Shadowing Practice: Interviews: tell us a bit about yourself! How to answer, 4 tips and an example. #interviewtips #phd - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Tell us a little bit about yourself is a very, very common opener to an interview.
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And this is actually an opportunity for you to deliver a very concise,
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well -structured response that will impress the person interviewing you from the very beginning
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and set the tone right from the very start.
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The most important thing is that for the answer to this question, you should not be rambling on,
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but you should have a plan what you're talking about and you should give a concise answer.
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You have to remember why people ask this question.
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I mean they have already looked at your CV so they basically already know a little bit about yourself.
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What they want from you by asking this question is to find out
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if you can think through what you have done clearly enough to deliver a well -structured answer
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that clearly communicates what you're all about.
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So this is your chance to show that you can communicate clearly and effectively.
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It is also an opportunity to steer where the conversation may be heading to next.
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One good way to answer this question is to state what your training has been, what your main interests are, what your previous research was on,
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what you found in a nutshell, and what you're looking forward to doing next.
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So basically it gives you a bit of an overview of the past, the present, and the future.
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One answer example could for example be I am an ecologist by training and I'm most interested in soil ecology.
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I did my PhD on soil fungi where I found out how they respond to a major factor of global change, namely elevated atmospheric CO2.
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I really enjoyed learning about this topic using molecular methods
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and now I'm looking forward to applying the same principles to
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find out how fungi might respond to multiple factors of global change next.
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I think this would be a good answer because it's concise and to the point it's not cluttered with unnecessary detail.
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It shows where you're coming from shows what you have enjoyed a lot and what you're actually planning on doing next,
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like how you seek to grow professionally in the future.
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And it can prompt a follow -on question like, what have you actually found out about elevated CO2 effects?
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Or why are you so interested in finding out what multiple global change factors do?
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And now some four tips on how to answer this question in general terms.
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Number one, given that it is so important
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that you communicate very clearly in response to this question
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it would be a very good idea to take some notes
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so you make sure what you say is already kind of laid out i mean don't memorize an answer
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but make sure that you hit all the major points
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that you wanted to hit on in response to that question remember
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that this is the first impression during the interview
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if the interviewer really starts out with that question
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so it's important to get it just right and also remember
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that you can tailor your response a little bit to fit the position better.
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For example, if this is a position about molecular methods, you might add some detail on the molecular methods you have been using
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and what are your plans to refine your knowledge on molecular methods going forward.
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Second point, do not start with childhood stories like I always like to play in the sand
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when I was little or something like that.
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Don't answer with what your hobbies are, just keep it strictly professional to your education and to your research experience.
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Tip three, you can also say something about your general personality without being unnecessarily revealing.
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For example, you might say, I'm coming across as a bit shy in the beginning, but I really enjoy working in the team.
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Once I get to know people, I am actually a very good team player.
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And number four, remember that your answer to
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that question can really sort of steer the interviewer to the next question
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so make sure you steer it in the direction
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that you want to go and that plays on your strengths for example statistical methods
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or molecular methods or whatever have you and with
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that good luck with your interview let me know what your
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experience with this question was in the comments thanks for watching and see you in the next video bye
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Interviews: tell us a bit about yourself! How to answer, 4 tips and an example”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: answer, methods, molecular, example, clearly. This video has 52 sentences and 749 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:17. The speaker talks at a natural 175 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| molecular adjective | /məˈlɛk.jə.ləɹ/ | Relating to, or consisting of, or produced by molecules. |
| communicate verb | /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ | To impart or transmit (information or knowledge) to someone; to make known, to tell. |
| steer verb | /stɪɹ/ | To guide the course of a vessel, vehicle, aircraft etc. (by means of a device such as a rudder, paddle, or steering wheel). |
| soil noun | /sɔɪl/ | A mixture of mineral particles and organic material, used to support plant growth. |
| interviewer noun | /ˈɪntɚvjuɚ/ | One who interviews. |
| tone noun | /ˈtəʊn/ | A specific pitch. |
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
| sand noun | /sænd/ | Rock that is ground more finely than gravel, but is not as fine as silt (more formally, see grain sizes chart), forming beaches and deserts and also used in… |
| reveal verb | /ɹɪˈviːl/ | To uncover; to show and display that which was hidden. |
| impression noun | /ɪmˈpɹɛʃn̩/ | The indentation or depression made by the pressure of one object on or into another. |
| principle noun | /ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pəl/ | A fundamental assumption, fundamental law or guiding belief. |
| unnecessary adjective | /ʌnˈnɛs.əˌsɛɹ.i/ | Not needed or necessary. |
| strictly adverb | /ˈstɹɪktli/ | In a strict manner. |
| statistical adjective | /stəˈtɪs.tɪ.kəl/ | Of or pertaining to statistics. |
| overview noun | /ˈoʊ.vɚˌvjuː/ | A brief summary, as of a book or a presentation. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. | |
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. | |
| come across verb | To change sides; to cross over to work for the opposition. | |
| going forward adverb | In the immediate future and beyond. | |
| lay out verb | /ˌleɪ ˈaʊt/ | To expend or contribute money to an expense or purchase. |
| think through verb | To fully consider, so as to understand all the consequences of. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 10 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: impression /ɪmˈpɹɛʃn̩/, nutshell /ˈnʌt.ʃɛl/
- Long words — get the stress right: molecular /məˈlɛk.jə.ləɹ/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, unnecessary /ʌnˈnɛs.əˌsɛɹ.i/, statistical /stəˈtɪs.tɪ.kəl/, atmospheric /ˌætməsˈfɛɹɪk/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like molecular, communicate, steer.
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.