Shadowing-Übung: English Podcast For Learning English Conversation | WHAT’S YOUR DREAM JOB? Real Easy English B1–B2 - Englisch Sprechen Lernen mit Video

English Leap Podcast from Speak English with Class.

Hello, hello, hello English learners!

Welcome back to the English Leap Podcast, an English podcast for daily life conversation and listening practice.

I'm Anna.

And I'm Jake.

Hey everyone!

Really good to have you with us today.

Jake, when you were 8 years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Oh.

Why did that oh sound embarrassing?

Because I had several career plans.

Several?

Astronaut.

Okay.

Football player. Of course.

And for about six months… Yes.

Magician.

A magician?

I had range.

Apparently.

I was keeping my options open.

How old were you?

Maybe nine.

Did you know any magic tricks?

One.

One?

I could make a coin disappear here.

That's actually not bad.

I couldn't always make it come back.

Jake, I think bringing it back is an important part of the trick.

My family said the same thing.

So, astronaut, footballer, magician.

Very focused child.

Extremely.

What about you?

For a while, I wanted to be a teacher.

That actually makes sense.

Then I wanted to be a writer.

Also makes sense.

And then for one very short period?

Wait, this sounds promising.

I wanted to own a bakery.

Anna!

What?

Can you bake?

That's not the point.

I think that is very much the point.

I liked the idea of owning a bakery.

Ah.

Warm lights.

Nice.

Little wooden tables.

Cozy.

Fresh bread.

That someone else baked?

Ideally.

Excellent business plan.

I was ten.

Fair.

But isn't it funny?

What?

When we're children, adults ask us, what do you want to be when you grow up?

And we usually have an answer immediately.

Doctor.

Pilot.

Teacher.

Firefighter.

Astronaut.

Magician.

You really aren't letting that go.

It's part of my story now.

But then we actually grow up.

Mm -hmm.

And suddenly the question becomes much harder.

Because now you're not only choosing a cool job.

Now you're thinking about money, education, what you're good at, where you'll live, all these things you never thought about as a child.

And then there's your family, the job market, whether you'll actually enjoy the work, and whether you'll still enjoy it five years later.

Suddenly, what do you want to be doesn't sound simple at all.

Exactly.

Some people listening right now probably know exactly what their dream job is.

And that's wonderful!

But some people are probably thinking, honestly, I have no idea.

And that's okay, too.

Because today, we're not only talking about job names, we're going to talk about why our dreams change, what happens when family has a different plan for us,

and how money and real life affect the choices we make.

And also, what kind of work actually suits you, your strengths, your personality, and whether we even need one perfect dream job in the first place.

This episode is mainly for B1, B2 learners.

But if you're around A2 and want a challenge, stay with us.

You don't need to understand every word.

Follow the stories and listen for useful phrases you can use when talking about your own career and future.

Later, we'll slow down for word tour.

And we'll finish with Say It Better, where we'll take some simple job and career sentences and make them sound more natural.

Nice.

And if you enjoy learning English through relaxed conversations like this, give the episode a like.

It really helps more English learners find us.

Alright.

So, are we going to discuss whether I still have an opportunity to become a magician?

We are going to discuss why you wanted to become one in the first place.

Oh.

100

Much more interesting.

101

I actually think childhood dream jobs tell us something.

102

Even magician?

103

Even magician.

104

I'm listening.

105

Why did you want to be an astronaut?

106

Hmm.

107

Was it the uniform?

108

No. The rocket?

109

Partly.

110

Space food?

111

Definitely not.

112

Then why?

113

I think I liked the mystery of it.

114

Ah.

115

Other planets, space, seeing something almost nobody gets to see.

116

So, you liked discovery?

117

Yeah.

118

Adventure?

119

Definitely.

120

Something unknown?

121

Exactly.

122

That's interesting.

123

Why?

124

Because maybe astronaut wasn't the most important part of the dream.

125

What was?

126

The feeling behind it.

127

Hmm.

128

Hmm.

129

Adventure, discovery, curiosity.

130

I never thought about it like that.

131

What about football?

132

I loved being part of a team.

133

There you go.

134

Okay, wait.

135

What?

