Imposter Syndrome?!

[fryjack2]

Fake it till you make it.

Only half kidding. They are interviewing you based on what you have provided them with. If they didn't think you could handle the job, they wouldn't have called you. So many jobs are learned on the actual job, even with degrees that are required or compliment them.

No harm in trying out a new job if offered. Worst case scenario you don't like it or its not a good fit and you move on. Best case? You do great and have higher salary and new challenges and learning opportunities.

[newnamesameperson]

Sept 9, 2021 12:13:14 GMT -5 fryjack2 said:

Fake it till you make it.

Only half kidding. They are interviewing you based on what you have provided them with. If they didn't think you could handle the job, they wouldn't have called you. So many jobs are learned on the actual job, even with degrees that are required or compliment them.

No harm in trying out a new job if offered. Worst case scenario you don't like it or its not a good fit and you move on. Best case? You do great and have higher salary and new challenges and learning opportunities.

Good advice.  I just need to stop over thinking all of this.   

[game blouses]

I'm a writer so imposter syndrome comes with the territory, lol. They wouldn't be interviewing you if they didn't think you were a prospect. Reflect their confidence back at them - they think you're good enough for this, so you should too.

[sparkythelawyer]

Sept 9, 2021 12:05:00 GMT -5 newnamesameperson said:

Ask yourself, "What would a mediocre white dude think/do?"  Then do that.

You are probably underselling yourself.  You are more capable than you realize.  

[egeiger]

Have you outright lied to them about anything? I'm sure the answer is no.
You aren't giving them false information - you are showing them you are a capable person they would be lucky to have on their staff. Don't feel insecure about that. So much about the hiring process (in my experience) has been based on personality and soft skills. Show them you want to learn, ask questions, be engaged and interested. Those are the things companies are looking for. The rest can be taught. You've got this!!

[W.T.Faulkner]

Men don't think this way. They think, "I can do this" without any proof that they can.

They see something in you. They wouldn't waste their time.

[melissa]

I can understand where you are coming from but I agree with the others. They saw something in you based upon your resume that interested them. I think we are all too hard on ourselves at times. I'm sure you would do great in and or all these positions and maybe a challenge is just what you need.

[meanie]

Sept 9, 2021 12:30:48 GMT -5 sparkythelawyer said:

Sept 9, 2021 12:05:00 GMT -5 newnamesameperson said:

Ask yourself, "What would a mediocre white dude think/do?"  Then do that.

You are probably underselling yourself.  You are more capable than you realize.  

This x1000

My husband recently interviewed and very much had the attitude that if he was asked about something he didn't have experience with he would just say he did, and then learn it on the job. So far this has worked out well for him career wise, while I continue to sit in the same underpaid/overqualified job.

[purplepenguin7]

I do suffer from Imposter Syndrome all the time, but particularly when I started my current job almost 9 years ago. It was a huge jump in title and pay and a slightly different aspect of my industry. I really wasn't sure I could do it at all and was nervous all hell the first few years waiting for them to find out I had no clue what I was doing. Anyway, that was 9 years ago, I've been promoted twice since then and all is well. You can do this! Don't let the self-doubt get to you. Also, I definitely agree with the soft skills and personality. My boss told me years later that I wasn't the most qualified applicant but I had to the most passion, interest and seemed like I wanted to learn so he chose me. Focus on what part of the job description made you want to apply and what about it appeals to you most. Almost all jobs have a learning curve, don't be afraid of that when interviewing for a new role.

[glw]

There's an often-quoted statistic that men apply to jobs they think they are 60% qualified for, while women only apply to jobs that they feel 100% qualified for. (This is an interesting look into why that is.)
That helped push me to apply for aspirant roles.

[eddy]

The higher I climb professionally the more I realize the people around me/above me are not that special lol. Just a bunch of average people just like me.

[sdlaura]

I would automatically assume that your qualifications were just fine based on the fact that they called your for interviews, and focus primarily on making sure you come across as a nice person that people would want to work with everyday. Most skills can be taught, so when I interview people I focus so much more on fit.

[imojoebunny]

I will tell you what my now retired DH told my kids last weekend. The people at the top do not know what they are doing, they just have to make the call, the people in the middle and the bottom are the ones that know what is going on. He was an executive with a large company. His point is that once you get to a certain level, there is a good bit of flying by the seat of your pants, novel problem solving, when you don't have all the information, but you have to make the call. It is different from needing to have defined skills to do a job, and knowing how to execute specific things, if that makes sense.

[FastHands]

As long as you're not misrepresenting your experience, go for it.

I applied for an associate level of my role which would have been a jump for me. After the interview, they decided to offer me the full-level position. It was a 60% increase over what I was making and the first time I have ever not negotiated because even given the new level, the pay was higher than what I had planned to negotiate toward.

So I will say a few things... 1) all industries are strapped for good people, so depending on your industry/level, you may suddenly be the prettiest girl at the ball when last year you didn't get a date. Soak that shit in because you deserve it and it's about damn time.
2) If you have specific concerns/questions about what's expected, ask!
3) Ask about their staffing and how it impacts your work/workload. This has been the biggest impact for me. I 100% would not have gotten this job at this point in my career if they hadn't needed bodies. And while it's an amazing opportunity and will be great for my career, it is *rough.* My job is harder to do and I am working ridiculous hours, because of company-wide shortages.

Just my 2 cents from someone who was very recently where it sounds like you are!

[shortstax]

Good luck in your interviews!

I really like Jodi Ann Burey's take on IP here: hbr.org/2021/02/stop-telling-women-they-have-imposter-syndrome


Here's a snippet for you:

"Confidence Doesn’t Equal Competence

We often falsely equate confidence — most often, the type demonstrated by white male leaders — with competence and leadership. Employees who can’t (or won’t) conform to male-biased social styles are told they have imposter syndrome. According to organizational psychologist Tomas Chamorro Premuzic:

The truth of the matter is that pretty much anywhere in the world men tend to think that they are much smarter than women. Yet arrogance and overconfidence are inversely related to leadership talent — the ability to build and maintain high-performing teams, and to inspire followers to set aside their selfish agendas in order to work for the common interest of the group."

You've got this!

[Roc A Bee]

Sept 9, 2021 13:44:27 GMT -5 eddy said:

The higher I climb professionally the more I realize the people around me/above me are not that special lol. Just a bunch of average people just like me.

This!

[nicbreeful]

Sept 9, 2021 12:30:48 GMT -5 sparkythelawyer said:

Sept 9, 2021 12:05:00 GMT -5 newnamesameperson said:

Ask yourself, "What would a mediocre white dude think/do?"  Then do that.

You are probably underselling yourself.  You are more capable than you realize.  

There was a few articles written about this!

On average men apply for jobs they aren't qualified for waaaayy more than women do. Women tend to undersell themselves while men will oversell and then just wing it.

And then people wonder how so many clownshoes end up in government.

[isabel]

Sept 9, 2021 12:30:48 GMT -5 sparkythelawyer said:

Sept 9, 2021 12:05:00 GMT -5 newnamesameperson said:

Ask yourself, "What would a mediocre white dude think/do?"  Then do that.

You are probably underselling yourself.  You are more capable than you realize.  

I literally just had a conversation today with someone I manage about a situation with her and one of our male coordinators. The two of them were asked to assist someone in another department because they were the only two in our group with experience in this process. She knew the process backward and forward and explained it. Afterward, he questioned her and she said he very clearly had never used this process, or at least not from start to finish. Yet he put it on his resume and said during his interview that he knew the process well.

So… yeah. Don’t lie, but don’t undersell yourself either. You are more capable than you know.