Beat data science imposter syndrome at events

Edward Johnson
3 min readMar 19, 2023
Person in dark shadow in front of a large backdrop of abstract computer lines on a screen
Photo by Chris Yang on Unsplash

Non-members read here. → https://bit.ly/ReadImposter

Imposter syndrome is often carried as a lone burden in the Data Science and machine learning environments. Are you (like so many of us) figuring it out as you go? Do you feel that specializing in your niche just isn’t enough and that the advent of tools like ChatGPTx puts subliminal pressure on everyone to make them feel that they should know more?

One of the best ways to combat imposter syndrome is to attend events and conferences, in a targeted manner, to increase your confidence and give reassurance in your abilities.

Disclaimer: Canada’s largest AI/ML conference details are at the end of this story, but not as an affiliate link.

Prepare yourself

Sometimes conference agendas and workshops can seem overwhelming, but rest assured that no-one can attend everything. Be strategic about what you will attend.

Sign up as an attendee and add details to your profile. Many people won’t but you should. There may be useful participants who contact you after finding something interesting in your profile.

And talking about contacts…. Don’t “collect” them, instead build relationships. Decide that you will have meaningful conversations with at least one new person…

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Edward Johnson

Ikinique Ltd — Passionate about AI augmentation, soft skills, data science, mentorship, fintech, blockchain, Hyperledger, Ethics #IKEAization