PPB March 2020

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT M any Millennials, including myself, struggle with imposter syndrome and feelings of inadequacy. As we enter or approach our 30’s, we may still feel like we don’t have the experience or knowledge required to meaningfully contribute, especially if we’ve always been the youngest person in the room. I started my career at SAGE in the lowest entry- level position. Over the past five years, I’ve worked my way up to a supervisory role and established great relationships by focusing on a few simple strategies. Pick a Niche My father always toldme, “The best way to keep a job is to make yourself indispensable.” One of the ways I’ve done that is by picking a subject in which no one, or only a few others, was knowledgeable and becoming the expert. In your office, is there a topic everyone is aware of, but no one has yet become the expert? Once you identify that topic or area, engage your manager for his or her support in learning something new, and then take ownership. Learn everything you possibly can about it and become the subject matter expert (SME). Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone or beyond the scope of your current role. Your niche can be anything from being the best at digitizing a logo, to knowing everything about a specific decoration or shipping method to studying a legal matter that affects your company. Be confident in the knowledge that you’ve gained and, How to be taken seriously when you’re the youngest person in the workplace. by Kacie Brinner Imposter Syndrome: Get Over It 96 | MARCH 2020 | THINK