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Have you ever felt immense fear that your colleagues might find out you as a fraud?

Did you think your colleagues doubt your programming skills in the workforce and you are not confident with what you are doing?

You are not alone.

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According to a survey conducted by [Blind](https://www.teamblind.com/blog/index.php/2018/09/05/58-percent-of-tech-workers-feel-like-impostors/) on 10,000 participants and it was concluded that 58% of tech employees experience imposter syndrome.

In fact, [Expedia](https://www.techrepublic.com/article/why-58-of-tech-employees-suffer-from-imposter-syndrome/) has also experienced similar results with almost 73% of employees facing this syndrome. This trend is highly prevalent in countries like Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands.

So, basically what is imposter syndrome?

**What is Imposter Syndrome?**

Imposter Syndrome is a self-proclaimed assertion in the workplace that can leave anyone, in any industry, feeling like a fake —from factory floors to the C-suite. It makes people feel that they don’t deserve to be where they are.

For an instance, in a tech seminar, you saw most of the developers and programmers were having debates on the latest technologies and popular tools.

But, you remain silent because you had no idea or detailed knowledge about what they all were talking about and you might have felt like your career will be in danger if you don’t upgrade your knowledge. This feeling is known as Imposter Syndrome.

**The extent of imposter syndrome for developers**

Many [people who are called ‘experts’ in their field suffer from imposter syndrome](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTZJUVgQeO0). It is a psychological occurrence that makes people question their confidence, know-how, and skillset.

People who are suffering from imposter syndrome believe that they are ‘frauds’ and will soon be exposed by their colleagues or any stakeholder. The [paper](https://www.paulineroseclance.com/pdf/ip_high_achieving_women.pdf) published in 1978 discusses that the imposter phenomenon is seen mostly in high-achieving women and BIPOC people.

**Imposter Syndrome during early days**

From the early days, software developers were suffering from imposter syndrome. It investigated how [Data Engineers negotiated their salaries](https://cult.honeypot.io/reads/data-engineering-salaries-in-europe-in-2022) and discovered that people often underestimated their work in various European countries.

The median offered the average income which was quite higher than the average anticipated salary. This means that the typical offer was better than what developers expected.

So, when you think you are worth less and actively asking less than what you're worth is just another manifestation of the imposter syndrome.

**Why developers are prone to imposter syndrome**

According to the book ‘*Build a Career in Data Science’* published in 2020 by [Emily Robinson](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19954105.Emily_Robinson) and [Jacqueline Nolis](https://jnolis.com/), the imposter syndrome ‘is quite common’ in data science.

As per the research, working in data analytics or software company often include task switching too frequently. As a result data scientists or developers think that they knew little of all but cannot become a master of one.

Moreover, the job of programming demands frequent input. Therefore, developers start feeling incompetent. This results in imposter syndrome because they think their work isn't up to the mark or isn't valued by their peers.

**But why Imposter Syndrome happens??**

Imposter syndrome signifies that you’re doing something outside of your comfort zone. However, it is a good sign because you are pushing yourself beyond certain limits.

It’s like when you are with people who have done excellent in their field, it means that you are learning, pushing, and expanding yourself.

Start changing your perception of such a problem and embrace it. Because, when you feel, you are lacking somewhere and do not possess enough knowledge, you try to push yourself to acquire more knowledge and start honing your skills. This all happens because you are trying to work outside your comfort zone.

**Imposter Syndrome in the tech industry**

The tech industry is quite vast and ever-evolving. So, year after year, new developers enter and existing programmers try to stay abreast with the latest tools and technologies, languages and frameworks, coding methods, and more.

It looks like the programmers have to keep learning and constantly evolving to perform different tasks with different skills for different languages and technology.

Now, this often makes them overwhelmed. It creates a sense of pressure on them to keep learning every single thing. So, if anything seems unknown, they start doubting their knowledge, potential, and accomplishment.

They tend to compare themselves with others and become a victim of imposter syndrome. And, the real point is – it is completely impossible to be omniscient.