136

You're analyzing nine -year -old Jake now.

137

Professionally.

138

I'm worried.

139

Fine.

140

What about your bakery?

141

I think I wanted to create somewhere people enjoyed being.

142

Ah.

143

That's why I remember the warm lights and tables more than the actual baking.

144

That makes perfect sense.

145

Right?

146

You didn't have a passion for bread.

147

Apparently not.

148

You had a passion for creating a nice atmosphere.

149

Exactly.

150

So a childhood dream can disappear… But something underneath it can stay.

151

That's actually really nice.

152

Maybe someone wanted to become a doctor because they liked helping people.

153

Later, they might become a teacher, a nurse, or work for a charity.

154

Different career, but maybe the same desire to help people is still there.

155

Or somebody dreamed of being a pilot because they love travel and new places.

156

Years later, maybe they're working in tourism or international business.

157

The job changed, but part of the original dream stayed.

158

Exactly.

159

Sometimes the childhood dream doesn't disappear, it just changes shape.

160

I wish somebody had explained that to me when I was younger.

161

Why?

162

Because I used to think changing your career plan meant you'd failed.

163

You tell everybody, this is what I'm going to become.

164

You're completely sure.

165

Then a few years later, you realize, actually, I don't want that anymore.

166

And now you feel embarrassed.

167

Especially because family remembers.

168

Family remembers everything.

169

Exactly.

170

You say at 13, I'm going to become an architect.

171

10 years later… What happened to architecture?

172

I was 13!

173

But changing your mind doesn't automatically mean you failed.

174

Maybe you simply learned more about yourself.

175

Exactly.

176

Although… Hmm?

177

Changing your dream becomes harder when other people are emotionally attached to the old one.

178

Oh.

179

You know where I'm going.

180

Family expectations.

181

Exactly.

182

This is very real for a lot of people.

183

Definitely.

184

And often it comes from a good place.

185

Parents are thinking about stability, whether you'll earn enough, whether there will be opportunities, whether the career gives you some security.

186

That's important to remember.

187

So when you say, I want to be a photographer, maybe they aren't hearing the exciting part that you hear.

188

They might be hearing, will you actually be able to make a living?

189

Exactly.

190

Or you say you want to study art, and somehow the conversation becomes about engineering.

191

Even though nobody mentioned engineering.

192

And suddenly, relatives you see twice a year have a complete five -year plan for your life. With charts.

193

Probably.

194

But underneath the joke, it can be hard because you're trying to understand what you want, while people you love are telling you what they think is best.

195

And sometimes their advice is useful.

196

Maybe they're noticing something practical you've ignored the training involved, the cost, the job opportunities, how stable the field is.

197

Those things matter.

198

But there's another part that matters just as much.

199

You are the person who has to actually do the job.

200

Every morning, every week, maybe for years.

201

And that's why prestigious and fulfilling aren't always the same thing.

202

Absolutely.

203

A job can impress everybody and still make you unhappy.

204

And another job might not sound impressive at a dinner table, but you may find it incredibly fulfilling.

205

Maybe you love teaching, working with children, cooking, fixing things, or caring for animals.

206

And then somebody says, But you could do something bigger.

207

Bigger according to whom?

208

Exactly.

209

I really like that question.

210

Me too.

211

But I can already hear somebody listening saying, OK, that's nice, but what about money?

212

Exactly.

213

Because that's where the dream job conversation becomes much more adult.

214

Let's do the classic question.

215

Go ahead.

216

If money didn't matter at all, what job would you love to try?

217

That's difficult.

218

You have unlimited money.

219

Nice.

220

Bills paid.

221

Very nice.

222

No financial pressure.

223

Can we stay in this imaginary world?

224

Please answer the question.

225

Fine.

226

I think I'd still want to do something involving communication.

227

Really?

228

Writing, teaching, creating things.

229

That actually sounds like you.

230

What about you?

231

I'd like to make documentaries.

232

Oh.

233

Travel somewhere interesting, meet people, hear their stories, understand how they live.

234

I can actually see that.

235

Or professional coffee taster.

236

There it is.

237

I have two passions.

238

But seriously, money changes the conversation.

