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Nearly three-quarters of workers in the U.S. and Canada feel inadequate and undeserving of their success, according to a study by Kickresume.

Seventy-one percent of North American workers suffer from Imposter Syndrome, the data showed, with 50% of workers turning down or missing opportunities and 21% saying their identity (gender, race, and background) influences the condition.

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In Europe, 23% of workers say imposter syndrome makes them feel afraid they will lose their jobs, while 35% of North Americans express the same concern.

“This phenomenon doesn’t just affect young or entry-level workers,” said Peter Duris, CEO and co-founder of Kickresume.

“Even senior executives struggle with it—about 25% of those experiencing imposter syndrome were in senior positions,” he added. “In addition, nearly half of senior professionals said that additional training or experience could significantly ease their self-doubt.”

Fifty-four percent of Gen X workers respond to their Imposter Syndrome by overworking, according to Kickresume, while 58% of senior-level professionals in the U.S. also respond with overwork.

Meanwhile, 55% of North Americans say Imposter Syndrome causes negative self-talk, 48% respond with overwork and 47% with procrastination.

At the same time, 76% of North American workers said Imposter Syndrome slowed their career progression in the long term, with 33% saying it had been significantly slowed.

Dr. Valerie Young, co-founder of the Imposter Syndrome Institute, identified five different types of imposter syndrome.

  • The Perfectionist, who is set back by small mistakes (34% in North America)
  • The Expert, who feels they need to know everything in their field (36% in North America)
  • The Superhuman, who needs to succeed in every area, in and out of work (13% in North America)
  • The Soloist, who finds it hard to accept help (7% in North America)
  • The Natural Genius, who worries that if something doesn’t come easily, they must be bad at it (10% in North America)

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Joe Toppe

Joe Toppe serves as managing editor of PropertyCasualty360.com. Joe is also a father of three, an author, and longtime lover of baseball.