**Are there any effects of developer impostor syndrome?**

Developer imposter syndrome has a negative impression on the work culture as it affects productivity and the development industry as a whole.

More to that, to a greater extent, it immensely affects the mental health of the employee, makes them feel unwell and depressed and altogether it leads to burnout as they try hard to pace up with the perceived goals.

So, can you think of any solutions?

**How to deal with imposter syndrome**

As discussed, imposter syndrome can affect the productivity of employees or developers at the workplace. So, let’s discuss how to deal with such a syndrome of self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy.

**1. Take credit for your successes.**

Those who suffer from imposter syndrome, constantly need reaffirmation. Due to self-doubt, they tend to minimize their achievements, particularly in social situations. 

They start feeling unworthy of their current designation and become apprehensive that others will attribute their success to chance. Start taking credit for your successes and share and appraise your every small accomplishment.

 **2. Start requesting feedback**

As we have discussed in an earlier blog developers are ‘lone wolves’. They love working by themselves. However, do not let that impression become a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

Start accepting criticism from experts and peers and implement their feedback into your work. That’s how you can improve yourself in many ways.

**3. Talk to experts**

When you talk to experts and share your feeling, you can expect the right way to move ahead. This therapy is benefitting various individuals from all over the world. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on helping patients by making them more aware and freeing them from every destructive pattern. They will get an expert suggestion on what next, they can do.

 **4. Share your feelings with your mates and colleagues**

If you look at what and how your teammates or colleagues are suffering, you will realize that you are alone in the battle against imposter syndrome. 

This will help you at least in balancing your anxieties and fears and makes you more open and confident to discuss your worries in a quite liberating and comforting way.

**5. Prepare a timeline of all your achievements**

Developer impostor syndrome results mainly when you start to underestimate your skills and abilities. So, all that you can do is start keeping a track of all your achievements and milestones. 

You can create a portfolio of your successful works with a proper timeline that represents your strength and speed toward evolution.

So, instead of comparing yourself with others, you will compare yourself with your past version. Sooner that will become the biggest element for your development career.

**6. Make mistakes to learn better**

It’s completely okay to make mistakes and that cannot make you an imposter or fake. Because the best way to learn is by making mistakes. You never become a fraud if you code wrong by mistake or do anything inappropriately.

Start accepting your mistakes and most importantly, learn from them so you do not repeat them and be a little wiser while doing the same for the second time.

 **7. Promote teamwork and camaraderie**

Companies that promote teamwork and camaraderie often contribute significantly to boosting the productivity of the employee. It maintains a sense of relaxed atmosphere that further helps you in mitigating the effects of developer impostor syndrome.

When any developer asks for help or opinion, it becomes quite clear to those developers with imposter syndrome that comparison is bound to happen. And that’s completely okay because no one can be omniscient.

Therefore, practice a synergic culture in an organization that reinforces collaborative and team-building approaches.

# **The Final Words**

Imposter Syndrome is not just a theoretical concept. It is practically implied in every developer or employee or individual where comparison, competition, or compatibility exists.

Irrespective of the industry verticals, it is highly prevalent in various professional fields where the urge to stay updated with the latest version is a must. The self or internal or external pressure of becoming the best and highly knowledgeable often leads to such imposter syndrome. This further results in anxiety attacks, depression, overthinking, and self-doubt.

Start recognizing the signs of imposter syndrome and take corrective action from time to time before your developers or colleague fall into the fraudster person and start compromising their self-worth and your wallet.

Which strategies do you use for dealing with Imposter Syndrome? Comment your answers below!

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Imposter syndrome is a prevalent psychological phenomenon in the tech industry that affects the confidence, productivity, and mental health of developers. This article provides an overview of imposter syndrome, its causes, and effects on the workforce. It also suggests practical solutions to help programmers deal with self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy, including taking credit for their successes, requesting feedback, and talking to experts.

Imposter Syndrome as a Programmer – Overview | Cause and Effects | Solutions to Deal

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