Shadowing Practice: How AI Is Ruining Job Interviews - Learn English Speaking with Video
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If you've applied for a job recently, there's a growing chance the first person interviewing you isn't a person at all.
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They just said, OK, well, we would like to do a phone interview and we will be calling you at this time.
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And so at first, I'm like talking like I would to a person
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and then it clicks in that this is not a person.
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Nearly two thirds of job seekers surveyed in 2026 said they've already been interviewed by AI, a 12 percent increase from six months prior.
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There are several reasons why employers are leaning into AI to conduct more interviews.
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I think some companies probably are using it as a cost-saving measure if they do not have an in-house recruiter.
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Employers are also facing a historic surge in job applications, with the number of US applicants for each open role doubling since the spring of 2022, according to LinkedIn.
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I think the biggest reason would be time saved.
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One thing it's important to remember is that throughout the ups
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and downs of the economic and just sort of hiring climate over the last six or so years.
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What used to be really robust recruiting teams have been cut down quite a bit, to be sometimes even just one or two people, depending on the size of the company.
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And with the influx of applications, there are a lot of great folks out there.
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And for some companies, I imagine it is nearly impossible to screen all of their qualified applicants.
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So what does an AI interview actually look like?
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The process varies depending on the software the employer uses.
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But the system usually starts with a brief introduction, then asks a series of questions based on the job description, recording your answers along the way.
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Afterward, the software sends the hiring manager the information they might need, which could include a short summary of the conversation,
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a score showing how closely a candidate matched the job requirements, an assessment of their performance, and a final overall score or ranking.
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The hiring manager then ultimately decides who moves to the next round, which usually involves a human-to-human conversation.
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While it all sounds very convenient for the employers, AI interviews still have some obvious limitations.
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AI interview tools really stink at asking follow-up questions because LLMs are coded on what they expect the next word to be.
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And so what I've seen in those systems recently is
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that people will use gibberish with the tool and then the tool will ask a follow-up question,
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but they ask it with the gibberish embedded because it doesn't have the intelligence to ask a good next question.
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What I found is if you're pausing to think
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and you're letting a moment really sink in or you're processing the question and you're letting it go,
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it will interrupt or move you straight on to the next question without giving you the opportunity to think on it,
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noodle a little bit and then give an answer or take 30 seconds and restate what you were trying to say.
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It really does a bad job of the human element of the interviewing process.
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In response, some job seekers are deciding the tradeoff simply isn't worth it.
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They're giving me an opportunity to speak and record my answers, but if I hesitated in any sort of way,
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the recording would end and then they would move on to the next question.
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So I never really ever got to formulate any sort of answer.
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But sometimes the concerns go beyond a frustrating candidate experience.
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Researchers have also warned that AI hiring tools can reinforce bias, and complaints against some software providers allege discrimination based on factors like age, race, and disability.
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I couldn't even record the video because I have a condition called nystagmus,
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and that causes involuntary movement of my eyeballs.
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When I'm talking, my eyeballs are continuously moving.
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Every time it would stop the video and say, please look straight ahead and speak.
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I couldn't finish the video.
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I had to stop it.
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You know, and I thought that that was
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that was probably like the lowest point in my search because it was just demoralizing that,
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you know, I couldn't be treated like a human being to have a conversation with.
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According to a recent survey, nearly four in 10 U.S candidates say they've already withdrawn from a hiring process because it included an AI interview.
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12% of those surveyed said they would withdraw their application if one were required.
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That's notable in a tight labor market that currently gives employers much of the leverage.
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I have spoken with people who have varying degrees of positive to negative interactions, but I think the one through lines that it really is lacking in that human experience.
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I think having an interview in a digital environment is one of those things
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that we human beings think we're really good at, but I actually don't think we are because there are these social
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and emotional components that come up when a human is talking to a machine, right?
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There's no one there to say, it's okay, don't be nervous.
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And broadly, we also have some of
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that performance anxiety of how do I show up my best
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when I don't have a person on the other side to nod
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or confirm that I'm giving them the answer that I need?
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And, you know, the endurance of giving your best answer over
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and over again without a human interacting is something that we as a society aren't really good at.
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For job seekers who do decide to go through with an AI interview, here are a few tips.
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So I recommend you always start by being very, very clear and saying yes or no. Yes, I did this.
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No, I have not done that.
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And you need to answer that explicitly.
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All right.
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No need for nuance here.
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Remember, it's a bot on the other side.
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Really enunciate.
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Remember that you're talking to a language model and you can ask for restating more clear answers, an example of what it's saying.
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A lot of them have these conversational elements built into it.
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Candidates are really struggling with AI interviewing
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because they think it's an all new skill or
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that they should be applying a different methodology to be successful in
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that environment than they typically would in a traditional interview environment.
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The truth is, and I find myself telling people this a lot, is that the same rules apply.
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You just need to communicate about your experience in a slightly
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different way in an AI environment than you do with a person
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because there's not a person to fill in all of the gaps that you don't mention explicitly.
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Employers are hoping AI can deliver on speed and scale in hiring.
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But as applicants push back against an increasingly automated process, companies may have to find a balance between efficiency and maintaining the connection that candidates still value.
Why Practice Speaking with This Video?
This video is a goldmine for shadow speak practice—perfect for honing your ability to communicate clearly in high-stakes situations like job interviews. It mirrors real-world scenarios where AI tools test your fluency, clarity, and adaptability. By shadowing the speakers, you’ll learn to navigate pauses, enunciate effectively, and structure answers for both machines and humans. Plus, it’s a great way to prep for IELTS speaking practice, as it challenges you to think on your feet and express complex ideas concisely. Whether you use a shadowing app or a shadowing site, this dialogue helps you build the confidence to handle automated interviews and human conversations alike.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Let’s break down key phrases to boost your speaking skills:
- "the trade-off simply isn't worth it" – Use this to discuss pros and cons, a common IELTS speaking task. It shows you can evaluate situations critically.
- "reinforce bias" – A powerful phrase for discussing social issues. Mastering such terms helps you articulate complex ideas clearly, essential for both AI and human interviews.
- "noodle a little bit" – A casual expression meaning "think carefully." Learning colloquial language makes your speech sound natural, even in formal settings.
Common Pronunciation Traps
Watch out for these tricky words:
- "nystagmus" (nih-STAG-muhs) – A medical term with a unique stress pattern. Practice saying it slowly to avoid tripping up.
- "enunciate" (ih-NUN-see-ayt) – Key for AI interviews! Emphasize the "nun" sound to ensure clarity.
- "demoralizing" (dih-MOR-uh-lie-zing) – Don’t rush the "mor" part. Pausing here helps convey emotion, even to a machine.
Remember, the same communication rules apply—whether you’re talking to a bot or a human. Practice with this video, and you’ll be ready to shine in any interview scenario!
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.