While imposter syndrome is a legitimate issue that affects many people, there is another type of imposter in the software development world that doesn’t get talked about enough: the actual imposter.
Yes, you read that right. There are people out there who claim to be software developers, but in reality, they don’t know the first thing about programming. They’re the ones who somehow managed to convince someone to give them a job, and now they’re struggling to keep up with the rest of the team, or worse, they’re holding the team back.
You might think that these people would be easy to spot, but that’s not always the case. Some of them are great at faking it until they make it, while others are just really good at hiding their lack of knowledge.
The Signs of an Imposter
So, how can you tell if someone is an imposter? Here are a few signs to watch out for:
They’re always asking for help: While it’s normal for developers to ask for help from time to time, an imposter will constantly need assistance with even the most basic tasks. They may also struggle to explain what they’re working on or how they plan to fix an issue.
They don’t know basic coding concepts: An imposter may not understand the difference between a function and a method or have trouble understanding the fundamentals of object-oriented programming.
They’re always behind schedule: Because they don’t know what they’re doing, an imposter will often take much longer to complete tasks than the rest of the team.
They make excuses: When an imposter is caught not knowing something, they may try to deflect by blaming someone else or making excuses for why they don’t know something.
An impostor may not be engaged in actual development tasks, instead they could be occupying themselves with activities such as assuming the role of a Product Manager or carrying out tasks that are entirely unrelated to development, for instance, creating documentation.
The worst part is, they don’t know they’re an imposter: An imposter may not realize that they don’t know what they’re doing. They may think they’re doing a good job, but in reality, they’re just getting by.
How to Deal with an Imposter
I suggest two ways to deal with imposters:
Be honest: If you suspect that someone is an imposter, be honest with them. Tell them that you think they’re struggling and that you’re willing to help them learn. If they’re willing to learn, great! If not, you may need to consider other options. which leads me to my next point…
Don’t be afraid to remove them: In the event that the imposter is impeding your productivity or hindering progress, it might be necessary to release them from the team. Though terminating an employee is not a preferred course of action, it is more beneficial than allowing them to become an obstacle to the team’s success.
If you are the imposter, I hope you will take this as a wake-up call. You may be able to fake it for a while, but eventually, you will be found out. If you want to be a software developer, you need to learn how to code. If you don’t know how to code, you need to learn how to code. If you don’t want to learn how to code, you need to find a different job.
I am taking my job very seriously, and I expect you to do the same. If you want to be a REAL software developer, you need to EARN IT, don’t fake it.
Cheers! 🍺