Feel like I’m not clever enough for my job

[Notmeagainn]

I have a fairly senior position and I’m around a lot of clever people that have gone to university and have many years experience in our field. Some how I feel I have cheated my way I never went to uni I did a one year course and somehow bagged this role.

My manager is constantly praising me and doesn’t have any concerns about my work.

But I just feel thick? I am pretty sure I have some imposter syndrome but I also believe I’m not intelligent enough.

If you're doing well in the role without the benefit of uni and experience, you're probably even smarter than they are! Going to uni doesn't mean you're clever, it just means you went to uni.

I went to uni but am the least qualified in my team as they all have masters and PhDs. Sometimes I feel the same, but actually I remember very little of what I learnt at uni and it's my work experience that counts.

If you would like to go to Uni and if it's a regret, you can always look into the OU.

I almost feel like I’m faking it though and I shouldn’t really be where I am.

Imposter syndrome. There's a difference between intelligence and education.

Google 'imposter syndrome'

I feel like that with my colleagues and I have a masters degree.

Under confidence in your own abilities, if someone has a cure I would love to know it.

It’s so very odd I’m unsure if it’s because I’m new to my role and my team have been in this field for years. I love watching my manager because I’m just fascinated at how smart she is but she has been in HR for 20+ years.

Oh please don't do this to yourself. I hate when this happens. Imposter syndrome at it's finest.

Over the years, I've had several staff come to me in a similar position to you, doubting themselves purely because they don't have a degree or certain qualifications. I can give them good feedback, excellent appraisals, salary reviews etc but they really struggle to take it on board just because of no University.

University or degrees is only one form of intelligence and is proves fuck all other than people can pass exams. Some highly qualified people have no ability to apply anything from university anyway, they simple just have good memories & exam technique. It often doesn't translate into decent at their job.

You got your role on merit.
Someone thought you were good enough for the role.
Your feedback is excellent.
People without degrees place far more importance than those who don't have them.

Do you really think that someone would have hired you for an reason other than they saw something in you that made them certain your at the right choice?

If you don't have faith in yourself at the moment. Can you look at the person who hired you? Do you rate them? Do you think they make charitable or stupid decisions or they were smart enough to hire you because they know you are up to the job?

This breaks my heart sometimes at work to the point I've ended up asking staff if they think I'm lying to them or something?

PM me or ask me anything that you think might help but please believe me.

I have lost good staff over this sort of thinking so I feel very strongly about it.

I'm sure you're perfectly good at your job. I think most people have imposter syndrome (I know I do).
And people who talk about "yooney" sound silly anyway; they're usually people who've gone to ex-polytechnics.

If you'd been to uni, you'd know that an awful lot of people even at 'top' unis are not actually all that clever. I went to a 'top' uni, I am quite clever but hardly brilliant. My DP has one O-level and a handful of CSEs. He is not well-educated but he is really clever, definitely smarter than me.

You were smart enough to get to your senior position, so you are easily the intellectual equal of anyone in your team. Don't do yourself down!

This is the very definition of imposter syndrome. You say you have ‘a bit of’ imposter syndrome. You actually have a lot more than “a bit”.

If all these people were clever, and you were not, then logically they would have noticed and you would have been exposed. But you are clever and they are not any cleverer, and consequently you have achieved the same as them and your employer is happy with your work.

OK, just seen this.

She is so smart and has 20 years experience and you are still doubting her as well as you. Come on, she knows you're good.

The other thing is are you comparing yourself to her but it's not a fair comparison- she has 20 years more experience. You cannot fast track that experience. You will be as good as her in 20 years or less.

If you must made comparisons (unhealthy but understandable), compare yourself to those with your experience not those with much more.⁸

You have imposters syndrome which is very real, most of my staff have it and I definitely feel inferior towards some of my more well spoken colleagues (I’m northern)

I'm in a graduate profession but it has taken me a very very long time - years - to be any good at the job.

University is essentially a form of training. New graduates aren't a burden exactly, always glad to have one, but we know that it can take a long time before they're really independent and valuable. University doesn't make them ready, training does and a lot of that is on the job.

