Imposter syndrome is something the vast majority of people will experience in their careers, regardless of industry, hierarchical position or qualifications.
But imposter syndrome, in its very origin, is based on and predominantly experienced by women. Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes coined the term in 1978 after observing successful women who still felt incompetent despite their achievements.
Four decades have passed, and — despite significant progress — many cultural and societal factors contributing to imposter syndrome remain the same.
According to a 2023 Survey Center on American Life poll, women in all age groups were more likely than men to say they experienced imposter syndrome. Young women had the highest prevalence, with 55 percent stating they had encountered imposter syndrome, compared to 46 percent of the young men polled.
Many women, especially those in male-dominated industries like tech, will likely encounter these feelings of self-doubt or inadequacy.
Three Austin-based women in tech have challenged the validity of their own imposter syndrome and adopted strategies to manage their own inner critics.
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Give us some background. How have you experienced imposter syndrome in your career?
There have been so many points in my career where I experienced imposter syndrome, but the feeling was most intense when I made large career jumps. When I moved from the public sector to my first role in tech, I remember feeling completely out of place. My team was full of intelligent, high-achieving, compassionate people; what could I possibly bring to the table with a team like this? Similarly, when I started my first engineering role two years ago, I experienced a tidal wave of these feelings, to the point that it would be difficult to speak at all during meetings. My background is so different from the people around me in so many ways, and it left me questioning the value of my contributions.
How did you deal with your imposter syndrome? Was there a particular situation, quote, idea or person who helped change your perspective?
It is a process — an accumulation of small and big moments over time that piece together your psychological armor. For me, it has been vital to build a community of advisors, who are my personal “board of directors.” This group serves as a sounding board for my ideas, where we discuss strategies to manage our inner critic, and most importantly, they sometimes remind me to get out of my own way.
Over time, I learned how to better manage the voices of my inner critic and reframe those thinking patterns with more of a positive spin — “I am in this meeting because I deserve to be here.” “While my experience is different, I have a unique perspective and viewpoint that no one else has.”
I learned how to better manage the voices of my inner critic and reframe those thinking patterns with more of a positive spin — ‘I am in this meeting because I deserve to be here.’”
What advice would you give to other professional women who are dealing with imposter syndrome?
The most pragmatic, useful advice I have received is -take time to write down your accomplishments; even better if you do it in real-time. Take stock of achievements big and small; a thank you note or words of appreciation from a coworker, a major milestone in a project that you drove or even the small things like your contribution in a meeting. This accomplishment ledger becomes your reference point to study your success and recognize your strengths. It is easy to ruminate on all the things that you could have done better, so it takes the intention to change your thinking patterns. It’s a process of practice and reinforcement.
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Give us some background. How have you experienced imposter syndrome in your career?
My entire life, I’ve always been considered the “baby” because I am the youngest in my family. Since I live near my hometown, I still see a lot of people who knew me as a child. The prevalent roles these people still have in my life made it very hard for me to see myself as an adult. As I began advancing in my life and career, I was met with new challenges and opportunities to prove myself and showcase some strong skill sets.
The imposter syndrome really began to set in when I secured my first manager position. I’ve always been a leader, but having another adult report to you in a professional setting was a giant reality check. My decisions, processes and strategies now directly affected someone else and their work! When there is an unanswered question, I am now the person people turn to for an answer or direction. Although I was “adulting” at a high level before, being the person people looked to was really nerve-wracking. What if I gave the wrong advice? What if I accidentally miss the mark and let someone down? All of the scary responsibilities that younger people like to pawn off on the “adults” were now mine for the taking.
How did you deal with your imposter syndrome? Was there a particular situation, quote, idea or person who helped change your perspective?
To help deal with my imposter syndrome, I often look at the progress of the people I am leading. If they are thriving, learning to be comfortable in their own skin, asking good questions and feel safe coming to me with anything, then I know I’m doing it right. I’m the real deal!
To help deal with my imposter syndrome, I often look at the progress of the people I am leading. If they are thriving, then I know I’m doing it right.”
What helped change my perspective from “follower/child” to “leader/adult” was moving about 30 minutes away from my hometown and establishing a new community. I no longer see the people who have known me my entire life. I am now around a lot of people who have only known me for a couple of years, and they all affirm that I “adult” better than most. There’s a line in a Lizzo song that says, “Boss up and change your life.” My nickname is T. Ross the Boss, and it is up to me to change my own life — and that’s exactly what I’m doing!
What advice would you give to other professional women who are dealing with imposter syndrome?
Ask others for feedback to see how you’re doing with whatever you may be struggling to believe about yourself. This will help convince you that you belong where you are until you can convince yourself. However, your inner voice is always going to be the loudest and hold the most weight. So, speak affirmations over your life and really start believing in YOU! Keep putting one foot in front of the other, but don’t forget to stop and revel in the progress and pat yourself on the back. If you do this often, you’ll be less shocked about how far you’ve come!
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Give us some background. How have you experienced imposter syndrome in your career?
Throughout the majority of my career in tech sales, I have frequently felt like the ‘odd woman out.’ Industry demographics frequently perpetuate the lack of diversity in tech. Thus far, I have been a team member on mostly male-dominated teams and have also worked in male-dominated industries. Due to my gender and age, it is easy to feel as if I am not taken seriously at times. As a woman in tech, we often feel inclined to take on additional responsibilities or to try to outwork our colleagues to ensure our ability is recognized. I, myself, have frequently fallen into the trap of overworking and consequently downplaying my achievements.
How did you deal with your imposter syndrome? Was there a particular situation, quote, idea or person who helped change your perspective?
Early in my career, I was not able to verbalize or even conceptualize my feelings of imposter syndrome. I just knew that, at times, I felt both uncomfortable and unappreciated. I truly did not know how to overcome these feelings in a healthy way. I was lucky to come across a few mentors who poured into me personally as well as professionally. These mentorships helped me identify and understand that I was not alone and that many other women were walking through similar experiences.
Early in my career, I was not able to verbalize or even conceptualize my feelings of imposter syndrome. I just knew that, at times, I felt uncomfortable and unappreciated.”
This realization shaped my mindset to understand that regardless of my environment, I have the power to control my response and feelings about myself, despite how others perceive me. Tangibly, this looks like self-encouragement through daily positive affirmations, seeking knowledge from other successful women through podcasts like ‘Conversations with Women in Sales’ by Lori Richardson, and involving myself in DEI and ERG groups that support underrepresented populations in the workplace.
What advice would you give to other professional women who are dealing with imposter syndrome?
First and foremost, don’t attempt to navigate your feelings alone. Seek and find coworkers, friends and professional mentors who believe in your professional abilities and support your personal goals. It must be a priority to actively choose not to downplay yourself and your potential. Additionally, it is imperative to be mindful of your negative self-talk. Ensure that you take time to celebrate your wins, both big and small. The earlier you learn that you will never be able to outwork self-doubt, the faster your mindset will change on how valuable you are. Ultimately, your worth must be defined in more than just your professional success.
