Joo Eun Haldeman

Sometimes, I experience the Expert type of Imposter Syndrome because of the following:

The Expert Characteristics	My Reaction
Do you shy away from applying to job postings unless you meet every single educational requirement?	I stopped applying for instructional design jobs because I assumed that all jobs require an instructional design or adult learning degree.
Are you constantly seeking out trainings or certifications because you think you need to improve your skills in order to succeed?	Despite providing training and coordinating certifications for online courses in my previous job, I enrolled in Boise’s OPWL program because I felt that I lacked the principles of adult learning to properly recommend certain course setups.
Do you shudder when someone says you’re an expert?	When people ask for my advice as an instructional designer, I worry that my advice will backfire.

One reason, that I sometimes feel like an imposter, is because my work title does not actually reflect my responsibilities.

I officially work as an instructional technologist, meaning that I train and support faculty, staff and students using the Learning Management System Blackboard, that houses all our online courses. According to all the online articles I have read, I should only provide technical support and solutions. However, in my department, supporting people also includes assisting instructors with creating fully online courses, something that most Higher Education institutions assign to just instructional designers.

The other reason why I feel like an imposter was how my previous job reacted to me assuming instructional design duties. I ended up becoming a course review manager and certification coordinator because the original two people left and no one else would do the work. Despite having a graduate degree and teaching at a university level, the head of my division told me that the instructors would reject me because I was not what they expected. 

Not surprising, I have a nagging voice inside my head that says, “Your contributions will always be less valuable than actual instructional designers.” 

However, I want to repeat that I sometimes feel like an imposter, and that feeling has lessened over time. After reading Shilagh Mirgain’s “Tips to overcome imposter syndrome,” I realize that I use some of the recommendations to squash my doubt. 

The Steps	Tips to overcome imposter syndrome
Refocusing	Feelings aren’t facts.  My anxiety is not reality. I lose time working on a solution, if I let my fears and frustrations get me.
Reframing the Past	Don’t ruminate, rewire.  If my last division head was trying to warn me of campus attitudes, it was a terrible way to phrase it.  All three supervisors from my previous job vouched for my work as a trainer, course review manager, and certification coordinator.
Reframing the Present	Action, not perfection. Mistakes are opportunities to learn. I was given ID duties because I can handle them.
Preparing to move forward with the following	Work toward a larger purpose I still have much to learn and add to my portfolio, but I will learn what I need gradually. Even if my current job does not want to use what I create, I will find someplace that does.

Finally, the last thing that helps me stop feeling like an imposter is sharing. Just talking about my fears aloud helps me with my designer-stress, and designer-self-doubt. I hope that these skills also help you.

References

Authority, U. of W. H. and C. (n.d.). Tips to Overcome Imposter Syndrome (Links to an external site.). UW Health. Retrieved January 22, 2020, from https://www.uwhealth.org/health-wellness/tips-to-overcome-imposter-syndrome/52943

Wilding, M. (2017, May 10). 5 Types of Imposter Syndrome and How to Stop Them (Links to an external site.). https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-different-types-of-imposter-syndrome-and-5-ways-to-battle-each-one

Authority, WGU. (n.d). What is an Instructional Technologist? Instructional Technologist Career Guide. Retrieved July 7. 2022 from https://www.wgu.edu/career-guide/education/instructional-technologist-career.html