😀I'm now available for 'Instant Interview' practice (when my schedule permits!) for tech professionals, HR professionals, and more! ➡️I work with many people who are preparing for screening calls with recruiters or behavioural interviews IN THE LONG-TERM, as many are simultaneously building portfolios or preparing for technical interviews, such as system design. ➡️However, I often receive one-off requests from those with interviews on the SAME or NEXT DAY, and need to 'reactivate' their English or practice common screening questions, for example. ➡️I've added a new booking option called 'Instant Interview', so assuming the time is available on my calendar, you are now able to book on the same day!

Hi, I’m David, a Business English and Behavioural Interview Coach, primarily working with Russian-speaking tech professionals. This is a summary of one of my articles on Medium. Send me a message to read the full-length version! How to Answer ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ This question causes panic — even in experienced professionals. But there’s no single ‘correct’ answer. It’s about human connection. Start with the basics: say your name and where you’re based. It sounds obvious, but it sets a conversational tone. You’re a person, not just a title. Speaking of titles, don’t lead with ‘I’m a super-passionate Senior Developer.’ You’re not a job title, and those adjectives sound robotic. If you’re in the interview, your passion is already implied. Let your personality show instead. Use structure: PRESENT, PAST, FUTURE. Present: what are you doing now? Mention your company and its main focus — briefly. Past: where have you been, what did you learn? Keep it short and positive. Avoid saying ‘I left’ or ‘I quit.’ Instead, say ‘I moved on to develop myself.’ Future: why this role? What motivates you? What excites you about the company? This part is often forgotten. Don’t wait for the question — show vision and enthusiasm now. It makes you stand out. Keep your answer short (1–2 mins). Pay attention to your interviewer’s body language. If their focus starts to drift, wrap up. Most importantly — be relatable, be real. Interviewers remember candidates who feel human, not scripted. Finally, soft skills are crucial. Many companies weigh technical skills and behavioural fit equally. You can be brilliant technically, but if you’re toxic, uncollaborative, or unclear — it won’t work. Balance both sides of yourself. Speak like a human being. And good luck!

How do you feel about Instagram English 'teachers' who post random lists of vocabulary or tell you to 'STOP SAYING insert word'? Personally, I find them absolutely ridiculous and it seems to be an issue far more prevalent in the English teaching world in comparison to other languages. Something to watch out for - SUPERLATIVES (or extreme forms of a word such as an adjective). Some people will tell you to STOP SAYING HAPPY, and use 'ecstatic' or 'enraptured' instead. Please DO NOT do this. 'Happy' is perfectly acceptable in 99% of situations - - 'I'm happy that my boss has been able to reschedule tomorrow's meeting' - a correct, suitable, and realistic level of happiness. - 'I'm ecstatic that my boss has been able to reschedule tomorrow's meeting' - You COULD be ecstatic (maybe you have a really important engagement which you just can't miss), but in most cases, ECSTATIC is not correct because you simply wouldn't be feeling an EXTREME level of happiness. There are many examples of this. But remember - - it's perfectly ok to use 'simple' words. Do not feel 'shamed' for using them. - much of the vocabulary suggested is outdated and archaic. - using such vocabulary would sound odd and out of place. - many 'teachers' on social media are not qualified in any way and are simply doing what they do 'for views' or for an additional income. Instead, book a call with a teacher on Italki or a similar platform! ;-)

Reading articles is great for learning new vocab. I work with many tech guys who sometimes struggle to discuss behaviours/soft skills. Here are some useful articles we have discussed recently - https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/macromanagement - Macromanagement (when you get to a point you are absolutely self-sufficient and trusted to do your job) https://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylrobinson/2024/02/06/how-to-communicate-to-left-brain-and-right-brain-team-members/?sh=64f0e0dab241 - understanding that people think in different ways and that this is often the reason we end up experiencing communication issues https://hbr.org/2024/02/6-questions-to-ask-at-the-midpoint-of-your-career?registration=success - getting to your late 30s/early 40s - should you now be ‘sorted’ in terms of your career and should the remainder of your work life be about ‘refining’ things? https://hbr.org/2024/01/ask-an-expert-im-getting-mixed-messages-about-my-performance-what-should-i-do - building a business case for your promotion rather than waiting around for your boss to give you one https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20240207-big-tech-layoffs-perks-cuts - are you ‘putting all your eggs in one basket’ by thinking a role in tech is the ‘be all and end all’? Should you be focusing on a back up plan like a trade (plumbing, electrician etc) https://hbr.org/2024/01/4-mistakes-everyone-makes-at-work - Four types of mistakes people make in the workplace - ‘aha!’ mistakes, sloppy, stretch, and ‘high stakes’

