In this article, Dinchi Ikpa, Communications Officer at TCA, uses the Dunning-Kruger effect to share a personal her journey from being confident in her natural communication abilities to realising that being good with words is not enough to build competence. She shares some of the lessons, habits and steps that have helped her grow as an early-career professional so far. Read the full article for tips that might help you on your own career journey.
When I got admitted into the University of Benin to study French, my mum remarked, “I always knew your mouth would put food on your table because you love to tell a lot of stories.” At the time, she did not necessarily know of communications as a career path. She simply knew I had a flair for storytelling, and being able to express that in more than one language was a definite win for me. Mother’s intuition? Maybe.
As I met more people over the years, peers, teachers and senior friends commented on my ability to connect with others, communicate clearly and tell stories creatively. Not as professional critique, but as simple observations: “Dinchi can gist ehn,” “I like how you express yourself,” “You’re very articulate.”
Then, almost by accident, I found Communications. Or maybe it found me. It felt like a revelation, a world made just for me. Of course I would do what I love to do and earn money while at it. I was sure I will go ahead to be the best communicator of my time! Very modest, I know.
Unlike many young professionals, I did not choose communications with uncertainty. I went into it confident, certain that I already knew what it was about and was made for it. This is a classical example of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with limited knowledge or skill in a subject vastly overestimate their own competence. The less you know, the more confident you feel. The thing about this concept is that more often than not, you are unable to recognise it in yourself until something, or someone, holds up a mirror.
Because my potential had been recognised by people whom I held in high esteem, my confidence was through the roof. I could write, speak, and connect with people naturally, so the skills felt innate. But gradually, I began to grow as a professional and move through the four stages of the Dunning-Kruger effect:
Ignorance and Overconfidence: You know just enough to feel like you know everything. This is a tricky stage because you cannot see your own blind spots, you’re most likely new in the corporate world and still learning how to receive constructive feedback and adapt a teachable approach. In retrospect, this describes the early part of my career almost perfectly.
Humbling Realisation: Something cracks the confidence. At this stage you start learning more and begin to realise just how much you don’t know and then the impostor syndrome sets in. And let me tell you, it is not pretty.
As I began to work and connect with more skilled and senior professionals, I observed the quality and quantity of work they put out, I arrived at the humbling realisation that I was what is known in the corporate world as a personality hire. My misguided confidence had been rooted in the belief that I had been hired for skills I already possessed innately. But the more I learned, the clearer it became that I had been hired primarily for my personality and enthusiasm rather than a developed set of skills.
The Dip: This is the most defining stage of the process. It is where you do the work. It is uncomfortable and unglamorous, but very necessary.
Professionals react differently to the reality check in the second stage. Some quit, some change career paths entirely, while others learn to wrap their skill gaps in corporate jargon and go ahead to build successful careers that way. Only a few commit to the tedious process of growth.
These are some of the tips that have helped my growth so far:
- Start by setting a clear professional goal. Know where you want to go, even if that goal changes along the way.
- Conduct a skill-gap analysis. What are you already good at, and what skills do you need to strengthen to get where you want to go?
- Find people who are already where you want to be and learn from them. If you have the opportunity for direct mentorship, take it. But mentorship doesn’t always have to be that formal. Thankfully, social media has made it much easier to learn indirectly from professionals you admire. Follow their work, listen to what they have to say and pay attention to how they approach their careers.
- Learn to receive feedback. This is easier said than done. It’s easy to think you’re good at receiving feedback until someone gives it to you in words you don’t particularly like. Learn to look past the delivery, find the core message and use it to improve.
- Ask a whole lot of questions. You don’t have to know everything, and asking questions is one of the easiest ways to learn from people with more experience.
- Use the free resources available to you. YouTube, webinars, PDFs, masterclasses, free events and LinkedIn can all be great places to learn from experienced professionals. As an early-career professional, learn to make the most of what is already available to you.
- Research, research, research. Yes, communications is a discipline that draws on creativity, but research is what guides that creativity. It keeps you informed, helps you understand your organisation and your audience, and can even help you identify opportunities for your own professional development.
- Be willing to invest in yourself. Once you’ve done your research, identify the courses or training that will genuinely add value to your career and start saving towards them.
As an early-career professional, disposable income can be limited, so free resources are a smart place to start. But don’t stop there, volunteer, intern and show up to help. These are all opportunities to practise, and gain the experience that will help you grow.
Practice is the only way to truly improve your skillset and demonstrate value. And as you grow in your career, be willing to invest financially in your development as well because your growth is worth it.
True Competence: At this stage you are, by all indices, a seasoned professional. You have the time and experience on your side and yet are still humble enough to know there is always more to learn.
I do not believe I am here yet, but I am further along than I was a year or two ago, and that is enough to keep going.
The key takeaway from my journey is this: A positive attitude makes people more receptive and willing to take a chance on you as an early professional but it does not replace actual competence and experience. Think of it as an advantage that buys you time, and then use that time wisely. Be ready to put in the work, to be seen trying, to grow, and bring that potential to fruition.
Do not get so consumed by the humbling realisation of your gaps that you forget to close them. Commit to continuous learning, relearning, and unlearning.
