Open-Ended Questions: Ask, "Can you describe a challenge you faced?" to invite storytelling. Two-Way Dialogue: Encourage questions like, "What interests you about our company?" to foster engagement. Safe Environment: Assure candidates, "Feel free to share your thoughts; there are no wrong answers." Active Listening: Nod and respond to their points, showing genuine interest. Personal Connection: Share your own experiences briefly to build rapport and encourage openness.

Before asking them to share their unique experience, you need to create a positive and welcoming environment. Start with using icebreakers, presenting yourself, but you can also add positive aspects of your personal experience during your employment at the company. Candidates love to hear about company culture, even some personal situation you had related to it - it's a great starting point for continuing conversation spontaneously, where you can ask them what they think about it, how were their previous experiences related to subject, etc. When you built a safety environment, you can continue with situational questions (open-ended ones), but bear in mind you need to be an active listener, so the two-way dialogue will have natural flow.

To really get candidates talking, move beyond the typical questions. Throw in a curveball that encourages creativity—something like, ‘If you had unlimited resources, what would you change about our industry?’ These unconventional prompts invite candidates to think big and reveal how they approach problem-solving. Also, be transparent about your own experiences in the role or company; this builds trust and turns the interview into a conversation, not just an interrogation.

To help candidates open up during interviews, I focus on creating a welcoming atmosphere. I start by asking open-ended questions that invite them to share their stories and experiences. I also make it a two-way conversation by showing genuine interest in their questions about the role or the company. It’s important for me to create a safe space where they feel reassured that there are no right or wrong answers. By fostering this kind of environment, I encourage candidates to be more open and authentic in their responses.