Imposter Syndrome in Tech with Carter Morgan

Carter Morgan takes the guest seat today to chat with host Stephanie Wong about imposter syndrome in tech. The technology ecosystem is constantly changing, with new advances every day. To keep up, tech workers are learning and developing new skills so frequently that at times it can feel as though they don't actually know everything they need to know. Here is where self-doubt can really take hold.

Imposter syndrome is most prevalent around transition points, Carter tells us. A new job or new responsibility, for example, opens tech workers to feelings of inadequacy. But there's hope, and he explains how we can learn and develop skills to overcome this difficulty. Through tales of his own experiences, Carter offers supportive tips he's learned, including how important it is to communicate with your manager and seek help rather than isolating.

Unhealthy comparisons can foster self-doubt as well. Depth and breadth of knowledge are important factors to consider as well, and Carter points out that each has its benefits. Knowing when to go deep into a subject and when to obtain surface level knowledge can foster a sense of ease and adequacy in knowledge workers. Stephanie shares her experiences with imposter syndrome, highlighting the difference between self-perception and audience perception and why it's important to give yourself credit for what you've accomplished. Breaking into a new space can be intimidating. Carter walks us through important steps to take to start tackling imposter syndrome from the beginning, including the effects of positive mentorships.

This month, Carter is giving a presentation at Cloud Learn (Dec 8-9, 2021), and he wraps up this episode with a sneak peak.

Carter Morgan

Carter Morgan is Developer Advocate for Google Cloud, where he creates and hosts content on Google's Youtube channel, co-hosts several Google Cloud podcasts, and designs courses like the Udacity course "Scalable Microservices with Kubernetes" he co-created with Kelsey Hightower.

Carter Morgan is an international standup comedian, who's approach of creating unique moments with the audience in front of him has seen him perform all over the world, including in Paris, London, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with Joe White. And in 2019, and the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Previously, he was a programmer for the USAF and Microsoft.

Cool things of the week

• Cloud Learn site
• 5 things not to do with Cloud Functions, and 5 things you absolutely should do instead blog

Interview

• Cloud Learn site
• What do I really need to know to succeed at work? blog

Hosts

Stephanie Wong