Challenging imposter syndrome: What I learned as a student entering the workforce
I knew I’d been hired for a reason when I started my student placement as a communications assistant at Calgary Counselling Centre (CCC).
I was there to learn. But I also knew I had skills CCC was looking for – writing experience, interviewing, and creating digital content. Knowing that didn’t stop the self-doubt from beginning to creep in.
Starting this new job meant entering a workplace filled with more experienced colleagues. I’d worry about making mistakes, whether I knew enough, or if my work would meet the standard expected of me.
Even the positive feedback I received was hard to accept. Part of me thought my supervisors were just trying to be nice.
I knew that being nervous was normal. Starting a new job is unfamiliar and scary, especially when you want to succeed. But I wanted to understand when “I’m still learning” turned into “I don’t belong here.”
Time to prove myself
A big part of my job was meeting with CCC’s counsellors to gather information for the writing I’d be doing, like blogs and social media. One counsellor I spoke with explained that when entering the workforce, many young adults haven’t had the chance to show themselves what they can do.
Confidence often builds after we do the things we’re nervous about, like when I spoke in a meeting for the first time and realized nobody judged me for what I said.
When you’re new, you don’t have much evidence to draw from yet. But that doesn’t mean you’re incapable. It simply means you haven’t had enough time to see your abilities shine.
Feeling like an imposter was about me, not my job
Another counsellor explained that imposter syndrome isn’t a clinical term, but a way for people to describe a particular and prominent kind of self-doubt.
Normal nervousness might sound like, “I’ve never used this software before, and I’m worried about figuring it out.”
Imposter syndrome can sound more like, “I’ll never understand this software because I’m not capable of figuring it out.”
That distinction stood out to me.
Being nervous is often connected to the unfamiliar and to tasks and projects where you want to do well. So, naturally, you will feel some anxiety.
But imposter syndrome becomes more personal.
Instead of questioning whether you know how to do a task, you start to question whether you deserve to be in your position at all.
You might worry other people will discover you’re not as qualified as they thought. This can make you focus too much on how you’re seen by others, where you assume your more experienced coworkers are thinking less of you.
I was more willing to believe criticism
The connection between imposter syndrome and perfectionism made me think differently about how I responded to feedback professionally.
A person can receive praise, complete successful projects, and be trusted with more responsibility, all while still believing they’re not capable enough.
But then, when one piece of criticism arrives, they take it personally and trust every word.
A counsellor described this as all-or-nothing thinking. You might believe that you’re either doing everything perfectly or a complete failure.
The part I find frustrating is that this thinking doesn’t work in both directions.
One compliment won’t convince you that you’re doing well. One correction, however, can make you feel completely unqualified.
And over time, you start only paying attention to the criticism that supports your self-doubt.
What helped me was to think about the difference between making a mistake and being a mistake.
“I didn’t do this assignment the way it needed to be done” is not the same as “I’m bad at my job.”
Experience doesn’t make imposter syndrome disappear
As a student entering the workforce, it made sense that I would feel uncertain about myself. I was still learning what professional experience looked like off campus.
But another counsellor I spoke with reminded me that nobody enters a new position knowing everything, and feeling like an imposter can affect people of any age and stage of their career.
What can help is the reminder that everyone is constantly learning.
We gain knowledge through experience. It would be impossible to know what every assignment or workplace situation looks like before ever encountering it.
Instead of treating every unknown situation as proof you aren’t ready, you can approach it with curiosity.
You could ask yourself, “What can I learn here?” rather than, “Why didn't I know this already?”
When self-doubt starts affecting more than work
It’s not necessarily a bad thing to feel challenged at work. Getting through hard projects, no matter if they’re successful, is how we grow.
But when you avoid speaking up, trying unfamiliar tasks, or accepting new opportunities because you’re afraid of failing, your self-doubt is taking over in an unhealthy way.
And when self-doubt starts to follow you outside of work, you might feel like you can’t enjoy anything you accomplish.
You might find it difficult to separate your work performance from your overall worth as a person. This can impact your relationships in and out of the workplace, along with basic self-care efforts, like getting proper sleep.
Over time, struggling with ongoing feelings of being an imposter can contribute to anxiety, burnout, low self-esteem, and feelings of depression.
What helped me feel more grounded
In many ways, this position has allowed my professional skills and abilities to develop—along with my confidence.
I’ve learned several ways to challenge self-doubt when it starts taking over at work. One was to focus on what I could control.
I can’t control whether every assignment I work on goes perfectly. But I can control the care I put into my work, whether I ask questions, and how I respond to feedback.
It can also help to think about your values.
Maybe one value I want to hold at work is curiosity. I can approach feedback with less self-judgement and more receptiveness and with a more open mind.
This way, no matter what happens at work, I can control whether I’m aligned with my values.
Imposter syndrome can make it easy to forget how far you’ve come. Another suggestion was to keep track of progress and accomplishments.
By writing down completed assignments, skills developed, or positive feedback I received, I can give myself something concrete to look back on.
Be willing to introduce more support
There are skills I already have, people I can ask for support, and opportunities to prove to myself that I can cope with the uncertainty of professional growth.
And as you grow, it’s normal to doubt yourself.
But if feelings of self-doubt are affecting your mood, performance, or daily life, talking to a counsellor can help.
Professional support can offer a personalized space for you to not only address these thoughts but actively challenge them.
Remember, you’re more capable than you think!
Julianna Adair spent the summer working as a communications student at Calgary Counselling Centre in 2026 while completing her journalism and digital media degree. Entering a new workplace as a student gave her a firsthand look at how easily self-doubt can follow you into unfamiliar spaces.
Information for this blog was provided by registered social workers, Kyle Ho, Sharona Pilmeister, and Fiona Schick, and registered psychologist, Lisa McIsaac. Learn more about our counsellors.