Facing Impostor Syndrome as a Software Tester - Linda Van De Vooren

In this episode, I talk with Linda Van De Vooren about impostor syndrome, mental health, and growth in testing. Linda shares stories, from eating disorders to the inner critic she named Hannibal Lecter. We look at how doubt hits our work, like writing a test plan that feels too easy. Her tactics: Share openly. Check basic needs. Treat your comfort zone like a rainbow and pick a color you can handle today. Build an honest feedback circle.

"Nobody sees all your flaws but you yourself." - Linda Van De Vooren

In her daily life, Linda Van De Vooren is an amateur (baritone!) saxophonist and an experienced software tester. Living in the center of the Netherlands, she can be found exploring nature, attending concerts, or visiting the theater.

She enjoys working in complex environments and does not shy away from a challenge, whether it stems from technical difficulties or a politically complex environment. In any free time that is left, she is an avid gamer (Nintendo!) and enjoys reading.

Highlights:

• Naming the inner critic, for example by giving it a character from a film, creates separation between self-generated thought and self-destructive doubt, making the voice easier to dismiss.
• Impostor syndrome hits hardest around skills that come naturally, because fluency in a task removes the visible effort that would otherwise confirm competence to the person doing it.
• Choosing feedback sources deliberately matters: people who love you protect you from change, while people who see you in your professional context can challenge you toward growth.
• The comfort zone is not a fixed line to cross but a range, and recognizing on a given day how far you can stretch it is itself a skill that reduces the cost of self-doubt.

More Links with Insights:

• I am not the impostor, it's all in my head!

📌 Testing is a people business, humanity as a superpower. That is my talk on October 7 at HUSTEF 2026 in Budapest: See programme and tickets