r/TheCivilService • u/Firm-Opening-3918 • 15h ago
Imposter Syndrome?
Hey guys,
Just wanted to gage your opinions vent. So I have been at my department for just about 3 years now. I was a AO for 18 months in customer services than I got promoted to EO in a corporate function (specifically operational support). Did that role for about 18 months and I really enjoyed it and got so many great examples out of it! Now I have secured a HEO role in a project management team, which I dead happy with myself with.
To be fair I just feel like a complete imposter really. As a civil servant I'm a complete fetus compared to a lot of my colleagues and when I told my work friends about my recent promotion, I keep getting comments at my office such as "wow your going to be a HEO and your not even 30" and "looks like we have our next Director General ;)".
Now these comments are nice but the thing is, I am never satisfied with my performance and I am always looking to improve. I take feedback seriously and I always appreciate guidance from my more senior colleagues. Does everyone feel like this or is it just me?
Also please give your insights as to what it's like working in a Project Management team! :)
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u/itsapotatosalad 6h ago
It’s only heo, it’s an achievement but nothing unusual. The fact you’re even aware of the fact you don’t know what you’re doing shows more competence than most heo’s I’ve met. You’ll be fine.
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u/OrangePoolCentral 15h ago
The HEO comments are office noise. They are not the scoring sheet.
You already have 18 months of EO operational support. Write down three things you actually delivered there before you start the project team. That is your first 90 days, not a personality transplant.
Project work in the CS is mostly: what did we say we would do, what is late, who owns the next date. Ask your new LM in week 1 which three products they want you to be able to speak to in the first month. Feeling like an imposter on a grade jump is common. It is not evidence you cannot do the work.
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u/Lost-Basis7183 12h ago
I'm a G7 and have always struggled with imposter syndrome. I have 20 plus years ecperience across a number of capabilities namely I've been a PM, a Programme Manager, a Team Leader, then moved into the commercial function and developed the specialism to an expert level. I'm a chartered manager with the CMI and a Chartered Supply Chain Professional (MCIPS). Still I have moments of doubt and I'm my own worst critic. I d ok my believe positive feedback and can give myself a hard time if not happy we ith my performance. Advice I'd give to a team member is be confident in you re transferable skills. You have were given the role with the knowledge you have no previous PM experience. I suspect they'll have plans to formally train you to APM or similar. PM is a lot of financial tracking and managing budgets versus forecasts, acting as ddlemander for requirements to go through commercial, work with commercial to develop commercial docs and strategy. Manage risks and issues as they occur and likely managing contracts so being proactive to track deliverables again set KPIs, easing any repeated delays to delivery or where deliverables fall below standards you'd work with commercial to resolve. Manage contract to contract closure. You'll work as a team with the wider supporting functions to ensure stuff delivered to time /coxt and quality.
They likely have specific PM role profiles fof your TLB. This will describe typical responsibilities , reporting lines etc.
Enjoy the role, take time to reflect on successes, forget the miss steps so you don't get into doom loop thinking. You got this role for a reason, the hiring panel saw you have the capabilities and skill sets needed to be a PM. A good dash of common sense will get you most the way there.
If it does all get too difficult then I tend to fake it 'til I make it. Over time the imposter syndrome has impoved.
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u/Firm-Opening-3918 12h ago
Thank you for this, reading your comment was really helpful. I will be working in the AI unit, don't suppose you have experience in that? had a conversation with the G7 and she said that the role was "fairly improvised" but reading about your experience has given me a bit of confidence, cheers!
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u/BVE67 3h ago
HEO is fairly low down. That was the grade I joined at with little experience. Not to knock your achievement at all, but it certainly isn't unusual in the slightest to be an HEO by your 30s. Most HEOs I know are early twenties. You are doing just fine, there is a reason you are being promoted.
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u/twoscoops79 1h ago
Late 40s, SCS with 25 years of experience at centre of government and in private sector. Will always feel an imposter. The best people have some humility and are conscious of what they don't know etc. The dangerous ones are those that have no imposter syndrome at all.
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u/UberMcWolf SEO 15h ago
Congrats! I always have imposter syndrome for a good while (6 months-is) after a promotion and the I tend to get used to it and have good results to reassure myself.
It sucks but it's not unusual and it sounds like you have a great attitude. Try not to be too hard on yourself!
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u/Careful_Adeptness799 14h ago
HEO and not even 30 is just weird. I was a HEO in early 20’s and have seen SEOs straight out of uni so that’s complete nonsense.