An expert has identified eight indicators of career dysmorphia that individuals should be mindful of.
Career dysmorphia is a condition where one has a skewed perception of their work and achievements, leading to feelings of inadequacy.
Although it shares similarities with imposter syndrome—which typically emerges during bouts of self-doubt—career dysmorphia presents as a persistent, distorted view of one’s entire professional life.
This perception can alter your behavior at work, diminish your accomplishments, and make career advancement seem unattainable.
The impact of career dysmorphia extends beyond job performance; it can significantly affect one’s mental health and emotional well-being.
Constantly downplaying your successes and convincing yourself of inadequacy can heighten anxiety and damage self-esteem. Furthermore, overworking in an attempt to demonstrate your value can lead to exhaustion and burnout.
According to Dan Bruce, a career expert at Pressreacher, there are eight key signs of career dysmorphia, along with strategies to address them.
One prominent sign is the tendency to compare oneself to others; you might easily list others’ strengths and successes but struggle to acknowledge your own achievements. This perception is often inaccurate, as many people view others more favorably than themselves.
Seeing colleagues celebrate their achievements on platforms like LinkedIn can make you feel like you’re lagging behind, especially if they’re younger or have spent less time at the company.
Even when you achieve significant milestones, you might dismiss them as something ‘anyone could have done’ or attribute them to luck, rather than taking pride in your accomplishments.
Career dysmorphia can lead to excessive self-criticism, causing hesitation in decision-making or repeated attempts to perfect tasks. This can turn even simple tasks into daunting challenges and lead to a buildup of stress over everyday responsibilities.
Instances like a colleague receiving more credit for a joint effort, or a delayed response from a manager, can accumulate, making you feel overlooked and undervalued.
These feelings of invisibility can erode confidence, making you reluctant to share ideas or speak up in meetings.
This creates a cycle where holding back could result in missed opportunities to showcase your skills, ironically reinforcing the belief that you go unnoticed.
A hallmark of career dysmorphia is the inability to accept praise, as you may feel undeserving of it. As a result, you might dismiss compliments and fail to acknowledge your contributions.
When you perceive your contributions as insufficient, you might compromise your work-life balance by overcommitting, agreeing to everything, and working longer hours, yet still feel insecure.
Upon recognizing these signs, you can begin altering your distorted perspective and reshaping your view of your career.
Building success involves small, consistent actions. Record every achievement, no matter its size, to celebrate progress and remind yourself of your growth.
Rather than comparing yourself to others, let their successes inspire you, and don’t hesitate to share your ideas to build confidence.
Feedback plays a crucial role. Positive input from colleagues and managers not only points out areas for improvement but also highlights strengths you might have overlooked.
Reconsider what success means to you—it could be about succeeding in a challenging project or having a productive meeting.
Most importantly, challenge negative self-talk. Transform thoughts like ‘I’m not as good as my colleague’ into ‘My skills are different, but equally valuable’.
Keep in mind that what seems ‘not enough’ to you often appears successful to others.