Is it normal to feel imposter syndrome?
Working in recruitment, we collectively speak to hundreds of people each week. A reoccurring theme we encounter is imposter syndrome; studies have shown that in 2021 up to 82% of us have experience imposter syndrome at work.
So, why is this?
Cyber security is continuously evolving and changing with a never-ending stream of new threats. Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to keep fully up to date with new technologies and frameworks, so it is only natural to occasionally self-doubt and question our ability.
With cyber-attacks increasing rapidly year on year, the demand for professionals will only grow. But, with the industry expanding rapidly, will the feeling of imposter syndrome increase with an ever-evolving industry?
Is imposter syndrome gender specific?
Throughout March, Trident Search carried out a series of Trident Talks dedicated to International Women’s Day. We hosted a collection of discussions with female professionals ranging from CISOs, Directors of Intelligence and Technical Managers. In total, we spoke to eight senior professionals in cyber, all of whom highlighted to us the feeling of imposter syndrome at work.
I don’t believe this is linked to just women in the industry - but all professionals at some point throughout their careers.
From our Trident Talks, it was clear that most of the women we spoke to had really strong support systems of either colleagues or mentors that they would lean on for support or questions.
I believe, as a whole, women are more open about their experiences so that it may seem like imposter syndrome is more prevalent in women, but also, speaking to men in the industry, it is clear that it resonates across the board.
“It is normal to have imposter syndrome, but it is not normal to let it consume your every thought. I recall a day, years ago before I started a senior leadership role - I sat in my car before going into the office. I was thinking, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing’ because this wasn’t my first senior leadership role. The fear, uncertainty and doubt were still there. In the UK, we are often taught not to be vain and not to hold ourselves in high regard, so it is perhaps not unusual that we’re not ready when, in fact, we are. I’m now a senior CISO, and I can tell you that the fears ease with time, but I know that if I were to take a new role outside of security, they’d creep back in… the only difference is that now I’m prepared.” – Lee Barney, CISO
Does imposter syndrome only affect people starting their careers?
The world of cyber security is so vast. It has such a wide array of professions, whether that be your stereotypical hacker just starting their career, all the way through to experienced professionals with 20+ years in the industry; the feeling of imposter syndrome can resonate with all.
“I think for many of us who grew up in the more traditional on-premise, old-school security environment, there has been a huge learning curve to see the good bits from that type of security practices that still make sense and what do we need to completely re-think. And what does that mean in terms of product selection, behaviour, and all of these big picture items” – Bronwyn Boyle, CISO
Watch the full Trident Talks episode here with Bronwyn Boyle
There has been a significant increase in cyber education from a younger age, and more courses are readily available. With the rise of free resources such as “Hack the Box” and “Try Hack Me”, people are immersed in the world of coding and cyber security from a much younger age.
This has resulted in a more defined and, in some cases, a quicker career ladder. We are seeing an increase of younger people in more senior roles, resulting in many of them feeling out of their depth and sometimes inadequate for the job at hand.
We know from our Trident Talks that the vast majority of senior professionals we speak with also have moments of self-doubt and that it isn’t related to years of experience at all.
This makes sense. As you move through your career, the challenges and difficulties you face will only continue to heighten in alignment with your progression.
What Eleanor had to say...
"I've learned working with some great people in cyber security is no one knows it all, and you shouldn't try as the industry moves at such a fast pace.
The most important thing is not knowing the answer right there but knowing where you can go to find the correct information to boost your knowledge.
I find that so much information can be misleading, and you can fall down a rabbit hole using the internet because we all have access to writing what we want these days. So, then you must be hypercritical of what you come across, especially at that moment when you're searching for the right answers.
You must be opened to continuously learning and accept that you're never going to get to a point where you think I know it all now because there's something new that will come along, but that's what keeps your role interesting." - Eleanor Upson, Director
Watch the full Trident Talks episode here with Eleanor Upson
What Carlie had to say...
"I could safely say that women and men will experience this at some point in their careers. When we're discussing cyber security, there are so many facets that people feel they need to be good at everything. Of course, you don't have to be, but through your days, you know you're going to be asked to perform challenging tasks that you're not particularly good at. I think they're the times when you would probably feel imposter syndrome the most because you're working on a project that's not your forte." - Carlie McNamee, SOC Manager
Watch the full Trident Talks episode here with Carlie McNamee
What Emma had to say...
"I believe tackling imposter syndrome is essential, and in cyber security, people will question themselves and may have self-doubt; "there's so much to learn" and "what if I don't know", and it's because the industry is changing all the time. It's okay not to have the answers because we're never always going to know every question. Not knowing the solution gives you room to develop.
It gives you chances to learn and improve, which is exciting in cyber security because it's constantly changing, so there's always something new coming on the horizon." - Emma Weise, Channel Sales Manager
Watch the full Trident Talks episode here with Emma Weise & Tracy Shepherd
How to deal with imposter syndrome
The important thing to remember is that everyone has experienced imposter syndrome throughout their career, so you’re not alone.
Be confident in your skills and abilities, and know that mistakes or uncontrollable incidents will sometimes happen. It’s your experience and problem-solving skills that will determine the outcome.
Become self-aware and challenge yourself. If there is a particular area you continuously lack confidence/skill in, take the time to progress in that area. Take an additional course, talk to colleagues or a mentor and build your confidence.
Embrace it. Learning to deal with it head-on is the only way to overcome it.
Final thoughts
When writing my article, I asked as many people as possible for their perspectives on imposter syndrome. I wanted to get a realistic overview of the topic and was surprised by the responses.
Everyone I spoke to was very open about having felt it at some point, I thought I would be faced with a few egos, but I wasn’t at all.
Most people thought it should be discussed more, advising professionals to explore resources such as mentorship and life coaching to help people overcome and deal with imposter syndrome.
The most straightforward answer was the most common solution; talk about it.
