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Open and closed questions

Open questions encourage longer answers and their main uses are to:

  • establish rapport with the client
  • gain relevant background information

An example of an open question which might be used in this context is:

"What did you most enjoy about Ian Rankin's last novel?"

Closed questions prompt yes, no or short factual answers and their main uses are to:

  • elicit specific pieces of information from the client
  • gain confirmation that the candidate's understanding of what the client has said is correct

An example of a closed question which might be used in this context is:

"Have you read "The Time Traveller's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger?"

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