Episode 06B1–B2 — Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate
How to Answer "Tell Me About Yourself" as a Developer
22:16 · 10 vocabulary terms · The secret to a job interview in English for developers: "start with now" · Free PDF transcript
Free transcript PDF
Episode 6 — Free transcript & study guide
- 10-term vocabulary table
- Full role-play transcript
- Language breakdown notes
- Quiz with full answers
Secure email link · Instant delivery · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
Vocabulary
| Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Currently | At the moment; these days. The first word of a strong answer: “I’m currently a backend developer.” Not the same as “actually,” which means “in fact.” | "I'm currently a backend developer on a product team, and I specialise in authentication and APIs." |
| I specialise in | The part of your work you’re known for. Specialise is a verb: “I specialise in APIs.” Not “I am specialised in.” (US spelling: specialize.) | "I'm currently a backend developer on a product team, and I specialise in authentication and APIs." |
| Background | Where you come from professionally: “My background is in technical support” or “I come from a support background.” | "My background is actually in technical support." |
| Transitioned | Moved from one kind of work into another: “I transitioned from support into backend work.” Also “made the transition” or, informally, “moved into.” | "So about four years ago, I transitioned into backend work, and since then I've had hands-on experience with everything from session management to third-party integrations." |
| What drew me to | The reason something attracted you. Drew is the past of draw: “What drew me to development was…” or “That’s what drew me to development.” | "I started out helping customers fix integration problems, and that's what drew me to development." |
| Hands-on | Practical, direct experience — you’ve done it, not just read about it: “hands-on experience with third-party integrations.” Hyphenated before a noun. | "Since then I've had hands-on experience with everything from session management to third-party integrations." |
| Looking for | What you want next. Strongest with one concrete detail: “I’m looking for a role where I can own a feature end to end.” | "Going forward, I'm looking for a role with broader scope, where I can own a feature from the first refinement meeting all the way to release." |
| Scope | In an interview, the scope of your role means your responsibilities — what you own and decide. Recycled from Episode 5, where it meant the size of a ticket. | "You mentioned wanting broader scope. What's the scope of your current role?" |
| Clarify | To make something clear by asking or restating: “Could you clarify — do you mean…?” Recycled from Episode 5; in an interview, a sign that you listen. | "Could you clarify — do you mean on the login project, or in general?" |
| Takeaway | The lesson you carry out of an experience: “My biggest takeaway from that project was…” Recycled from Episode 3. | "My biggest takeaway from the login project was that clear requirements save more time than clever code." |
Episode structure
Intro
~1–1.5 min
Vocabulary Preview
~2–3 min
Role-Play
~8–12 min
Slow Replay
~2–3 min
Language Breakdown
~3–4 min
Quiz + Wrap-Up
~2–2.5 min
Your hosts

Alex
Tech Lead

Sam
Developer