239

Sometimes a career you're passionate about simply doesn't give you the income you need.

240

Especially depending on where you live and what responsibilities you have.

241

And sometimes a job you don't absolutely love gives you other valuable things.

242

Stability, reasonable working hours, less stress, maybe more time with your family.

243

And a short commute.

244

Never underestimate a short commute.

245

Absolutely.

246

I think people sometimes put too much pressure on work.

247

We expect one job to give us money, purpose, creativity, excitement, friendship, meaning, happiness… And free coffee.

248

Obviously.

249

That's a lot to ask from one job.

250

It really is.

251

Maybe you enjoy your career, but your deepest passion lives somewhere else.

252

Music, painting, sport, travel, your family.

253

And that's completely fine.

254

I like that your job doesn't have to carry your entire identity.

255

Exactly.

256

You can have a good career without waking up every Monday shouting, I love work!

257

Exactly.

258

If someone does that every Monday, I'm suspicious.

259

Same.

260

Even a dream job has difficult days.

261

Definitely.

262

And actually, that makes me wonder whether some jobs only look like dream jobs, because we see the beautiful part.

263

Ah, the outside view.

264

Exactly.

265

Social media has made this really interesting.

266

You see someone traveling for work, beautiful hotel, laptop beside the pool, coffee, sunset, and you think, this is the dream.

267

But you don't see what happens at 11 .30 that night.

268

The editing, the emails, problems with clients, missed flights, deadlines.

269

Or re -recording something because the microphone didn't work.

270

That sounded personal.

271

Maybe.

272

Every career has an invisible side.

273

A chef's job can look creative and exciting, but professional kitchens can be exhausting.

274

A pilot gets to travel, but may also spend a lot of time away from home.

275

And meaningful jobs have difficult sides, too.

276

Doctors carry enormous responsibility.

277

Actors may hear no hundreds of times before one opportunity comes.

278

So sometimes we don't actually want the job.

279

We want the image of the job.

280

Exactly.

281

That's a big difference.

282

I think that's what happened with Jake, the astronaut.

283

Really?

284

I wanted to float around in space looking at Earth.

285

Not years of difficult training?

286

Absolutely not.

287

I wanted the trailer.

288

Not the whole movie.

289

Exactly.

290

And that's why actually learning about a career matters.

291

Talk to someone who does it.

292

Try an internship if you can.

293

Volunteer.

294

Take a short course.

295

Even spend some time seeing how the work really happens.

296

Because something can look perfect.

297

Until you discover what the normal Tuesday looks like.

298

Yes.

299

The normal Tuesday test.

300

I like that.

301

Forget the exciting first day.

302

Imagine doing the job on an ordinary Tuesday six months later.

303

You'll wake up, go to work, do the normal tasks, deal with the normal problems.

304

Are you still interested?

305

That's the question.

306

And I guess the answer depends a lot on your personality.

307

Exactly.

308

Because your dream job might be my nightmare.

309

Give me an example.

310

Speaking on a stage in front of 500 people.

311

Some people hear that and think, Yes.

312

Other people are already leaving the building.

313

Working alone from home.

314

Dream for some people.

315

Nightmare for others.

316

That's true.

317

Some people really love routine.

318

They like knowing what tomorrow will look like.

319

Other people need variety.

320

New projects.

321

New people.

322

Different problems to solve.

323

I'm somewhere in the middle.

324

I like some routine because it keeps me organized.

325

But if every day looked exactly the same, I'd get restless.

326

Same.

327

And I'm like that with people, too.

328

I enjoy working with people.

329

All day?

330

No. Same.

331

I need some quiet, too.

332

And things like that are actually useful career information.

333

Definitely.

334

The same is true with strengths.

335

They aren't always impressive things you put on a resume.

336

Maybe you're patient.

337

Maybe you explain difficult ideas clearly.

338

Maybe you stay calm when everybody else starts panicking.

339

Maybe you notice details other people miss.

340

Or you're the person everybody calls when something goes wrong.

341

And because those things come naturally to you, you might not even think of them as strengths.

342

Exactly.

343

Sometimes a strength feels ordinary to you because you've always had it.

344

You think, everybody can do this.