Can you define what you think is missing? I know that I have a big vocabulary and a lot of general knowledge because I read a lot, but tbh I only really read about things I'm interested in. I suppose University did make me read some stuff I wasn't interested in! It's cumulative though, reading up on different subjects means things connect up in unexpected ways. I do consciously read about current affairs (eg The Economist) so I have things to talk about. I also listen to podcasts, I'm lucky there as my job involves a fair bit of driving and I can get through a couple of episodes a day. Again it probably makes me sound like I know a lot.

But I have zero practical or leadership ability. Im always impressed by others abilities and wish I had those things. I like hearing about other people's passions and work.

Just by reading what you’ve written, I think you’re in HR and you’ve done a CIPD qualification.

I work in HR and did the CIPD level 5 last year. I also got a law degree nearly 15 years ago. In all honesty, although the degree required more analytical skills, I can’t say I remember it being terribly more difficult to how I found the CIPD qualification. In actual fact, the CIPD was harder for me to get to grips with in that I had had a long break since studying.

Point is, a degree doesn’t equal intelligence. It just means that you’ve learned how to study and regurgitate that study in exams and assignments at a certain level. And that’s the skill - learning how to learn. Be proud of what you have achieved and try go see yourself through the eyes of your manager. They clearly see the good job that you’re actually doing 😊.

It's important to distinguish between intelligence and knowledge. Having a degree doesn't make a person more intelligent, it means that person has an increase in knowledge and a piece of paper that says so. There are plenty of other ways of increasing knowledge. Being a curious person will always mean that you learn new things. I think that embracing curiosity will make your life more interesting and you will improve your self esteem.

I don’t have a very big vocabulary and my knowledge isn’t where I want it to be yet. I hate having to seek advice from my senior it makes me feel inadequate.

I always worry that people won’t want to come to me because if they speak with my manager she will be able to give them better advice. I’m very “basic” in a sense.

A lot of my colleagues are from well off upbringings. I’m from a council estate with siblings as criminals! I just don’t fit in.

If your manager is praising your work, you are doing great. Your background and upbringing are not who you are. Don't limit yourself by these. As PP have said, you are good enough to have got the job, and a uni education doesn't equate to common sense, talent and resourcefulness. These are the things that get you places. Have more faith in yourself. You ARE good enough!

Thanks everyone you have all made me tear up! X

"going to uni doesn't mean you are clever, it just means your went to uni"

Agree with this (and I have a first class degree!). Some of my best staff have worked their way up . I don't mind if they don't speak in a middle class way/ what their background is. It's the work they do that you counts. In fact even though I work in a v academic profession (law) in reality those with a less glittering academic background often make the best lawyers.

"I hate having to seek advice from my senior it makes me feel inadequate."

Ah! Tbh if I don't get advice from seniors I'm doing it wrong. My motto at work is 'managers hate surprises'. The only way to avoid surprising your manager in a bad way is to keep them informed. I bet they really value that about you.

Have you considered getting a few sessions from a work coach? Or identifying a mentor?

And are you due an appraisal soon?

As far as fitting in goes - my dad was really quite posh, and fell victim to scammers. He believed in them so strongly that he embezzled literally tens of thousands out of other people. Just because he spoke in a posh accent and read the newspaper didn't make him a good person tbh. Every single person you work with has stories to tell and unexpected things going on. Have you ever watched Who Do You Think You Are??

One of my colleagues is in her mid-20s, she's very good at her job, she did a degree but I am still amazed at the stuff she doesn't know. Having a degree is one thing but coming from a tough background and making your own way is a really big achievement which you should be very proud of.

I would flip it around…

Not going to university doesn’t mean that you aren’t clever, it just means that you didn’t go to university.

I think both are true to be fair.

If your parents have enough money even not remotely bright children can get into university

I work at a university surrounds by people with degrees (and PhDs). there are plenty who are NOT clever - even those with PhDs.

Also, no one knows whether you did or didn't go to university. So it doesn't matter.

if you want to fake being 'posh', then read books - things like Mythos by Stephen Fry give you an idea of the 'classic' stories and then you can seem very 'learned'. that is what Boris Johnson does - spouts nonsense and claims it is ancient greek so people think it must be smart. don't be Boris, but you can fake it if you want to.