DAMN. Imposter Syndrome.

We are at that point in the @deepdivecoding bootcamp when students begin to feel like they are imposters. That they, the career changers don’t belong here. At Deep Dive Coding, we call this the imposter syndrome. It might be described as one's inability to internalize their accomplishments, coupled with a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud. At times, new web developers don't realize that they need to build confidence and perform self-reflection to understand what they can offer to the world. Changing your career is like a dialectic between the internal and external forces of your life.

I have been listening to the new Kendrick Lamar album "DAMN." and I love how the album takes you on journey through Kendrick's inner world and reflection on the outer society. The starting line "Is it wickedness? Is it weakness. You decided." sets the tone and focus for the album. The album makes me contemplate my contributions to the world, as I’m sure it does for others. As a career coach, I work with hundreds of job seekers and entrepreneurs thinking about this same thing. What am I doing with my life? How am I impacting the world? The professional development workshops I facilitate require students to reshape their perception of self and the work environment that they are entering.

Inspired by the album, I wanted to see if I could come up with a few lessons from the captain, Kendrick Lamar.

Captain Kendrick's 7 Steps to Career Actualization.

1. KNOWLEDGE.

"I got, I got, I got, I got Loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA" - from track DNA.

It is important to know where you are in your career. You might have been born royal, but the truth is, awareness does not equal productivity. You might know how to talk the talk, but can you build it? Can you create something from scratch? Know your talent level.

2. HONESTY.

"I'm willin' to die for this [EXPLETIVE DELETED] I done cried for this [EXPLETIVE DELETED] …Put the Bible down and go eye for an eye for this [EXPLETIVE DELETED]" - from track ELEMENT.

The truth is that you’ve still got a lot more to learn. You need to recognize the risk you--and the company that hires you--take on recent graduates. You can be booksmart but any rapper or Pope Francis would tell you, you have to live it. You gain wisdom from real work experience. Remember to take risks but don't forget to be honest about the effort you put in.

3. POTENTIAL.

"Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty 10-4, no switchin' sides, Feel somethin' wrong, You actin' shifty, you don't ride" - from track LOYALTY.

There is a lot of demand for highly experienced developers. In general, people who are great at their work are very expensive and have time constraints. Coming out of your bootcamp program, companies may not make the decision to hire you for your entry level tech skills but they may hire you for your potential. The employers I interview are always willing to take a cost effective developer that is loyal to the the company’s cause over an noncommittal experienced contractor.

4. WORTH.

"But now I’m countin' this, Parmesan where my accountant lives, In fact, I'm downin’ this, D'USSÉ with my boo bae tastes like Kool-Aid for the analysts" - from track HUMBLE.

Realizing what you are worthy from a company’s perspective makes all the difference in interviews and negotiations. If you are not sure how to do that, you might ask yourself, what would you expect from someone if you paid them 70k to work for your company? You might also consider the ramp up time required, knowing that they might push any code to production for months. Worth isn’t just about money, remember to quantify and qualify yourself so you know what you bring to the table. Even if you bring a lot always remember to be humble.

5. MONEY.

"Wake up in the mornin' Thinkin' 'bout money, kick your feet up…Go to the club or your mama house, Whatever you doin', just make it count" - from track LUST.

Not to be confused with worth, money should be separated into what you think you should get paid and what you think you are worth. In the beginning, right after a coding bootcamp, you should focus on opportunities and making the most of them rather than who is going to offer you more cash. This will take you on important path of understanding what you can offer and what you can't

6. VALUE.

“Give me a run for my money, There is nobody, no one to outrun me” - from track LOVE.

When you start a new initiative, drive yourself to provide value over success. One reason why Kendrick’s music is so important is because he is creating value for millions of people' hearts. He sings about stuff many people are feeling but they don't know how to package and state it so poetically. Focus on what brings value for others and it will bring value to you.

7. CHANGE.

“If I could smoke fear away, I'd roll that [EXPLETIVE DELETED] up, And then I'd take two puffs, I've been hungry all my life, I'm high now, I'm high now” - from track FEAR.

For most of us, learning to give to others unconditionally requires change. It is not normal to think about going to work and not receiving something in return. Sometimes when we are afraid of giving too much, it is easier to turn towards our vices and say [EXPLETIVE DELETED] it. I am not asking you to allow yourself to be taken advantage of, I am suggesting that maybe you just hit a wall of fear. And, in order to change your career, you might need to redefine what "success" looks like to you and start making some changes. Stagnation kills so continue to study, act, and reflect on what you are doing in life.

Questions to ponder about your career:

What knowledge do have from your previous experiences that can help you contribute to a company?

What does honesty mean to you? What does “honest work” look like to you?

Has anyone ever told you that you’ve got potential? Do you believe it?

What is your net worth?

What does money mean to you? Is there another way you might describe it?

How do you create value for others?

How have you changed over your professional career?