You might have heard of the famous quote, “Fake it until you make it.”
There might even be accompanying anecdotes that prove that it works. Sometimes.
You may also have heard many remote work gurus swearing by bluffing your way through a job interview.
However, this isn’t always sound advice.
So, here are the real risks that come with faking your way to the top.
Failing to Deliver Promised Results
Being overly confident without the skills to back it up might lead to falling short of your client’s expectations.
You could also set the entire project’s progress back, which can affect the company and its bottom line.
Bluffing your way to get hired and failing to deliver can also ruin your reputation.
An Inflated Ego
At the heart of “faking it until you make it” is the desire to be more confident.
Thus, people would say anything to land a job, even if they’re not exactly qualified for the role.
Furthermore, when you continuously apply this advice in your life (without actually trying to improve yourself), you might start to think you’re better than you actually are.
Again, this can lead to disastrous results and affect your team and company.
Bad Work Ethics
When you don’t have the expertise because you’re just “faking” it, you’ll take shortcuts.
This can be especially tempting with a remote job since you don’t have your manager and colleagues around to see what you’re up to.
Sure, there’s the idea of working smarter, not harder—but this only applies if you know what you’re doing.
However, you’ll lose the opportunity to improve and learn the right skills for the role if you keep taking shortcuts instead of learning how to do the job.
So you’ll have to keep up the act—until the truth explodes in your face later.
You’ll Doubt Yourself—And Others Will Lose Their Trust in You
You’ll soon question yourself the longer you fake your competence for your remote job.
It might even weigh on your conscience.
How long do you keep up the act? How long can you keep it up?
What’s more, if your boss and coworkers discover the truth, they’ll lose trust in you.
Even if you don’t reveal your secret, they might eventually notice if your work isn’t up to scratch.
Ultimately, “faking it till you make it” can cost you your job.
How to “Fake It Until You Make It” The Right Way
As we’ve pointed out, “faking it until you make it” doesn’t work when you have zero knowledge about your remote role.
You might be able to get away for a couple of weeks, especially if you’re working remotely.
However, your performance will ultimately speak for itself sooner or later.
Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not.
Rather than bluffing your way to land a remote job, applying this advice to your overall attitude about remote work is better.
After all, a remote job has its fair share of challenges and it’s rough going through obstacles at work without being able to call upon your colleagues and managers right away.
So this is where you can “fake it until you make it.”
Train yourself to stay calm and collected (even when you don’t feel like it) to get through hard days at work.
You can also take note of your colleagues’s best practices and try them out to see which works best for you.
Make constant improvements to your goal at any job.
Just (Don’t) Do It
While stories of highly successful individuals who have “faked” it until they made it are inspiring, they can also be misleading.
No amount of “faking” will save you if your incompetence is exposed.
The risks simply aren’t worth it.
Your goal as a remote worker should always be to close the skill gap by providing what your client needs.
Lastly, you should also keep honing your skills to give yourself the competitive edge you need to attract more clients.
On that note, if you’re looking to work online and set the rest of your year on the right track, check out Remote Staff’s job listings. It’s always updated so you’re sure to find a role that best fits your qualifications.
Remote Staff has also been in business for 16 years (and counting)! The company has a dedicated team of recruiters who’ll assist you from the start of your application until you land a client.
Ready to get started? Register with us today!
