Have you ever sat down to update your resume and thought, "Who am I kidding?"
I want to tell you about a former client of mine. I'll call her Erin. Erin was bright, personable, and one of the hardest-working people I have ever coached. She spent most of her career at one company, her family's company, working under and alongside several relatives day in and day out.
When the family decided to close the business, Erin found herself job searching for the first time in years. That's when the imposter syndrome hit. She told me she didn't think anyone would take her seriously, because it was "just" a family company.
Here's what I told her, and what I want you to hear too. Imposter syndrome during a career change is incredibly common, and it says nothing about your actual ability. In a 2020 KPMG study of 750 executive women, 75% said they had experienced it at some point in their careers.
Below are the seven strategies Erin and I used together, plus what I've learned from nearly 20 years of reviewing resumes and sitting on the hiring side of the table.
What is imposter syndrome, and why does it show up during a career change?
Imposter syndrome is the persistent feeling that you aren't as capable as other people think you are, and that sooner or later you'll be "found out." Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes first described it in 1978 as the "impostor phenomenon" after studying high-achieving women.
A career change is the perfect setup for it. You're stepping out of a role where you knew the rules and into a job search where you have to explain yourself to strangers. Suddenly every job description reads like it was written for someone more qualified than you.
As an ex-HR Manager and recruiter, I can tell you the people reading your resume aren't looking for perfect. They're looking for someone who can clearly connect what she has done to what the role needs. That is a skill, and skills can be learned.
What imposter syndrome tells you | What's actually true |
"I only worked at a family company." | You still managed real responsibilities, people, and results. Those skills transfer. |
"I don't have the right job title." | Hiring managers hire for skills and outcomes. Your title is just one label for them. |
"Everyone else is more qualified." | Job descriptions are wish lists. Very few candidates check every box. |
"They'll see right through me in the interview." | Interviews reward clear, prepared stories, and those can be practiced. |
1. Name it and normalize it
The first step in overcoming imposter syndrome is naming it and knowing you are far from alone. A 2019 systematic review in the Journal of General Internal Medicine of 62 studies found that rates of imposter feelings ranged from 9% to 82%, depending on the group studied.
That range tells you something important. These feelings show up across industries, ages, and career levels. They are not proof that you are the one person in the room who doesn't belong.
Action steps:
- Share what you're feeling with a trusted friend, family member, therapist, or coach. Saying it out loud takes away a lot of its power.
- Keep a simple journal of your thoughts during your job search. Over time, you'll notice patterns and triggers, like reading job postings late at night.
- When you catch the negative thoughts creeping in, have a go-to response ready, such as an affirmation or a quick call to a friend.
2. Challenge negative thoughts with evidence
Imposter syndrome runs on feelings, so the best way to challenge it is with facts about what you've actually done. Dr. Valerie Young, author of The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women and co-founder of the Impostor Syndrome Institute, teaches that you don't have to feel confident first. You change how you think about competence, and the confidence follows.
This is exactly where I start with clients like Erin. We separate what you did from the job title or company name it happened to be attached to. That's the gap between "you on paper" and your whole self, and it's usually where your best evidence is hiding.
Action steps:
- Start a success journal. Write down wins big and small, kind words from colleagues, and problems you solved. It doesn't have to be detailed.
- Ask coworkers, friends, or mentors what they see as your strengths. An outside view is hard to argue with.
- Use the affirmations from strategy one to answer negative self-talk in the moment.
3. Set realistic expectations for yourself
Unrealistic expectations feed imposter syndrome, because you'll never feel like enough when the bar is perfection. In the same KPMG research on women leaders, 81% of executive women said they put more pressure on themselves not to fail than men do.
I want to be honest with you here. Job searches are hard, and career changes take time. Nobody walks into a new field knowing everything, and nobody expects you to.
Action steps:
- Break your search into small, doable tasks, like updating one section of your LinkedIn profile this week.
- Have informational conversations with people who already hold the title or work at the companies you're curious about. They'll give you a realistic picture of what the job takes.
- Give yourself permission to be a learner. Growth takes time, and that's okay.
4. Build a support system that gets it
A strong support system is one of the most effective ways to quiet imposter syndrome, because other people can see your value when you can't. The KPMG study found that 72% of executive women turned to a mentor or trusted advisor when they doubted their ability to take on a new role.
I'll always believe relationships matter more than cold applications. The right conversation can open a door that a hundred online applications never will.
Action steps:
- Look beyond your existing network and start building a new one in the field you want to move into.
