1. Vijay Sharma Microsoft Research
Imposter Syndrome
Vijay Sharma
Microsoft Research
Put your
undeserved
job title Here

2. What is it? Unable to internalize accomplishments
Regardless of success, remain convinced that they do not deserve the accolades and that they are frauds
Any proof is dismissed as luck, timing or ability to decieve others
“It is estimated that 70% of people will experience at least one episode of this Impostor Phenomenon in their lives”
- Gravois, J. (2007). You‟re not fooling anyone. The Chronicle of Higher Education

3. ,[[ and, of course, in actual phonies, like you.”
“Your fear of being publicly exposed as a fraud is a stress-related disorder called ‘Imposter Syndrome’. It’s common among people in high-profile authority positions

4. Do I have imposter syndrome, or am I actually an imposter?

5. Diagnose me...
Do you tend to chalk up your accomplishments up to being luck, not a big deal or some other reason that has nothing to do with performance?
Do you tend to dwell on your mistakes?
Do you worrry that others will find out that you’re not as capable as they think you are?
Do you feel as if you are surrounded by people smarter or more capable than you?

6. But I am an imposter!
Your skill is overvalued because “it’s not that hard”
You got into the industry at the right time
People like you, and so don’t notice your mistakes
You used to be the smartest person in the room
Look at all the things I haven’t done

8. Your first time You were an intern Bright eyed bushy tailed
Finally found your peers
They’ll hire you for sure
Realising you don’t know what you’re doing
Despair
Hoping you can get a job at McDonalds
(tears)

9. The pyramid effect
The rapid growth of the industry means that there are an ever increasing number of jobs
Not all jobs are created equal, people get “lifted” from a level lower down on the pyramid.
They are selected for a reason
The group of people that we can compare ourselves against as we move up continuously gets smaller until we stop progressing.

10. What can you do? Recognizing accomplishments Recognition from others
Pat on the back
Recognition from others
Believe them
Expand your experience
Talk to people
Reflect on the past
Did you really fool that many people?
Find a mentor
Not me, I have no idea what I’m talking about

11. Employers can help too! Hiring Ongoing management
Ensure new employees knows they will be evaluated
Find quick wins and celebrate them
Commend them at the end of the evaluation period
Ongoing management
Encourage humble bragging after tasks
“What were you really proud of on the project?”
When embarking on a new task freely offer training
Make it clear, no one knows everything

13. Guess who
“It’s almost like the better I do, the more my feeling of inadequacy actually increases, because I’m just going, ’any moment, someone’s going to find out I’m a total fraud, and that I don’t deserve any of what I’ve achieved’.”
- Emma Watson
“There are still days when I wake up feeling like a fraud, not sure I should be where I am.”
- Sheryl Sandberg
“The exaggerated esteem in which my lifework is held makes me very ill at ease. I feel compelled to think of myself as an involuntary swindler.”
- Albert Einstein
(Hermione Granger)
(Facebook COO)
(Einstein)

15. Questions? Keep them simple I have no idea what I’m talking about
I still feel like a fraud
, but I’m working on it...
VIJAY SHARMA
SENIOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER