Master the art of asking the right questions to achieve your professional goals

In the job market, it's usually the employer or recruiter asking different types of questions. But the ability to enquire isn't just limited to interviewers – it's a skill set that any professional can benefit from. Whether you want to confirm something, move a project forward, or simply build better working relationships, using questioning techniques effectively can help elevate your everyday communication and achieve your career goals.

The importance of asking different types of questions

We might be taught grammar and spelling at school, but what about how to question? Developing your skills in this area can really improve your communication capabilities, while further developing your relations with colleagues, clients, and other professionals in your network.

By asking the right questions, you can collate crucial information, develop productive solutions, and learn new things. Additionally, effective questioning can help you:

  • Think critically: Strengthen your critical thinking abilities by learning how to ask different questions and – as a by-product – how to answer them. 

  • Remember more: Verify and digest important points of a conversation, based on the answers you gain. You will be more likely to remember the facts. 

  • Defuse conflict: When faced with challenging circumstances, asking the right questions can be the answer. This allows you to understand other people's perspective and overcome any miscommunication issues you may have.

  • Become a presenter: When you can ask the right questions, you're able to deliver compelling talks and presentations. Using rhetoric in your speeches means that you can engage your audience and share otherwise complex ideas with them. 

  • Lead your team: Upskill, train, and manage team members by using the right questions. Encourage them to think critically about problems and find the right solutions. 

  • Influence people: Use the art of persuasion to encourage others to agree with you. By choosing the right question style, you have the chance to influence those around you. 

Great communication is the cornerstone of modern business. When you start to hone this skill, you'll see a real change in the opportunities that come your way. Of course, there's a right and wrong time to use each of the questioning techniques. As we will cover in this guide, it's important to know about the various types and the outcomes you can expect. That way, you can select the correct questioning strategies, based on the situation at hand.

Different types of questioning techniques – with examples

Ready to get started? Achieve improved outcomes by deploying one of the techniques below; whether you're carrying out an interview, presenting to senior managers, or deep into a project. These are nine questioning techniques you can use in order to gain more information on a subject:

1. Open questions

Probably the most common type of questioning technique, the aim of an open question is information gathering and problem solving. Asking an open question gives the other person a chance to offer a more detailed explanation of the topic in question. 

It's a great questioning technique to apply when you need to understand why something has happened and the circumstances around it, as well as when you want to get on board with a colleague's point of view.

Typically, open questions start with one of the “Five W's” – Who, What, When, Where, and Why – a technique taught to journalists and police investigators. You can also add How and Which to this list. They're questions that can't be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”

Examples

  • “What are some of the ways in which we could move this project forward?”
  • “Where do you see our sales figures going this year?”
  • “Why has our average customer satisfaction rating gone down so much?”
  •  “How productive has the team been over the past month?”
  •  “You look stretched; how can I help?” 

2. Closed questions

Not surprisingly, closed questions are the opposite of open questions, designed to be answered by a nod or a shake of the head. They prove useful when all you require is a simple, quick response and are great if you want to assess whether a co-worker agrees with you or not. This questioning technique saves time and provides direct feedback.

Examples

  • “Do you fully understand the new company procedures?”
  • “Have sales increased this quarter?”
  • “Can you take part in tomorrow's meeting?”
  • “Are you concerned about coordinating the Christmas party this year?”
  • “Did you get a response from Harry about the new branding campaign yet?”
  • “Do you think you have the right set of skills for this position?”

3. Funnel questions

Funnel questions begin with broad questions that become more and more specific the deeper you go into the conversation. By starting a dialogue with general questions, you can put the other person at ease, encouraging them to open up more as the conversation progresses. 

This type of questioning technique is perfect when defusing a tense situation, as you can calm down an irate customer or colleague by getting them to go into more detail about their complaint. Not only will this distract them from emotions, it often means you can find a way of offering something practical to help the matter.

Examples

  • “Have you taken advantage of using the IT helpdesk to solve your problem?”
  • “What did they do to resolve the issue?”
  • “How competent was the person who dealt with your inquiry?”
  • “Are you likely to use them again if you come across another IT issue?”

