: SHARE THE FEELING
It always helps to know that we are not the only ones feeling miserable, and hearing someone else relate might be validating. Building a close group of family and friends is not only comforting for this aspect, but also for many more obvious reasons. Seeking professional or personal guidance and mentorship could also be uplifting when we need someone else to believe in us first.
STEP 3: PROGRESS IS ALSO A FORM OF SUCCESS
Only a select few influencers or other social media figures choose to share the process of their projects, but the rest only come on to the app to update us on their next big announcement. So, replacing perfectionism and the end goal with progress is a smarter move. Flipping the script to ‘failures being feedback’ and ‘progress also being success’ does not invalidate us, but only makes us human.
STEP 4: COMPASSION
Unfortunately, the saying that ‘We should treat ourselves how we would treat others’ is true, and it works. So no matter how cliché it sounds, loving and being kind to oneself is important. At the same time, it should be accepted that it is easier said than done, and learning to be kind to ourselves is also a work in progress. Showing up to learn and try, instead of aiming for perfection, sounds easier to do anyway.
STEP 5: YOU BELONG IN THE ROOM
Read that again!
Employers
While Gen Zers are putting in the effort to minimize the impact of imposter syndrome, it is also helpful for employers or managers to evolve their leadership ways. Just a few useful tips could be:
1. NOT A DISCIPLINARIAN
Working with a disciplinarian does not sit well with Gen Zers. They would rather work with someone who can act as a partner in their growth. Instead of pointing out deficits, assisting them in their progress resonates more with them.
2. VALIDATION
Recognizing effort and validating struggles motivates Gen Z to work better. It reduces anxiety surrounding the workplace if they feel comfortable and welcomed. It also lends a little extra motivation to come into work every morning.
3. USE THE FEARLESSNESS
Using Gen Z’s fearlessness to speak up and offer opinions as an advantage. This can help gain some insight into the management style of employers, work culture, and the feedback process itself.
4. SPARE THE COMPLICATION
Complicated corporate jargon and very formal tones could scare Gen Z away. However, by keeping it fairly straightforward, honest, and respectful, the corporate culture could be made less daunting for this group.
Universities
Universities have the responsibility to prepare their students for life after graduation. This includes paying attention to their mental health, and designates them as important actors in combating imposter syndrome. By creating a safe and supportive environment, they can raise awareness of imposter syndrome among students and provide insights on how to transition more smoothly into the workforce.
1. START THE DIALOGUE
The first step is creating a safe space and fostering an open dialogue between staff and students. Educate them on how to recognise and address feelings of imposter syndrome. This is especially crucial upon student arrival. By discussing this feeling with others, the stigma on imposter syndrome diminishes, and students feel less isolated.
2. CREATE A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT
Creating an academic learning environment centred on empathy, where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities or “productive failure”.
3. ORGANIZE MENTORSHIP
Organising mentorship from alumni can be another tool universities can use to combat imposter syndrome among students. Hearing personal stories from graduates who students consider successful can help them recognise their own distorted thinking
4. TEACH THE APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES
Offering resilience and self-efficacy workshops can teach students the appropriate strategies for dealing with negative thoughts, setting realistic goals, and acknowledging achievements.
Moving forward
Since imposter syndrome makes you feel like a fraud, opening up about it can be challenging. This is why raising awareness is essential in order to show that these feelings are not only common but also manageable.
For Gen Z, who are entering universities and workplaces during a time of constant comparison and high expectations, this awareness is especially important.
And while self-regulation strategies are valuable, the environment in which we operate plays an equally vital role. Universities and workplaces share the responsibility of creating safe spaces that empower those within. Only through our collective effort can we combat imposter syndrome.
Keen to know more about GenZ at work? Check our the previous blogs about GenZ versus the job market and Not career ladders, but Lily pads.
Blog post written by Fleur van der Kooij & Anindita Kalita for Expertise in Labour Mobility
Image by Jizelle Ys for CareerProfessor.works
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