By: Mackenzie Guinotte, as part of Heather Nelson’s Service Learning Class
It can be exhausting to not be able to trust the one person you need to depend on, yourself. Feeling like you don’t deserve something or like you aren’t as good as other people perceive you isn’t uncommon and it’s completely normal. In fact, it’s so normal that there is even a name for it. Impostor Syndrome. Many people have this voice in their head saying, “you don’t deserve this” or “why was I of all people chosen” and according to the American Psychological Association, or APA, up to 82% of people feel this way. It’s important to remember that you are not a fraud, but you are worthy of your achievements. One of the best things to do when you are facing Impostor Syndrome is to find someone who can mentor you through these feelings of underachievement. Michella Blankman with Omaha Skills Connection is someone who is able to help you through these feelings and become comfortable in your skills and confident that you are in a place you’re meant to be.
The APA also mentions that minority groups are more likely to experience feelings of impostor syndrome. Impostor Syndrome can be caused by feeling a pressure to achieve. Looking at those around you and comparing yourself to them can contribute as well as social pressures and even your family. This can cause the feeling of not having what it takes even though you are qualified or have the necessary requirements. Additionally, impostor syndrome is more common among people who are entering a new chapter in their life such as starting a new program or searching for a new job. The Omaha Skills Connection is a wonderful place to go if you are someone in this position. Their mission is to “eliminate barriers by providing access to skill trades, job readiness, assistance, and financial literacy through the integration of education and workforce development, to create a seamless pipeline to employment.” This company is aimed specifically at helping people in a position like this. It provides a way for you to connect with jobs that will make you feel fulfilled and confident in the work that you’re doing. To do this, Omaha Skills Connection bridges the gap between education and technology in the workforce by providing literacy workshops, financial literacy, basic computer training, career exploration and more.
Taking the step to join Omaha Skills Connection and gain the knowledge you need to succeed and connections to get you to where you want to be shows how much you’re willing to do to get there. It shows that you’re eager to learn and you’re a driven person. Find the skills that you didn’t know that you had and learn where you can apply them. Join a team that fits with you and that you fit with. With Omaha Skills Connection, that feeling of fraud and anxiety can go away because you are learning to highlight your skills and to apply them to the workforce. You are someone who is worthy of what you have and worthy of even more than what you have. You deserve to feel that sense of achievement.
About Omaha Skills Connection:
Omaha Skills Connection is a 501c3 non-profit organization located in Omaha, Nebraska established as a result of the post pandemic era to help bridge the skills gap between education, technology and today’s workforce. Omaha needs an educated, flexible and dynamic workforce in today’s knowledge-based economy. OSC connects talent to opportunity, modernizing employee development for today’s workforce.
“Feel like a Fraud?” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2013/11/fraud.
#impostorsyndrome #getconnected #mentalhealth #impostor #youareworthit #OmahaSkillsConnection #OSC