Navigating Imposter Syndrome during Application Season

It’s October, there’s talk of Halloween, and your university is putting up seasonal decorations - all while you’re in the library frantically adding insight days, vacation schemes and training contract deadlines to your calendar. The workload is piling up, and with Winter comes imminent seasonal depression. You’re now second-guessing yourself, your abilities and whether there’s any point in submitting the application anyway. Surely, there are better and more deserving candidates? You, like every law student and professional, have become a victim to Imposter Syndrome. In this article, we will dissect who the syndrome mostly impacts, the various stages of imposter syndrome during application season and the best means of combating its effects.

WHAT IS IMPOSTER SYNDROME, AND WHY IS IT AFFECTING LAW STUDENTS?

First described in 1978 by Suzanne Imes (PhD) and Pauline Rose Clance (PhD), ‘Imposter Syndrome’ describes the unwavering self-doubt of one’s skills, intellect and accomplishments. Those who experience it may doubt themselves, out of fear of being exposed as a “fraud” or someone who does not belong there. It can manifest itself in many forms, the most prominent of which being low self-esteem, fear of both failure and success, burnout, anxiety, depression and excessive comparison to one's peers. 

“Why law students?” is a critical question while examining the syndrome, and the answer can be applied to any professional setting. Students are typically exposed to an educational environment with certain expectations, such as that of being a ‘high achiever’ and attaining good grades. Such dedication towards ‘achieving high’ can reflect later in life as professionals, leading to self-imposed standards and a nest for imposter syndrome to flourish. 

The syndrome has become increasingly common, almost everyone experiences it: whether you’re the average pupil or well-accomplished headteacher. In fact, a study in 2020 suggests that up to 82% of all people experience this “impostor phenomenon,” demonstrating just how widespread this issue is. Post-pandemic, imposter syndrome has reached an all-time high, especially given the surge in ‘working from home.’ Beverley Sunderland, Managing Director at Crossland Employment Solicitors, suggests that the lack of praise and isolation that comes with remote work is enough to inflict self-doubt in your mind. With no colleague interactions, it is easy to fall into the loop of re-checking your work. Without a “well done” from your peers or boss, it is even easier for self-doubt to emerge, creating a breeding ground for imposter syndrome. 

DR PAULINE ROSE CLANCE ON IMPOSTER SYNDROME, AND HOW EACH CRITERIA MANIFESTS DURING APPLICATION SEASON.

In 1978, Dr Clance put forward the idea that Imposter Syndrome was quite a prevalent issue among high achievers, especially women. She argued that early family dynamics and societal expectations lead to a cycle of self-doubt. As a result, those dealing with imposter syndrome began to deny their intellectual capabilities and competence, hence preventing them from fully embracing their achievements. A pioneer in the subject, Clance offered some insight into different stages of the syndrome, something that other psychologists have recently explored in more depth. The following stages of imposter syndrome have no particular order, and allow us to understand how they can each manifest during application season. 

The Imposter Cycle

During application season, most students find themselves trapped in the imposter cycle, feeling as if any success in their applications is undeserved. Such entrapment can be in the form of over-preparation, where pupils over-prepare for interviews, psychometric tests and assessment days. This, in turn, causes students to attach a sense of self-worth to the outcome. Most are afraid of failure and rejection, preventing a significant amount of students from applying in the first place. Joel Eytle, a partner at DLA Piper, stressed the importance of breaking out of your comfort zone and overcoming the imposter cycle. Having delivered the closing keynote at the Diverse Legal Leaders 2023 event, Eytle reaffirmed the importance of acknowledging your achievements and emphasised how every person “deserved success”, especially following successful vacation schemes and training contract applications. Alternatively, the imposter cycle can take the form of procrastination, where individuals feel as if their last-minute preparation will result in them being exposed as a “fraud.” Rest assured, everyone has been a victim of this at some point. Personally, I cannot stress how many times I’ve withdrawn myself from law fairs because I feel my last-minute questions for the firm simply aren’t good enough. This should never be the case! You’re at an event because you deserve to be there. Before sending that application or attending that event, remind yourself that you deserve everything good that’s coming to you. In this way, you’ll be able to reject the feeling of being an “imposter” before you’re even at the cycle stage.

Your desire to be the best is holding you back.

Everyone desires to be the best, get the highest possible grade and secure a training contract with a top firm. Aspiring lawyers, in particular, are famed for holding themselves to impossibly high standards. Most argue that it’s a first-class degree accompanied by a plethora of work experience or nothing. The notion of ‘Perfectionism’ was initially described by Clance et al as the need to “be the best.” Psychologists tend to deem this desire for academic perfectionism as a form of “work martyrdom”, where self-interests are sacrificed for the pursuit of a falsely conceived ‘greater good.’ It’s been demonstrated by studies that a constant desire to be perfect can leave applicants feeling inadequate even when their achievements are something that should be celebrated. A persistent drive towards perfectionism will inevitably overshadow a person’s ability to recognise their actual competence. To combat this, remember that your mistakes aren’t evidence of failure. Instead, consider them as more learning opportunities - you can use them to your advantage!

Superhero Syndrome: rejecting the need for academic validation.

Perhaps one of the most commonly reported aspects of Imposter Syndrome, super-heroism is linked to perfectionism and more specifically, the need to “be the best.” It usually occurs when students over-prepare for even the most simple of tasks, in the hopes of acquiring validation for their hard work from others. This inherent desire to prove one’s worth has become increasingly common and is shown to lead to burnout. Therefore, a sense of inadequacy emerges when students feel that they cannot meet their self-imposed academic expectations. Instead of seeking validation from your peers, it’s a good idea to direct the focus on yourself. How do you feel after completing the work? Is it up to your personal standard? 