- Attend networking events, join a professional association, or find online communities, like LinkedIn groups, where people in your target field gather.
- Reach out directly to people who are already doing the work. Most are happy to share how they got there.
5. Keep learning and building new skills
Learning something new is one of the fastest ways to build real confidence for a career change. The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 expects nearly 40% of the skills used on the job to change by 2030, so everyone is learning as they go.
That means you aren't behind. You're doing exactly what the rest of the workforce will need to do.
Action steps:
- Take a course, workshop, or industry conference related to the work you want to do.
- It doesn't have to be a university program. LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, Udemy, or Skillshare are easy ways to get your feet wet.
- Once you feel more comfortable, you can always move on to more advanced training or a certification later.
6. Practice self-compassion
Self-compassion means treating yourself with the same kindness you would offer a good friend going through the same thing. That definition comes from Dr. Kristin Neff, a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin and a leading expert on self-compassion.
Erin was so hard on herself. Again and again, I reminded her of everything she had accomplished in her career and in her personal life. We tend to be our own worst critics, and it's time to become our own biggest cheerleaders instead.
Action steps:
- When you start getting down on yourself, reread your success journal, repeat an affirmation, or call a friend for a little ego boost.
- Treat setbacks, like a rejection email, as information and a chance to learn, not a verdict on your worth.
- Build small self-care habits into your week so the job search doesn't take over your whole life.
7. Visualize your success
Visualization helps with imposter syndrome because it makes the new career feel real and familiar before you're in it. Picture yourself in the role, handling the hard moments well and contributing in ways that matter to you.
Keep that picture front and center. Journal about it, make a vision board, or practice telling your career story out loud until it sounds natural. The more familiar it feels, the less room imposter syndrome has to move in.
Action steps:
- Set aside a few minutes each week to imagine specific scenes, like your first day or a great interview.
- Create a vision board that represents your goals and the lifestyle you want your career to support.
- Surround yourself with reminders of what you're capable of.
How does imposter syndrome show up on your resume?
Imposter syndrome often shows up on paper as underselling, with resumes that list duties instead of results and play down real achievements. After nearly 20 years of reviewing and rewriting resumes, this is one of the most common patterns I see.
It looks like burying your biggest wins at the bottom of a bullet list, or leaving out work because it "wasn't official." For Erin, it was assuming a family company didn't count.
When "you on paper" doesn't match your whole self, hiring managers can't see what you bring. Getting your resume right is often the moment clients finally say, "This is a resume I am proud of. If you’re ready for a resume that shines your skills and talents, that’s exactly what my resume services are here for.
FAQs: Imposter syndrome and career change
Q: Is it normal to have imposter syndrome when changing careers? A: Yes. A career change puts you in unfamiliar territory, which is exactly when self-doubt tends to show up. A 2020 KPMG study found 75% of executive women had experienced imposter syndrome. Feeling it doesn't mean you're unqualified. It usually means you're stretching into something new.
Q: How do I stop feeling like a fraud in job interviews? A: Prepare specific stories about results you've achieved, then practice saying them out loud. Interviewers want to hear how you solved problems, not a perfect resume. When you walk in knowing your stories, there's far less room for that "they'll see through me" feeling.
Q: What's the difference between imposter syndrome and actually being underqualified? A: Imposter syndrome ignores evidence. You have the experience but don't believe it counts. Being underqualified means a real skill gap exists for a specific role. Write down your accomplishments and compare them to the job description. The facts usually tell a different story than the fear does.
Q: Can a career coach help with imposter syndrome? A: A career coach can help you see your experience clearly, translate it for a new field, and practice telling your story with confidence. A coach isn't a therapist, though. If self-doubt is affecting your daily life or mental health, a licensed therapist is the right partner.
Q: Does imposter syndrome ever go away? A: For many people, it doesn't disappear completely, but it gets quieter and easier to manage. I still feel it every now and then myself. The strategies above give you tools to recognize it quickly and keep moving forward anyway.
You are more capable than you realize
As Erin and I worked together through her career change, we built these strategies into her day-to-day life. It wasn't always easy. And I'll be honest, I still get hit with imposter syndrome every now and again too.
But please remember this. You are more capable than you realize, and your experience counts, no matter what company name or job title it came with. Put these strategies in place, be patient with yourself, and trust that you can do this.
If you'd like someone in your corner while you figure out your next step, I'd love to chat. Grab a free consultation call with me here.
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