The Fraud Squad - Learning to manage Impostor Syndrome as a Tester - Claire Reckless

"I've just got where I am though luck!"

"I'm going to be found out at any moment!"

"I don't deserve the success I've achieved!"

"I'm a giant fraud!"

These are all pretty common thoughts someone suffering from Impostor Syndrome might have. I hear Impostor Syndrome mentioned frequently as something common in our industry, but hadn't even heard of it until a couple of years ago. It's something a lot of successful and really intelligent people suffer from. It's effects can be debilitating, and it shouldn't be dismissed as non-existent or unimportant. We need to acknowledge it, talk about it, and make it ok for people to admit they are affected by it.

I'll talk about how my own feelings of Impostor Syndrome have affected me throughout career, even when I didn't know what it was, what I've done to manage these negative feelings, and how it's enabled me to start making a positive contribution to the testing community.

Content Advisory
This talk includes a brief retelling of an anecdote originally shared by Neil Gaiman, which is explicitly referenced during the talk. Since this talk was recorded at TestBash 2017, reports have emerged about Neil Gaiman’s alleged behaviour, which some viewers may find upsetting. Please be aware of this context before watching.
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