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OCTOBER 26, 2024
You're An Imposter.
READ TIME - 4 MINUTES
Ever felt like a popped balloon when reading job descriptions? Floating one second and totally deflated the next?
You tell yourself one of these three things:
1)Â "I'm not qualified for this."Â
2) "They'll just overlook or ignore me."
3) "What am I thinking?! I'll never land a job like this."
I had those gnawing thoughts too.Â
BUT
Those thoughts aren't actually YOU.
Those whispers are from a little turd called "The Anxiety Monster."
Forgive the colloquial language but I have zero respect for that little goblin.
It whispers nasty lies into your ear because it doesn't want you to succeed.
It survives on worry and basks in uncertainty.
I know because I've dealt with it too.
After years of smothering it with information (after all, knowledge is power), I'm here to definitively say unto you:
It doesn't deserve to live rent free in that brilliant noggin of yours.
So, this week's message is all about smothering your Anxiety Monster with your own knowledge.
Show it who is in charge.
Follow my quick, specific, step-by-step guide to kick those imposter feelings to the curb using one of my favorite free public tools—LinkedIn Profile Search.
Step 1: Reality Check with LinkedIn Profiles
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Pick a Job Posting – Choose one role you feel like an imposter for. Be specific. (But not ridiculous. Sorry, you're probably not going to become a plastic surgeon or an astronaut without a few more certifications...)
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Search People on LinkedIn – Type in the role title (e.g., "Event Coordinator") and click "People."
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Review Profiles – Look at 5-10 profiles of people in that role. Focus on their experience paths.
Step 2: Deconstruct & Compare
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Identify Common Paths – Note down what experience these people had before their current role. Do you see teaching? Volunteering? Completely different industries? You'll find surprising diversity.
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Map Your Own Journey – Write down your own past roles and experiences. Match any common skills or experiences you saw on those LinkedIn profiles.
Step 3: Skill Spotlight
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Pull Specific Skills – Note 3-5 skills these professionals emphasize (e.g., project management, stakeholder communication).
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Match Your Examples – For each skill, write one example from your background. You likely already have more of what they have than you think.
Example: If someone lists "Event Planning," you could mention managing a school event, coordinating a fundraiser, or leading a committee with an event component.
Step 4: Save & Repeat
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Bookmark Profiles – Save a couple of profiles as references.
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Repeat This Exercise – Do this with a few roles that excite you.
The goal is to demystify these roles and recognize that there's no "perfect" background—just diverse experiences that overlap with yours.
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Next Steps: Go on, try it. Pick a job post and spend 10 minutes on LinkedIn. Let me know how it helps!
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Want to Dive Deeper?
Stop feeling like an imposter by compiling your transferable (and highly sought after ) skills in my Elevated Career Change Accelerator™. You'll clarify your focus, find tons of open roles, refine your job search, and land the role that’s right for YOU.
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Remember:
The Anxiety Monster will lie to you. It will work against you. It will tell you things like "you aren't qualified," or "you can't do this," or "you're going to be stuck forever."
You deserve better. Show it what's what by smoking it out with knowledge.
Follow my steps to gather that beautiful, shining, truth-filled data based in reality from people who have actually walked the path you want to walk.Â
Get started today. Tomorrow you will thank yourself.
With you all the way.
Hope you'll give these steps a try.
See you next week.
When you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:
1. The Elevated Career Change Accelerator™: Join countless educators in my flagship course. The Elevated Career Change Accelerator teaches you exactly how to transition from classroom to corporate (and even land your first promotion) in record time. Come inside to get 10 years of career transition expertise, proven methods, and actionable strategies across 6 in-depth modules.Â
2. 1:1 Action Planning Session: Get your personalized strategies to smoothly transition from teaching to a corporate career, tailored to your unique experiences and goals. Together, we'll develop a practical, step-by-step action plan to navigate your career change confidently and effectively.Â
3. The Promotion Accelerator™: Already hired? Don't simply wait for a promotion. You'll learn the most popular way success is tracked in corporate roles, set the one-year promotion plan in motion, and learn exactly how to be your strongest advocate in getting more responsibility, money, and freedom.
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