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> Here’s the good news: you’re not an impostor Some people are, though. Sometimes, “impostor syndrome” isn’t really a syndrome, but an appropriate way to feel

> Here’s the good news: you’re not an impostor Some people are, though. Sometimes, “impostor syndrome” isn’t really a syndrome, but an appropriate way to feel when you’ve been Peter-Principled your way into a position that you’re not competent in.

randallsquared 7y ago
One of the reasons imposter syndrome is so prevalent in the tech industry is that everyone with more than a few years of experience has worked alongside people who talked their way into the job but cannot code their way out of a wet paper bag. It's directly related, in my opinion, to the terrible state of interviews in this field.
- AlexCoventry 7y ago
  Can't people reassure themselves by picking a wet paper bag to code themselves out of?
  - cdwhite 7y ago
    Yes! My last year in grad school, this is part of how I kept my sanity: random little side-projects on which I could make concrete progress in a couple of evenings.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
- twic 7y ago
  I don't get this. How does the fact that many people have worked alongside people who cannot code cause impostor syndrome? It doesn't seem like it would cause it in the first set people - they compare themselves to the people who can't code and feel like the opposite of impostors. It doesn't seem like it would cause it in the people who can't code, because those people really are impostors, so can't have impostor syndrome. So is there some effect on some third group of people?
- itronitron 7y ago
  That seems like a bit of an exaggeration, or a popular trope at least by people that feel put upon by their coworkers. I've never worked with another developer that couldn't code their way out of a wet paper bag. I think the the terrible state of interviews is due to people wanting to think (or wanting others to think) that what they do is more complicated than it actually is.
  - twic 7y ago
    > I've never worked with another developer that couldn't code their way out of a wet paper bag. I have. Not many, but during my time consulting, some of our more pathological clients would have one or two programmers who literally couldn't program.
chrisseaton 7y ago
I interviewed once with a database startup. I don't know anything about databases. I just thought 'yeah I can probably blag that.' I probably looked like an impostor while I piled in in the interview, because I was.
- boring_twenties 7y ago
  Did you get an offer?
  - chrisseaton 7y ago
    No - I wouldn't have been able to do the job.
- klyrs 7y ago
  My initial reaction to this comment was "uh, so you were an actual impostor... who cares?" Almost downvoted. But I wonder if this experience has value. Literally go in with a firm, well-justified expectation of failure. Would that bring peace of mind, in situations where you're skilled and you might be otherwise predisposed to impostor syndrome? The biggest fear that comes up for me is "what if I'm a better bullshit artist than I think, and I actually land the job?" Curious to hear if you got anything deeper from the experience.

randallsquared 7y ago

One of the reasons imposter syndrome is so prevalent in the tech industry is that everyone with more than a few years of experience has worked alongside people who talked their way into the job but cannot code their way out of a wet paper bag. It's directly related, in my opinion, to the terrible state of interviews in this field.

AlexCoventry 7y ago
Can't people reassure themselves by picking a wet paper bag to code themselves out of?
- cdwhite 7y ago
  Yes! My last year in grad school, this is part of how I kept my sanity: random little side-projects on which I could make concrete progress in a couple of evenings.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
twic 7y ago
I don't get this. How does the fact that many people have worked alongside people who cannot code cause impostor syndrome? It doesn't seem like it would cause it in the first set people - they compare themselves to the people who can't code and feel like the opposite of impostors. It doesn't seem like it would cause it in the people who can't code, because those people really are impostors, so can't have impostor syndrome. So is there some effect on some third group of people?
itronitron 7y ago
That seems like a bit of an exaggeration, or a popular trope at least by people that feel put upon by their coworkers. I've never worked with another developer that couldn't code their way out of a wet paper bag. I think the the terrible state of interviews is due to people wanting to think (or wanting others to think) that what they do is more complicated than it actually is.
- twic 7y ago
  > I've never worked with another developer that couldn't code their way out of a wet paper bag. I have. Not many, but during my time consulting, some of our more pathological clients would have one or two programmers who literally couldn't program.

chrisseaton 7y ago

I interviewed once with a database startup. I don't know anything about databases. I just thought 'yeah I can probably blag that.' I probably looked like an impostor while I piled in in the interview, because I was.

boring_twenties 7y ago
Did you get an offer?
- chrisseaton 7y ago
  No - I wouldn't have been able to do the job.
klyrs 7y ago
My initial reaction to this comment was "uh, so you were an actual impostor... who cares?" Almost downvoted. But I wonder if this experience has value. Literally go in with a firm, well-justified expectation of failure. Would that bring peace of mind, in situations where you're skilled and you might be otherwise predisposed to impostor syndrome? The biggest fear that comes up for me is "what if I'm a better bullshit artist than I think, and I actually land the job?" Curious to hear if you got anything deeper from the experience.