345

But actually, they can't.

346

So one useful question might be, what do people often ask me for help with?

347

Maybe it's technology, writing, planning, listening, organizing.

348

Whatever it is, there might be a clue there.

349

Not necessarily a career.

350

No, but a clue about yourself.

351

Hmm.

352

What?

353

What if someone does all of that, thinks about their strengths, their personality, money, lifestyle… Yes?

354

…and still has no idea what their dream job is?

355

I'm glad you asked.

356

I think there's too much pressure to have one perfect answer.

357

Especially when you're young, it can feel like there's one correct career hidden somewhere, and everybody else has already found theirs.

358

Yeah.

359

Everyone asks, what's your passion?

360

What's your dream career? career?

361

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

362

And you're sitting there thinking, can we start with next Tuesday?

363

Exactly.

364

Some people know very early.

365

Some find their direction later.

366

Some change careers several times.

367

Life doesn't give everybody the same timetable.

368

And some people simply don't want work to be the center of their identity.

369

Their career matters, but so do family, friends, health, hobbies, community — their whole life outside work.

370

Maybe their dream isn't, I need the most exciting job in the world.

371

Maybe it's stable work, kind colleagues, enough money for their needs, and enough time and energy left to actually enjoy life.

372

Honestly, that's a beautiful dream too.

373

It is.

374

A job doesn't have to sound exciting to other people to suit you.

375

And your priorities can change.

376

Definitely.

377

Maybe at 20, you want adventure.

378

Later, flexibility or stability might matter more.

379

Maybe eventually you care more about purpose or simply having less stress.

380

Life changes, so the dream can change too.

381

And that's allowed.

382

Hmm.

383

What?

384

I think I like the phrase, I'm still figuring it out.

385

Me too.

386

It doesn't sound like you've failed.

387

Because you haven't.

388

You're still exploring.

389

And sometimes you need an opportunity to actually try something before you know.

390

Oh, that gives me a question for you.

391

Go on.

392

If you could try any career for one day.

393

One day only.

394

One day.

395

No training.

396

Somehow you're magically qualified.

397

Finally, a realistic career plan.

398

What would you choose?

399

Pilot.

400

Really?

401

Definitely.

402

Why?

403

Sitting in the cockpit.

404

Mm -hmm.

405

Taking off.

406

Okay.

407

Looking down at the clouds.

408

That does sound beautiful.

409

Then at the end of the day, I return the plane.

410

Return it?

411

Yes, very responsibly.

412

Like a rental car?

413

Exactly.

414

What happened to astronaut?

415

Too much travel time.

416

Fair.

417

Your turn.

418

Wildlife photographer.

419

Ooh.

420

Somewhere beautiful.

421

Photographing lions?

422

From very far away.

423

Extremely far.

424

What if the lion moves toward you?

425

Then I immediately reconsider my career.

426

What job would you never want to try?

427

Surgeon.

428

Same.

429

I have huge respect for people who can do it, but the pressure and responsibility would be too much for me.

430

Me too.

431

I think air traffic controller would also terrify me.

432

Oh, no. Too many things happening at once.

433

Planes, numbers, people speaking quickly.

434

Your first response would be, can everybody just stop for five minutes?

435

Exactly.

436

Probably not ideal.

437

Probably not.

438

But this is actually a fun way to learn about yourself.

439

It is.

440

Think of one job you'd love to try, one job you'd never want, and one job that might genuinely suit your strengths.

441

Those three answers could be completely different.

442

Exactly.

443

And after everything we've talked about, I think I have one final problem with the phrase dream job.

444

What's that?

445

It makes the job sound perfect.

446

Ah.

447

And I'm not sure perfect exists.

448

I don't think it does.

449

Define perfect.

450

Great salary, interesting work, wonderful manager, lovely colleagues, no stress, short hours, long holidays.

451

You're asking for a lot.

452

Five -minute commute?

453

Jake.

454

Free lunch?

455

Now we're writing a fantasy novel. So, no?

456

I don't think a completely perfect job exists.

457

Even a fulfilling career will have emails, deadlines, boring tasks, and difficult days.

458

So maybe a dream job isn't a job with no problems.

