Understanding my role after working for 3 years
It’s been a while since I closed the Read with Me series. During this time, I celebrated Lunar New Year with my Chinese parents and had a mid-term performance review with my manager. Although I posted a video blog about my experience in China, I have not yet summarized the feedback I received from my performance reviews, so this is the perfect opportunity to share it in this article. After all, my third anniversary on the job is a few weeks away and it’s a good time to reflect on what I’ve learned along the way. The title may seem like clickbait, but this is a summary of my learnings based on my journey so far.
Imposter syndrome is very common early in a career, and we often wonder if we’re qualified to be offered this job. The technology industry is particularly prevalent as it is a rapidly growing sector. Some algorithms used last year may already be outdated. Everyone chases the latest buzzwords, which can cause a lot of stress for those looking for or working in a job.
There is no way to get rid of this feeling of worthlessness without maintaining a growth mindset. A growth mindset believes in the ability to develop and improve intelligence through hard work, learning, and patience over time. It is the opposite of the fixed mindset, which believes that abilities and intelligence are innate, unchangeable characteristics.
People with a growth mindset are more likely to embrace challenges, persevere in the face of setbacks, see effort as a path to mastery, and learn from criticism.
A tip that I’ve found helpful in maintaining a growth mindset is “fake it until you make it.” You may not be very good at doing A or utilizing B, but I believe you can master it later by studying on your own, learning from others, and practicing.
