Types of Imposter Syndrome

“I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.'” ~ Maya Angelou Imposter syndrome was first identified by Doctors Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes in a paper in 1978. At first they thought it only affected women but further research indicates it affects people no matter their gender. It is a feeling of inadequacy, a sense that you are not qualified or talented enough to do your job. In many cases it’s a feeling that you can’t live up to the expectations of a job because you are a fraud. In her book “The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Imposter Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It” Dr. Valerie Young breaks down Imposter Syndrome into five subtypes to better address the different ways it affects people. These types are based on research by Dr. Young into the internal rules people create for themselves when dealing with fraudulent feelings of inadequacy. Most people who struggle with Impostor Syndrome will be able to identify with one of these types. The perfectionist sets very high standards for themselves and if they don’t meet them feels like a failure. The expert feels like they should know every little thing before being competent. A person who is naturally gifted will feel inadequate if they struggle to learn or do something. The soloist feel that they have to do everything on their own, they are a fraud for asking for help. Finally the superhuman will push themselves harder than their coworkers to prove they are not an imposter. Imposter Syndrome hits us all at some point in our education or career. Typically this happens when we’ve just moved up, started a new job or gotten into a new school, however it can occur at any point. When it hits it affects each of us differently and may even affect you differently the different times it surfaces. These types are guides to help understand how Imposter Syndrome is affecting you or others. Use them to identify behaviors that may be due to an underlying Imposter Syndrome that you can address and overcome. Episode Breakdown Understanding Imposter Syndrome What is Imposter Syndrome? Generally it’s a crippling feeling that you are a fraud and in imminent danger of being found out. For the majority of developers this is part of the journey. It’s also a phase that repeats itself over time.Imposter Syndrome is officially defined as feelings of inadequacy relating to professional endeavors even though experience and knowledge are proficient for the task. The really nasty thing about imposter syndrome is that the smarter you are, the longer it takes to hit you. It tends to hit you harder when it shows up later in your education or career. In general, it occurs at the inevitable plateau in learning happens while you are sludging away to the next learning spike. Symptoms of Imposter Syndrome. A sense that success is impossible and that past successes and hard work were only due to luck. The idea that you are incompetent even though you consistently demonstrate competency. A fear of not meeting expectations of others or being uncomfortable with receiving praise or congratulations. Being disappointed with your accomplishments and under pressure to do better the next time. When do developers get Imposter Syndrome? The majority of the time someone suffers from Imposter Syndrome occurs right after they’ve gotten a promotion. They usually have to take on new responsibilities and feel they are not good enough or won’t be able to find a mentor. Junior developers, just starting out, may fear that they do not know enough about coding or the business to be useful.