On imposter syndrome
The internalized, nagging feeling you aren’t good enough for what you’ve earned
Imposter syndrome, the internalized feeling that one has only succeeded due to luck, and not because of talent or qualifications, was coined in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes in their seminal paper on the phenomenon. They hypothesized imposter syndrome was exclusively felt by women, but newer research has proven it’s a near-universal psychological battle. Though it does disproportionately affect women and minorities (thanks to their respective stereotypes and shared propensity to suffer from self-doubt), over 70% of people encounter imposter syndrome at work at some point in their lives.
We are in a new Renaissance. An era in which the generalist is on the rise. As a refreshing antithesis to the doctrine of specialization still largely revered in modern-day society, to be a generalist is to have and maintain a diversity of skills and interests. A generalist hears “Just pick one,” “You can’t do it all,” and “It’s too late to start” — harbingers of the world’s preference for specialists — and follows their whims anyway.
Empathy, a word largely associated with friendship and service and struggle, merits an association with work, too. While hiring managers have long been reminded to remember that employees bring their “whole self” to work, the COVID-19 pandemic has made them recognize — and respect — that employees now bring their whole lives to work. Team meetings once limited to conference rooms sprawl between kitchen tables and home offices and repurposed walk-in closets. Children once limited to subjects of watercooler small talk make appearances on camera. Standards once widely understood — from timeliness to personal presentation to meeting etiquette — have been redefined. Candidates and employees may not be at their best, but they are doing the best with what they have. Which begs the question: how can hiring managers curate experiences marked by understanding and grace when choosing apathy is the easier route to take? By making empathy a habit.
“I received another job offer.” If you are involved with conducting creative executive searches, sooner or later you are going to encounter a solid candidate that utters those words to you. After all, these candidates are in high demand, especially if they are actively seeking new opportunities. Of course, once you are aware that there is competition in the mix, you know you’ve got some difficult decision-making to do.
Ambiguity doesn’t have to be an achilles heel — it can be an asset. For companies and candidates alike in such a dynamic era of business, the ability to navigate uncertainty is paramount. For candidates, this ability manifests in strengths beyond the resume. Who are they at their core? How adaptable are they? Can they operate in environments where there is no “right answer”? The right candidate knows how to check all the boxes — and then operate beyond them. For companies and organizations, navigating ambiguity is often a requirement in hiring, developing company culture, and planning for an uncertain future. The most successful entities maintain a collected and curious posture towards unknowns — making them opportunities instead of progress-paralyzers.
Covid-19 has undoubtedly had a significant impact on our lives forever. The massive loss of life and business closures have been challenging and affected many. Our industry, Executive Search has also been impacted. While we are still recruiting for Executives in high demand Creative and Marketing roles, we have adapted some of our processes and approach. While we expect business to continue to improve, we hope that some of the positive changes due to the Pandemic will remain.
In an enlightened age where attention is focused on inequality through movements such as #METOO, #TIMESUP and #BLACKLIVESMATTER, a shadowy practice people don’t talk about much looms large. That would be age discrimination, a matter that affects all of us eventually, either through one’s self, one’s family or the economy. Here, we discuss all the advantages older candidates bring to the table, along with the ways human resources and hiring managers can not just overcome age discrimination in their employment processes but see the special value and benefit experienced candidates bring to a company.
It had to be the Pandemic to give the world a serious wake up call to realize how the existing global business model is at stake. Profit at all costs without regard for environmental and social impact will have serious consequences today.
Sustainability is one of the major issues that companies and governments must make their priority to prevent a global environmental disaster from happening. It is both a dangerous and exciting time.
It had to be the Pandemic to give the world a serious wake up call to realize how the current global business model is at stake. Capitalism itself and centralized power is at stake. BLM has to be reckoned with and companies can no longer ignore the human and business value that diverse talent brings to their companies. Hiring and Empowering Diverse Talent is one of the major factors that companies must make it their priority to enrich their brands as not doing so will only lead it to eventual demise (devaluation of both brand and profits, a shameful stain in the industry).
Given the huge challenges in the industry, the highest amount of layoffs in this century, what advice can you give candidates?
Be flexible re: hourly rate, try out, starting out from home, leaving your own comfort zone and changing gears, changing location to move elsewhere, take on-line courses in digital, and don't skip meditating to keep your blood pressure down.
Continue to network and reconnect with people during this time. Share ideas, possibly take on projects. Everyone is going through this difficult period, so many people are also likely to be more open to connect.
As CCO and partner of JANOU LLC, a global creative search agency, we have gained a valuable perspective on how the marketplace and consumers relate to events. In fact, clients often view us as a barometer for what is happening in the world as our network of business partnerships comprises a 360-degree range of industries and markets worldwide. We track the perceptions of leaders in the business, creative and design industries and closely observe how they in turn influence others.