459

Maybe it's a job where enough of the work feels worthwhile, where the difficult parts don't make the whole thing feel wrong.

460

I like that.

461

And maybe a dream job changes, too.

462

Because you change.

463

Exactly!

464

Your life changes, your strengths develop, new opportunities appear.

465

You discover things about yourself that you didn't know five years ago.

466

So perhaps we're not trying to discover one perfect answer and keep it forever.

467

Maybe we're just trying to move toward work that fits us a little better.

468

And if you're currently in a job that isn't your dream job… It can still teach you a lot.

469

What you enjoy, what kind of manager you work well with, whether you need variety, what schedule suits you, what you're good at.

470

Even discovering what you don't want is useful.

471

Very useful.

472

So maybe you don't need to solve your whole career today.

473

Maybe you only need the next honest step learn something, talk to somebody in a field you're curious about, try a course, apply for an opportunity.

474

Or simply admit, I think I want something different.

475

Sometimes that's enough to start.

476

You know, we've used some really useful career language today.

477

We have.

478

And because we've already heard these words inside real situations, maybe now is a good time to slow down and look at them properly.

479

I agree.

480

Word tour?

481

Word tour.

482

Now let's slow down and practice six useful words from today's conversation.

483

These words can help you talk about jobs, abilities, career plans, and the kind of work you want in the future.

484

Our first word is career.

485

Career.

486

Career.

487

Career.

488

Career.

489

A career is the work you do over a long period of your life, often including different jobs in the same field.

490

Maybe you have worked in education for many years.

491

You could say, I've built my career in education.

492

Or maybe you're thinking about moving into a completely different field.

493

Then you could say, I'm considering a career change.

494

Our next word is passion.

495

Passion.

496

Pa -tion.

497

Passion.

498

Passion means a very strong interest or enthusiasm for something.

499

Maybe you have always loved photography.

500

You could say, Photography has always been a passion of mine.

501

Or maybe teaching is something you care deeply about.

502

Then you could say, I have a real passion for teaching.

503

Our next word is fulfilling.

504

Ful -fil -ing.

505

Fulfilling.

506

Fulfilling describes something that gives you satisfaction because it feels meaningful or worthwhile.

507

Maybe your work can be difficult, but helping people makes it feel valuable.

508

You could say, I find my work very fulfilling.

509

Or perhaps your current job feels empty and you're looking for something with more meaning.

510

Then you could say, I'd like a career that feels more fulfilling.

511

Our next word is qualified.

512

Qualified.

513

Qualified.

514

Qualified means having the skills, education, training, or experience needed to do something.

515

Maybe a job requires training you haven't completed yet.

516

You could say, I'm not qualified for that position yet.

517

Or perhaps you've just finished the required course.

518

Then you could say, I'm now qualified to apply for the role.

519

Our next word is strength.

520

Strength.

521

Strength.

522

A strength is something you are particularly good at.

523

Maybe you're naturally good at speaking with people.

524

You could say, communication is one of my strengths.

525

Or perhaps you're very good at staying organized.

526

Then you could say, one of my biggest strengths is organization.

527

Our final word is opportunity.

528

Opportunity.

529

An opportunity is a good chance to do something, learn something, or make progress.

530

Maybe someone offers you the chance to work on an international project.

531

You could say, this is a great opportunity to gain experience.

532

Or perhaps you would love to work in another country one day.

533

Then you could say, I'd love the opportunity to work abroad.

534

Beautiful!

535

Today we learned six useful words.

536

Career, passion, fulfilling, qualified, strength, and opportunity.

537

Try to use one of them when you talk about your own job or future plans.

538

And if you want to practice these words more, visit the English Leap Club through the link in the description.

539

You can review the transcript, practice with quizzes and games, and keep building your English step by step.

540

And knowing the words is one thing.

541

But then someone asks, so, what's your dream job?

542

And suddenly you need an actual sentence.

543

Exactly.

544

Especially if English isn't your first language.

545

So let's take a few common sentences learners might use.

546

And say them better.

547

Let's start with, my dream job is doctor.

548

We understand the meaning, but the sentence needs a little adjustment.

549

You can say, my dream job is to become a doctor.

