Imposter Syndrome Killing Your Job Hunt Mojo? Do These Three Things Now!

These past several years have seen you delivering your best work ever and deep down, you know you’ve done amazing things. Your contributions have made a big difference in your workplace in spite of having a micromanaging boss, an ever expanding task list and a crazy work/life juggling act.

So why are you stuck with that Imposter Syndrome paralysis now that it is time to find another job?

Asking yourself that question only keeps you more stuck. Luckily for you, there are some proven methods to get you out of Imposter Syndrome and back into action for your job search. Keep reading for three ways you can get unstuck, including one easy copy-and-paste template to help you take action today!

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The search for “why” Imposter Syndrome exists is a philosophical exploration you can only afford when you have a fully secured income stream. If you don’t, pack that question away, and shift your mind’s eye towards landing a killer new role. Here are three simple ways you can move away from Imposter Syndrome and towards your new gig:

  1. Find out what others value in you

  2. Build your job victory game plan

  3. Reset your thinking

Best thing about these three steps: you can start implementing these steps as soon as today.

Find Your Value

Schools don’t have classes on identifying and defining your value, so most of us have a vague “knowing” what we contribute, but can’t put it down in words. Luckily for you! The people we interacted with the most can usually offer that insight with ease.

Thing is….you’ve got to ASK them for that insight. Asking people to tell you what you’re good at can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s a copy and paste template you can use to ask your colleagues and leaders you’ve worked with to give you some feedback:

Hi <>,

I am writing to ask for your opinion on something, it shouldn’t take more than five minutes. I chose you because we have had a great working relationship in the past and I value your judgement.

I’m on the hunt for my next dream job, and I’d like to get feedback on my three biggest strengths, my ‘value proposition’ in the marketplace. Would you mind giving me your opinion on the following questions?

  1. What were my biggest strengths, what did you like best about my work?

  2. What problems did you come to me to solve?

  3. How did I make work easier for you and your team?

I know times are crazy, so if you can’t get back to me, no worries. However, anything you’re able to share back with me will help me land that next dream job.

I appreciate you,

<your name>

Take the feedback, and print it out. Every time your imposter syndrome starts acting up, read the feedback! Before you submit for a job, or go for an interview, read the feedback.

You are valuable, you add value to the workplace. Honor the time your colleagues took to give you their opinion and let that guide your mental chatter from now on.

Remember to thank everyone who replies back to you. Don’t be a perfectionist - a simple, but sincere “thank you so much!” will do.

Build Your Game Plan

I want you to build yourself a job hustling team. For this, you’ll need people to fill out three roles:

  1. Accountability Partner

  2. Babysitter

  3. Mentor

Your accountability partner is the person who you are going to tell all about your plans, give them dates you want to meet, and have them help you stay accountable to those plans. If you have a colleague who is also job hunting, you could be a match made in heaven. Remember to respect your accountability buddy. They are not your parent or drill sergeant, they are a helper. Do the work you say you’re going to do, and you’ll both get hits of that feel good chemical dopamine!

Your babysitter is the person who you call in when the accountability isn’t working. Usually, this person is most highly needed when you are updating your resume. Let’s face it, updating our resume sucks, but having a resume you don’t feel good about is even worse. This role goes to someone you are very close with, it could even be your parent, just as long as they offer you moral support while you do the hard work.

Once your resume is updated, you get to send it off to a mentor who can give you pointers on what to update and what to do next. Like with your other partners, respect this person’s time. If they are your mentor they probably have a VERY busy schedule, but they’re spending some of their day with you because you are awesome. Feel good about it and make it worth it for them.

With these three roles filled, you can break down what you need to do, have the right level of support at your different stages, and just start working towards your goal.

Reset Your Thinking

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Job hunting can be a rough time. You are vulnerable and exposing yourself to hiring managers and recruiters who deal with dozens of candidates a day. Ouch!

This is where you get to use the work from your top two action steps, and put them to work.

Ready?

From now on, you are no longer “looking for a job.”

Yep, you got that.

From now on, you are a leader in your field, and you are going to find the position where you can best put that leadership to work.

But….what if you are running out of money and need a job pronto?

Well then, you are looking for a quick income source while you find the position where you can best put your leadership to work.

If you read this far, you are a dynamo. You have experience and a drive like no other. The world needs that right now. Trust your skills. Trust you're feedback. Trust yourself.

You are not an imposter, you are a bad ass. Now go out there and put that badassery to work!

Elena Astilleros