Remember that it is crucial to celebrate even your small achievements. Reward yourself for each success and engrave the idea that the only person you strive to please is yourself.

Look for the positive outcomes, instead of focusing on failure.

Atychiphobia (the fear of failure) has probably been my biggest personal hurdle during vacation scheme applications. The fear of rejection has prevented me from discovering so many incredible opportunities in the past year, and only as I write this have I slightly moved past it. Studies demonstrate that a fear of failure and anxiety come hand in hand. The fear of being shamed and exposed as a “fraud” by one’s peers bar many students from achieving success. Too often, do students withdraw applications or hold back from exciting events, fearing that they’ll fail tasks or make a poor impression on recruiters. Does this sound familiar? 

Anita Gohil-Thorp, of lawcare.org,  suggests prioritising positive career drivers (those inspiring growth and academic fulfilment) over being driven by fear. Focus on the little things that excite and motivate you to apply to a firm: Is it the collaborative environment? Or the massive coffee cart available for successful applicants? By distracting yourself from your fear of failure, and replacing negative thoughts with a positive outlook, you’ll be able to overcome imposter syndrome and achieve great things. Don’t let anxiety hold you back.

Denying your own capabilities.

Clance considers the deniability of one’s competence to hold parallels with perfectionism. She emphasises how frequently people, particularly students, undermine their own talents, intellect and achievements. There is a common tendency to internalise failure and relate your own success to external influences. In the age of social media, I find this to be increasingly widespread. Many fellow law students have opened up to me, comparing their individual successes to the achievements of those on LinkedIn and TikTok. While social media can be amazing for selecting positive influences and role models to be ‘inspired’ by, it can also be disastrous in promoting comparison and insecurities. Use social media wisely and remind yourself constantly that comparison is indeed the thief of joy. Kess Eruteya, of the Harvard Business Review, proposes creating a “monthly wins tracker” to remind yourself of how amazing your individual achievements are. Break a spreadsheet into two columns:

1. The type of win (Big or Small?)

2. A brief description of the actions you took.

Upon completion of the exercise, it’s always a good idea to reflect on questions that inspire you to discover the scale of your success. Ask yourself, would the younger version of you be proud? Does this make me feel capable? 

Fearing success is also a real possibility!

Unfortunately, even after accomplishing your own definition of “succeeding”, there’s still a possibility of imposter syndrome emerging. Psychologists refer to this stage as ‘Achievemephobia’ - a fear of success. Some students may feel that succeeding in applications brings a newfound pressure, leading to higher expectations and a rise in the pre-existing workload. Some feel that there are heightened expectations from law firms to ‘know everything’ about the firm’s practice (this isn’t true, training contracts are what ‘train’ you for the real thing!) and anxiety forms. Therefore, students often feel incapable or undeserving of their achievements, and this swiftly transforms into imposter syndrome. Jessica Vanderlan (PhD), a clinical instructor at the Washington University School of Medicine, claims that the best thing you can do is accept that imposter syndrome is normal. Regardless of how much you tackle it or distract yourself, it’ll always come back. It’s important to acknowledge that we’ll always experience new things, she argues. What's important is to recognise your progress in dealing with it. 

PERHAPS THE BIGGEST VICTIM OF IMPOSTER SYNDROME ARE MINORITY GROUPS…

Famous lawyer and former first lady of America, Michelle Obama, says that imposter syndrome has “dogged me for most of my life.” Having experienced stereotyping and racial discrimination from a young age, Obama says she felt she had “something to prove” to her peers because of the colour of her skin. Her former teacher had labelled her openly as not being “Princeton material.” Psychologists argue that such stereotyping from an earlier age can create a self-fulfilling prophecy of self-doubt, something that still manifests itself following Obama’s achievements. Fortunately, she refused to allow imposter syndrome to prohibit her from reaching her potential, but that doesn’t stop her from experiencing doubts here and there. 

In their essay, “The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Prevention”, Dr Pauline Rose Clance and Dr Suzanne Imes examine how the syndrome disproportionately impacts women. Societal expectations towards women, such as the need to conform to traditional gender roles stressing obedience and modesty, pave the path for the syndrome to emerge. The emphasis on modesty causes women to downplay their achievements and relate their successes to external factors like ‘luck.’ This leads them to internalise the belief that their achievements are solely based on ‘good luck’ and aren’t a result of their hard work. Hence, a cycle of self-doubt is set into motion, exposing women to feelings of being an “imposter” and undeserving of their achievements. Although traditional gender roles aren’t as common, women still attribute their success to temporary and external factors like ‘effort’ and ‘luck’, perpetuating feelings of fraudulence. 

While it’s true that a significant amount of men also face imposter syndrome in their day-to-day lives (¼ of the population), around ½ of all women have experienced it too. The University of Law even goes as far as to say that two in five (43%) of all university students have dealt with imposter syndrome in their lives. Although it is likely to emerge in the lives of ethnic minority students and women (due to a variety of factors like prejudice and stereotyping), it is also present in others. You’re not alone in dealing with this, there are others out there who understand what you’re feeling. Find a trusted friend or mentor and confide in them, because facing imposter syndrome in solitude isn’t a good idea. 

To conclude…

Ultimately, Imposter Syndrome has, or may, impact you in some shape or form, in the future. The best thing to do is embrace it and increase your belief in yourself and your self-worth, acknowledging that you deserve every great thing that comes to you. Your achievements are a direct result of your dedication and resilience, and no psychological concept can take that from you! To end with a quote from Clare Josa (2020): “And when you make changes at that deepest level, the whole myriad of limiting beliefs, thought patterns, habits and stresses that go with imposter syndrome melt away.”