Mask Off: 5 Types of Imposter Syndrome and How to Overcome Them

You pulled it off. You got that major project finished under budget and on time. Now, your teammates and your manager are slapping your back and showering you with praise.

But you can’t enjoy it. The only thing on your mind is: “Just wait until they find out it was all luck. The next project — that’s the one I’ll fail. And then they’ll see. I’m not as good as they think I am.”

Sound familiar? Given that 70 percent of people will suffer from imposter syndrome at some point in their life, it probably does.

Imposter syndrome is a strange psychological phenomenon, one in which a person feels all their successes have happened not through hard work and skill, but purely on accident. A person who feels imposter syndrome believes they do not deserve to be in their job. In their own eyes, they are a fake, a fraud, an imposter.

But that’s really just your mind playing tricks on you. You haven’t climbed the corporate ladder because you fooled everyone along the way — you did it because you put in the work and you got great results.

If you’ve been feeling like a fake recently, check out this new infographic from Resume.io. The handy flow chart will help you determine the specific form of imposter syndrome you’re dealing with (yes, there are different types). Once you’ve made your diagnosis, the infographic can also offer some handy tips for taming your doubts and reclaiming your self-confidence.