Impostor Syndrome is real!
Many Software Engineers are feeling it right now. These are a few things we should normalize ASAP:
“Applying for a New Job”
Yes, your colleague claims he has been invited by a horde of companies. Good for them!
Please know that most people do apply for jobs. Many jobs, actually.
See my case, for instance. I applied to 300 companies to get my first 6-figure remote job.
“Failing Interviews”
Yes, we all know that genius who has never been rejected. And yes, they likely have the same stagnant job for many years.
People do try, and people do fail. Interviews are no exception. Failing is part of the learning process.
“Asking For Help”
Yes, some people never ask for help, but they miss out on a learning fast track, which is asking experienced people for help and guidance.
No one knows it all. You should be encouraged to ask for help when you don’t know something. That’s just smart!
“Not Being a Computer Science Graduate”
Yes, most people in your team went to college, but you didn’t.
Your PRs don’t mention college in them. Your JIRA tasks neither. No one asks about it in standups.
You know what? No one cares how you learned the skills you use in your job.
“Not Knowing the Fancy New Tech”
You read AI and blockchain and edge computing. You feel you’re missing out.
Well, again, no one can know it all.
If you’re great at JavaScript and you like it, and you earn a good salary with it, then why should you feel bad for missing out on those?
Your colleagues cheer you up for your promotion. You get nervous.
You’re happy but feel inside like you aren’t better than them. They could call you out any time.
Relax. It’s like your first day in a new job. You’ll learn.
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Originally published at https://www.remote-work.io on September 11, 2022.