4. Probing questions

These do exactly as it says on the tin – dig that little bit deeper to get all the juicy details. It could be as easy as asking the person for an example, so you can further grasp a statement they've made. Additionally, you might need clarification on something or want to investigate if there's proof of what's been said before. Probing questions can help to glean information from those who don't seem to be that willing to share what they already know.

Examples

  • “When do you want this report, and are you keen to see a draft before I hand over the final version?"
  • “How do you know that the new database can't be used by the marketing department?"
  • “What exactly do you mean by being business aware?”
  • “Can you elaborate on that, please?”

5. Leading questions 

“That's a leading question, yer honour.” Familiar to us from courtroom dramas, leading questions steer the recipient down the path that the person posing the question wants them to go down. Powerful for business leaders and sales personnel, this questioning technique is often applied in negotiations to influence the decisions of others by starting with a claim and ending with asking if the other person agrees.

Examples

  • “If we decrease spending on events, we could steer more of the budget towards social media, which has a better return on investment, don't you agree?”
  • “I think Eve's idea is preferable to Amy's as it will lead to a higher level of advertising success. What do you think?”
  • “Jessica's very organised and efficient, isn't she?”
  • “Shall we all vote for option one?”

6. Questions to clarify

To clarify is to check if you've got the right information and have understood correctly. Clarification questions often come at the end of a meeting, discussion, or presentation. It's one of those great types of questioning techniques that can be used to verify deadlines, task accountabilities, or the team's overall next steps. It's also useful for recapping key points, making everyone aware of what the conversation was all about.

Examples

  • “Am I correct in saying that the final project is due a week on Monday?”
  • “Before wrapping up, let's confirm everything. Office furniture is being moved out on Thursday, Hunter is on target to book the Facilities Manager for the relocation, and staff are going to be informed by HR tomorrow. Is that all correct?”

7. Rhetorical questions

Rhetorical questions don't require an answer, and are often used to engage with the audience while ensuring they're still listening. They move listeners to really think about what's being said, and then come to their own conclusions. They're basically phrases wrapped up in question form.

Examples

  • “How many times do I have to tell you?”
  • “What could be better?”
  • “Can't you do anything right?”
  • “What's not to like?”

8. Questions for recall

Recall questions are brilliant for ensuring the recipient has remembered something important. Say you're teaching a new colleague how to use the till, you could ask them a recall question about how a particular aspect works so that you know they understand the process.

Examples

  • “Do you remember how to access the channel sales documents?”
  • “Where did you put the files for the presentation on Tuesday?”
  • “Can you recall how to spell check the file?”

9. Divergent questions

If you want the recipient to think critically, try asking them some divergent questions. Also known as process questions, these are often tricky to answer. Rather than giving you a one-word (or even one-sentence) explanation, the person will need to consider different angles. Often enough, this questioning technique will require a person to give their opinion alongside the facts. 

While many different professionals use divergent questions, there are some careers where they are most common. For example, journalists often ask this type of question to get a fuller answer from interviewees. To better understand what we mean, take a look at some examples below. 

Examples

  • “Based on what you know about this company, do you think it will need to adapt in the coming quarter to survive?”
  • “What are the positives and negatives of your role?”
  • “Do you think working with this client is a good business move, and why?”
  • “What type of challenges will we come up against in the coming year, in your opinion?”

Know the questions to ask and how to ask them

As we've explored in this guide, different questioning techniques elicit different responses. So think carefully about the questions you want to ask. Consider whether you want the other person to give you a detailed explanation or a one-word answer. You may also want the other person to reach their own conclusion or lead them toward a specific direction. The more you practise these techniques, the easier they'll become. 

There's no need to question the expertise of TopCV's writers when it comes to creating compelling job search documents that tell your unique story. Check out the free CV review, or get matched with a writer who understands your industry and level of experience. 

This article was originally written by Elizabeth Openshaw and has been updated by Charlotte Grainger.

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