Imposter Syndrome and LinkedIn

by Millie Tougher

Image Credit: Getty

We have all felt it at some point or another, or at least that’s what I tell myself as I spiral deeper and deeper into my LinkedIn feed. Imposter syndrome, which is prevalent in universities across the country, produces feelings of inadequacy in sufferers because of the perception that they are not clever, qualified, or good enough for a particular role. Recent studies have highlighted that up to 70% of the population feel this way at least some of the time. As for the other 30%, I can only assume that they are the most well-adjusted, confident people to have graced this planet. Interestingly, Impostor syndrome was first coined by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978, in relation to women in particular, and to why they often attributed their successes and achievements to luck rather than their knowledge, skills, and hard work. The term now encompasses everyone who can relate to these feelings. It can be experienced by anyone, from students or recent graduates who feel as though luck is the only thing getting them through, to seasoned professionals who feel underqualified for the new world they find themselves working in. Ironically, I am even feeling it now while writing this article.

So where does LinkedIn fit into this?

Well, LinkedIn has become the Instagram of the professional world, except that instead of seeing glossy holiday photos or selfies, everything that is posted is the highlights of users’ professional lives. From securing internships and jobs to promotions, everything is laid bare for your network to see. If you are anything like me and the other 70%, this is ever so slightly stressful, especially when you feel as though you have nothing to humblebrag about. University is already a highly competitive environment, but when you add in the seemingly never-ending posts beginning ‘I am delighted to announce’, it becomes almost unbearable. This is not, of course, to say that I am not happy for other people’s achievements. I am excited for friends who gain amazing opportunities, but with every post that is liked, I feel myself falling deeper and deeper into feeling as though I am not doing enough and not good enough. A quick chat with any of my peers shows me that I am not alone in feeling like this, and a study by the University of Edinburgh has confirmed this. They found that LinkedIn was significantly associated with experiencing imposter syndrome symptoms and could trigger self-doubt. 

Image Credit: Getty

So how do we deal with this?

First of all, we have to remember that at the end of the day, comparison is the thief of joy. Of course, this is much easier said than done, but we are indeed all on our own path, and so comparing ourselves not only makes us unhappy but is also futile.

I think it is important to get off the app and talk to people in real life. Again, it sounds cliched but talking to my friends makes me realise that everyone feels this way at some time or another and puts it into perspective.

Ultimately, we all feel as though we aren’t good enough sometimes, but hopefully, this will help anyone with similar feelings.