Life After Graduation: Navigating Imposter Syndrome in a New Role

You just spent four years in college working toward the goal of graduation and figuring out what your next steps are. Now that you're here, it feels like all of the time spent learning and preparing still isn’t enough to feel qualified for whatever position you find yourself in. You may feel like your resume isn’t strong enough or that you aren’t deserving of the new relationship you’re in. You are certainly not alone in this feeling that many people call imposter syndrome.

Imposter Syndrome is defined as the psychological phenomenon where an individual persistently doubts their accomplishments and harbors a deep fear of being exposed as a “fraud” despite the evidence of their competence. As a new grad, it can feel like the expectations and responsibilities you inherit are weighing you down rather than building confidence. And while on paper you’ve completed all the necessary steps to be where you are, you can’t help but feel like someone must have made a mistake for you to end up here. This can cause intense anxious feelings that can feel overwhelming and has the potential to lead to you not being able to perform at your best level.

Our anxiety attempts to protect us from danger as a survival instinct, however sometimes when a danger is perceived rather than actual it can distort our understanding of reality. This often leads to us acting from our perceived reality rather than the true reality. With imposter syndrome, a perception of not being qualified can either lead to an under performing from what you are actually capable of or an overcompensation by attempting tasks that you are not capable of. Neither are true reflections of the actual skills you possess.

In Bowen Family Systems Theory this anxiety can be related to the inconsistency between how you think others want you to be a self vs what your true self actually is. Decreasing this gap allows those around you to know you in a genuine way. This allows your accomplishments to truly be your accomplishments rather than wondering if it was a fluke. Working to be more of a self looks like relying on your own values, skills, and knowledge to influence your actions rather than the anxious perception of what others expect from you.

Imposter syndrome is often rooted in thinking that everyone around you is highly aware of your lack of qualification. By looking at the actual reality of the situation it will often be revealed that you are exactly where you should be according to your credentials. Being honest about your capabilities should allow you to have confidence in your position as it is a reflection of all you have worked so hard to accomplish up until this point.

If you find yourself feeling paralyzed in your imposter syndrome and notice your functioning decrease as a result, therapy can be a great tool to help you find confidence in the skills you already have and help identify areas you want to grow in from a neutral position.

Whether it's a new job, new school, new relationship, new city, imposter syndrome can show up in it all. At New Life, we’re eager to walk through this struggle with you so that you can find freedom from the anxious thoughts that feel impossible to escape and begin to thrive as a new grad.

Preslee Townsend, LPC-Associate

Supervised by Deana Reed, LPC-S #68220

presleetownsend@nlcc1.com