Am I an Imposter?
What the ‘New Man’ from PhoneShop Taught Me.
A story about doubt, design and finding your place
I’ll be honest: after more than 20 years in graphic design, the feeling of being out of my depth has never truly gone away. Imposter syndrome is that nagging sense you’re a fraud about to be exposed and is something I’ve carried with me since the start of my career.
You’d think experience would erase it. After all, I’ve put in the hours, built numerous portfolios, and delivered results. But the truth is, each new project brings the same pressure:
- Will I live up to the last thing I did?
- Can I find a new idea?
- A better perspective, a sharper design?
That little voice in the mind never fully quiets 🤫.
Strangely enough, a British sitcom captured this feeling better than I could of imagined.
Christopher’s One-Day Trial
In the late 2000s, Channel 4 aired a comedy pilot called PhoneShop. The story follows Christopher, a fresh-faced graduate on a one-day trial at a chaotic mobile phone store in Sutton, London.
Christopher (giving a thumbs up) with fellow employees at the PhoneShop. [1]
From the moment he walks in, he’s an outsider. His work colleagues are brash, confident, and street-smart, they immediately strip him of his name. To them, he isn’t Christopher. He’s simply “New Man” His only way to earn the dignity of being called “Chris” is to prove himself by making a sale.
You ain’t Christopher, you ain’t earned the right to be called Christopher yet - Bruv. You got to earn your name round here, from now on your name’s NewMan, you understand that? - NEWMAN!
Jerwayne, PhoneShop (pilot episode)
That’s the heart of imposter syndrome: the sense that your value isn’t automatic, that you must constantly earn the right to belong. Christopher’s trial becomes a metaphor for that first-day anxiety so many of us recognise — smiling and nodding while inside you’re thinking, I’m way out of my depth. 😧
My Own “New Man” Moment
Meeting the team for the first time.
I remember my first design job vividly. I was given a desk, shown the ropes, and introduced to the team. Everyone was kind and patient, but none of it really registered. My brain was in survival mode. Deep down I thought:
I’m just going to have to wing this. 😧
The doubts crept in immediately:
- “This job isn’t for you”
- “You’ll never keep up”
- “One mistake and they’ll know you don’t belong”
Like Christopher, I grinned through it, trying to act as if I had everything under control. But inside, I felt like a fraud on a one-day trial.
When the Fraud Shows Up
At one point, I struggled with creating a mask within Photoshop, it should have been simple. Too proud to ask for help, I sat there stewing, confirming my worst fears:
I wasn’t good enough. 😞
The moment of defeat for Christopher. [2]
Christopher has his own moment of defeat in the pilot. After failing to sell a single phone, he sits slumped in the shop, ready to admit failure. That look of quiet panic — the they’re going to find me out 😓 face.
Asking for Help
Eventually, I caved and asked a colleague for advice. They pointed me in the right direction, and what felt like a career-ending crisis was just another learning step.
Fear doesn’t have to define the outcome. 💪
Christopher learns something similar. Though he stumbles through the day, his perseverance earns him a small victory — not in making the perfect sale, but simply in surviving. That resilience, that willingness to keep going, is what we both have in common.
Conclusion
For me, the PhoneShop pilot is more than just comedy. It’s a mirror for imposter syndrome. Christopher’s “New Man” trial is the same trial we all face in new jobs, new roles, or new challenges. The fear of being exposed never fully disappears — but it doesn’t have to paralyse us either.
If you’re just starting out in design, or any creative field, here’s what I’ve learned:
- It’s okay not to know everything.
- Asking for help isn’t weakness; it’s how you grow.
- The goal isn’t to remove self-doubt, but to keep moving forward despite it
We’re all “New Men” at some point. The trick is to show up, learn, and trust that one day, you will not be the “New Man” anymore.
