Millennials: the Imposter Syndrome Generation Driving the Great Resignation
We’re not gonna take it anymore.
When I hear from my boss that I’m an expert in my field, I don’t take it seriously. I tend to think of myself as a stressed-out 20-something fumbling my way through my first job in my field. The knowledge that I’m in my mid-30s with over a decade of experience makes me anxious.
And yet, I have found that many people my age, particularly between 30 and 40, feel similarly. We graduated college into a horrific recession and immediately had our earnings stunted by being forced into a series of entry-level jobs. Now, we are well into adulthood, and those of us lucky enough to get into and stay in our intended fields find ourselves with years of experience while often still being treated like neophytes.
I’ve got all sorts of stories from friends about this. One has been in entry-level positions for her whole career, and despite being in her mid-30s, doesn’t make enough money to have her own place. Another has been with his firm for a long time, yet is looked down upon by his elder colleagues while watching in envy as they give the recent cohort of younger colleagues opportunities he never had.
Another of my friends wound up in HR despite not really wanting to do that kind of work, and she is…