Let’s see what horrors Chat GPT can come up with this week! After about 10 different prompts, it still didn’t give me what I wanted and I still had to change about 50% of them to be more accurate and natural (all words and phrases come from calls this week). Join my Telegram for the full list and other content such as quizzes! https://t.me/englishwithdavido 1 - I always aim to be non-combatant and have a neutral stance, fostering a positive work environment. (neutral) 2 - Embracing a non-belligerent approach, I focused on building positive relationships with my colleagues. (neutral) 3 - The office atmosphere was non-hostile, promoting teamwork and shared success. (neutral) 4 - When the project faced challenges, he focused on guiding us instead of apportioning blame, encouraging a collaborative spirit rather than a blame game. (splitting blame between many people, like portions of cake) 5 - Developing Android applications has always been a labour of love for me, and I'm excited to continue this passion in Berlin. (hard work) 6 - While the idea of moving might seem daunting, I believe it’ll be worth my while for personal and professional growth. (Worth your time and energy) 7 - Many colleagues agreed, and there was a general consensus that relocating to Berlin was a strategic move for our careers. (most people believe) 8 - Contrary to conventional wisdom/popular belief, I believe that taking risks and embracing change can lead to remarkable opportunities. (most people believe) 9 - Though my work was initially not so refined, through focus, effort, and regularly seeking feedback, I managed to move forward. (not so accurate or detailed) 10 - I diligently completed each task, constantly improving my skills. (carefully and with precision)

How do you use THANKFULLY and HOPEFULLY in English? This is what Chat GPT says - "Thankfully" is used to express gratitude or relief. It indicates a positive outcome or a situation for which the speaker is thankful. Example: "Thankfully, the storm passed without causing much damage." "Hopefully" is used to express a hopeful expectation or a wish for the future. It is often used to convey optimism or anticipation. Example: "Hopefully, the weather will be clear for our outdoor event." This is correct, however there's more to it. There's a common misconception that THANKFULLY is only used to talk about past events, and that HOPEFULLY is used to talk about unknown future events. But, in reality, it has nothing to do with tense. It's all about CERTAINTY or UNCERTAINTY, regardless of tense. - PAST - 'Thankfully, I passed my driving test!' (it actually happened!) - PAST - 'Hopefully, he passed his driving test' (you don't know yet) - PRESENT - 'Thankfully, I'm on the bus now!' (maybe you were running late) - PRESENT - 'Hopefully, I'm doing pretty well in my new role' (you're not sure or haven't been given feedback yet) - FUTURE - 'Thankfully, I will be on the next flight tomorrow' (the re-booking is definite) - FUTURE - 'Hopefully, I'll be on the next flight tomorrow!' (it hasn't been confirmed yet!)

SAY, TELL, SPEAK ABOUT, or TALK ABOUT? Which of the following statements is INCORRECT? Remember that we SAY something TO SOMEONE, and TELL SOMETHING to SOMEONE. When we use 'tell', we have to highlight who we are speaking to. With the others, we don't have to.

Are you using Chat GPT to support your language learning? I collate various phrases and pieces of vocab which have come up on calls during the previous week, and send out on Telegram (https://t.me/englishwithdavido) in the form of 'sentences in context'. Note that I always have to rewrite most of them! - As a software developer, I constantly endeavour to acclimatise to the rapidly evolving tech landscape. (to try by best) - Last night, I got a little too engrossed in learning Python! (far too involved than I needed to be) - My PM doesn't seem to listen to a thing I say; it's like information goes 'in one ear, out the other'. (doesn't listen) - Squarespace is really not fit for purpose and is downright sub-standard compared to other no-code website builders. (it's awful) - The pressure to quickly knock something up can be challenging. (to get something done without much prep) - My progress may be hampered by the looming threat of AI systems. - I feel like I might be at a handicap when AI becomes more developed. (at a disadvantage) - I knew my approach to the project probably wouldn't be welcomed by the team, but I decided to throw the cat among the pigeons anyway! (to say something which may cause chaos) - My colleague hasn't performed well on recent projects. We discussed that it was time to move forward and draw a line in the sand. (forget about the past and move on) - In discussions about the future, I often give him the benefit of the doubt. (he's probably talking crap and you can't necessarily take him seriously) - Despite the challenges, I strive to acclimatise to the rapidly evolving tech landscape. (adapt) - As a developer, I often feel inundated with information, making it challenging to stay abreast of new technologies. (overloaded) - I felt as though solutions to the design issue were sub-par. (below the expected standard) - I have finally begun to get my bearings now that I’ve been at Yandex for 2 months (feeling comfortable)