Become a Customer Interview Expert

Power of Open Questions

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The most powerful questions in customer interviews are open questions. But what exactly are open questions? Open questions are questions that start with "who, what, when, where, why, and how". These questions are invaluable for conducting compelling interviews. They encourage interviewees to provide detailed responses, build rapport, and elicit deeper insights.

Let me show you some examples of open questions:

1. Gathering Valuable Insights: Open questions invite interviewees to share their experiences, thoughts, and perspectives, providing valuable information. For example:

• "What motivated you to pursue this career path?"

• "How did you handle a challenging situation in your previous role?"

2. Building Rapport: Open questions help establish rapport and make candidates feel at ease. For instance:

• "Who has been your biggest inspiration in your professional journey?"

• "When did you realize this field was your passion?"

3. Deeper Understanding: "Why" and "how" questions delve into an interviewee’s motivations. Examples include:

• "Why did you choose this particular approach?"

• "How did you successfully overcome a major obstacle in a previous project?"

4. Follow-up Questions: By actively listening and asking follow-up questions, you demonstrate attentiveness and encourage candidates to expand on their answers. For example:

• "Can you provide more details about that specific accomplishment?"

• "How did your team contribute to the overall success?"

Incorporating open questions into your interviews will easily help you to gather more valuable insights, build rapport, and deepen your understanding of candidates.

By starting with "who, what, when, where, why, and how," you create an environment for open communication and a more engaging interview experience for them.