550

Or simply, I'd love to become a doctor.

551

Both sound natural.

552

Here's another one.

553

I don't know which job is good for me.

554

The meaning is clear, but a smoother way is, I'm still figuring out what kind of career suits me.

555

Or, I'm still exploring my career options.

556

I like that.

557

Me too.

558

It doesn't make you sound lost.

559

You're exploring.

560

What about, I want a job that makes me happy.

561

Completely understandable.

562

But you could say, I want a job that I find fulfilling.

563

Or, I'd like work that feels meaningful to me.

564

Very natural.

565

Here's one.

566

I am good with people.

567

That's already good English.

568

But in a career conversation, you could say, Working with people is one of my strengths.

569

Or, I'm good at building relationships with people.

570

That one is especially useful in job interviews.

571

Here's another.

572

I don't have experience, so I can't do it.

573

That sounds very final.

574

A more open way to say it is, I don't have the experience yet, but I'd like to learn.

575

Or, I'm not qualified yet, but I'm working toward it.

576

I really like the word yet there.

577

Why?

578

Because it leaves the door open.

579

Not qualified.

580

Sounds final.

581

Not qualified yet.

582

There's still somewhere to go.

583

One more.

584

I want to try this job.

585

Simple and correct.

586

But you can also say, I'd love the opportunity to try this kind of work.

587

Or, I'd like to explore a career in this field.

588

Very useful if you're still discovering what suits you.

589

And let's do one final sentence, because I think it connects beautifully with today's conversation.

590

Go on.

591

I don't know my dream job.

592

Very honest.

593

And not wrong.

594

But if you wanted to send a little more positive, you could say, I'm still figuring out what kind of career feels right for me.

595

Or, I'm still exploring what I want to do in the future.

596

I love those.

597

Me too.

598

Because you don't need to pretend you already know.

599

Exactly.

600

You're allowed to still be figuring it out.

601

Which takes us right back to where we started today.

602

An astronaut.

603

A teacher.

604

Footballer.

605

Writer.

606

Magician.

607

Bakery owner.

608

We had some big plans.

609

We did.

610

And maybe that's the point.

611

Dreams can change as we change.

612

You learn more about yourself, your strengths, and the kind of life you actually want.

613

And if you still don't know your dream job, that's okay.

614

You can simply say, I'm still figuring out what kind of career feels right for me.

615

English learners, now it's your turn.

616

Finish this sentence in the comments.

617

My dream job is… because… Or tell us one job you'd love to try for just one day.

618

Wildlife photographer.

619

Pilot.

620

Magician.

621

I knew you were coming around.

622

I absolutely am not.

623

Fair.

624

If you enjoyed today's episode, give it a like and subscribe to the English Leap podcast.

625

Thanks for spending this time with us.

626

Take care, everyone.

627

And we'll see you in the next episode.

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Bye for now.

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Your progress doesn't end here.

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Was ist die Shadowing-Technik?

Shadowing ist eine wissenschaftlich fundierte Sprachlerntechnik, die ursprünglich für die professionelle Dolmetscherausbildung entwickelt und durch den Polyglotten Dr. Alexander Arguelles populär gemacht wurde. Die Methode ist einfach aber wirkungsvoll: Du hörst englisches Audio von Muttersprachlern und wiederholst es sofort laut — wie ein Schatten, der dem Sprecher mit nur 1–2 Sekunden Verzögerung folgt. Anders als passives Hören oder Grammatikübungen zwingt Shadowing dein Gehirn und deine Mundmuskulatur, gleichzeitig echte Sprachmuster zu verarbeiten und zu reproduzieren. Studien zeigen, dass es Aussprachegenauigkeit, Intonation, Rhythmus, verbundene Sprache, Hörverständnis und Sprechflüssigkeit signifikant verbessert — was es zu einer der effektivsten Methoden für die IELTS Speaking-Vorbereitung und reale englische Kommunikation macht.

Shadowing-Übung: English Podcast For Learning English Conversation | WHAT’S YOUR DREAM JOB? Real Easy English B1–B2 - Englisch Sprechen Lernen mit Video

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Was ist die Shadowing-Technik?