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Impostoritis: A Lifelong, but Treatable, Condition

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1–10 of 13 posts

Re: Impostoritis: A Lifelong, but Treatable, Condition

#5
post #2

I don't think it's just a woman's issue. I've struggled with this myself until recently when I got 3 out of the 4 jobs I applied to a couple weeks after getting laid off.

It's not just a women's issue but in a male dominated field it's good to hear from a female perspective on the matter.

Re: Impostoritis: A Lifelong, but Treatable, Condition

#6
post #2

I don't think it's just a woman's issue. I've struggled with this myself until recently when I got 3 out of the 4 jobs I applied to a couple weeks after getting laid off.

Yep. impostor syndrome never was associated with gender. She just picked the low hanging fruit.

Impostor syndrome applies to everyone who still lacks close friends in a particular social occasion. So it's very common on all steam folks since most have social anxiety, hence take a long time to make close friends.

Re: Impostoritis: A Lifelong, but Treatable, Condition

#7
post #3

Her department would get more varied backgrounds if she did her job and improved teaching and update the curriculum instead of doing the campus therapist job. All the smart people, whatever the gender, are probably applying elsewhere.

What makes you qualified to say that? You think smart people aren't applying to Harvey Mudd?

Re: Impostoritis: A Lifelong, but Treatable, Condition

#8
post #2

I don't think it's just a woman's issue. I've struggled with this myself until recently when I got 3 out of the 4 jobs I applied to a couple weeks after getting laid off.

I agree, and I think it's related to the Dunning Kruger effect. The more you know, the more you realize all the things which you don't know.

There's also a bit of a vicious feedback loop; often people are unwilling to admit that they don't know something because they don't want to appear weak. But until they admit it, they'll always be deficient in that subject.

Re: Impostoritis: A Lifelong, but Treatable, Condition

#10
post #2

I don't think it's just a woman's issue. I've struggled with this myself until recently when I got 3 out of the 4 jobs I applied to a couple weeks after getting laid off.

Perhaps more attention should be given to the fact that men feel this way as well. Women are often told they don't fare as well because they are not as assertive or confident as men. Imposteritis then introduces feelings of guilt in women for not feeling confident like they are "supposed" to and the way they are told that men do. Whether men feel that way or not should perhaps be addressed more frequently.
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