Throughout my time at Berkeley, I’ve felt pressure to be good at many things at once. How am I supposed to make friends, actively participate in organizations, decide on my future career, and make the most of my time here while maintaining my grades? In the past, I’ve written about feeling imposter syndrome and the need to keep up with others. But ironically, I’ve found that I feel less imposter syndrome in some areas I don’t excel at. For example, I have leadership positions in two organizations: the Daily Californian’s Social Media department and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop (SFFWW). This is despite the fact that I’m neither the most social media-savvy or the best writer in either organization. How did I get those positions then? When I applied for these spots, I wasn’t sure if I was qualified. But I’ve been in each of them for about 2 years, so I’m familiar with their ins and outs. I know what’s worked well as a member and what might need improvements. I also have knowledge that fits well with my work. Although I’m not a content creator, I have an understanding of social media journalism. I may not write science fiction and fantasy, but I’ve been involved in the creative writing world ever since I was in high school.
Through that, as well as through overseeing hiring, I’ve learned that soft skills are much more valuable than specific hard skills. I tend to pay attention to detail, which helps me pick up on small mistakes and submit work that follows guidelines well. I’m also very good at organization and planning. I spend a lot of time making spreadsheets and presentations. I take copious meeting notes to keep everyone updated. Out of the people I’m working with, those that are enthusiastic and take initiative have grown the most. Personally, I’d say those are more important than specialized expertise. Of course, there’s definitely some level of skill required. But it’s not the only thing, and it shouldn’t be a limiting factor. If I’d let that stop me from applying, I wouldn’t have gotten these positions at all.
And I’ve learned so much from being in leadership. Obviously, I learned the hard skills I was talking about; I’m now comfortable using several social media platforms. Even if I haven’t read every single sci-fi and fantasy book, I’m familiar with common authors and fandoms. Also, since I can’t handle everything at once, I have to have a level of trust in the people I work with. As long as I have a good team around me, I don’t have to be good at everything. I can delegate tasks to others and build relationships. It’s not static; as time goes on, I learn from the people around me. I used to be worried that people would look down on me for my lack of experience. But that feeds into the mindset of imposter syndrome. Always feeling like you aren’t good enough is exhausting. So just be confident in what you’re good at, and stay open to learning more. You can’t be good at every single thing you pursue, but you can specialize in any position you want.