Ask HN: What to do when you keep failing upwards?

1 pointsrootsu4y ago2 comments

I am an average engineer. I am not extremely bright nor I am technically gifted. I am just your bang average IT person, but For the last two-three years, I seem to have been failing upwards in my career without any reason.

I know my basic way around servers. I can write simple python scripts. I can google my way around the problems but that is the end of my wits. The only redeeming quality that I have is that I get well along with everyone. I am seeing my peers writing amazing scripts and doing exceptional jobs but for some reason, I am the one who is getting promoted and getting raises instead of them. Everywhere around me I see people vastly more competent in what they do. And I'm pretty sure to them it's obvious I'm just copying what they do but worse.

Now I have started getting calls from Fortune 100 companies for management positions and I am not sure I would ever survive there. I don't know what to do here.

Has any of you ever experienced this?

2 comments

2 comments · 2 top-level

simonblack4y ago

Imposter Syndrome.

I see 'imposter syndrome' as a rite-of-passage when a tech person advances enough to be included in the 'high-level' set of tech people. At the start, they don't know quite as much as the 'really-high-level' people in the group, so they feel unworthy of being included. As they learn more and move upwards within the group, that imposter syndrome fades away.

I am an average engineer. I am not extremely bright nor I am technically gifted.

You're probably more bright and technically gifted than you think. As you have learned more, that level of 'your normal' has moved up with you.

livinglist4y ago

be a man, do right thing! (or woman)

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