Closed Questions vs Open Questions #2
Closed Question 1: “Is there a training budget?”
Why are these open questions better?
This question goes beyond a simple yes or no. It allows you to understand the company’s real strategy, how it prioritizes talent development, and how much importance it gives to training as a growth tool. It reveals organizational culture.
This question seeks to understand not just money, but also time, tools, and support. It allows you to discover whether the company invests in platforms, mentors, work time, or simply in specific courses. It’s key to evaluating the real commitment to growth.
Concrete examples are powerful. This question invites real stories, allowing you to evaluate the effectiveness of past initiatives and understand how resources have been applied. It’s a way to measure results, not just intentions.
Closed Question 2: “Do you offer external courses?”
Why are these open questions better?
This question broadens the range of possibilities. It’s not limited to external courses, but allows you to learn about workshops, mentoring, conferences, certifications, and other forms of learning. It’s a way to evaluate the richness of the company’s training ecosystem.
This question seeks to understand the training strategy. It reveals whether the company values internal knowledge, how it develops its own resources, and what criteria it uses to invest in external training. It allows you to evaluate the coherence of the educational approach.
Success comes in many forms. This question invites concrete cases, allowing you to understand what type of training works in practice and why. It’s a way to evaluate the real effectiveness of learning investments.
Closed Question 3: “Does the company pay for professional certifications?”
Why are these open questions better?
This question looks at the complete process, not just funding. It allows you to understand if there’s support, dedicated time, subsequent recognition, or even associated career plans. It’s key to evaluating real support for training.
This question seeks to understand the real value a certification has within the organization. It allows you to discover whether they’re recognized, rewarded, or simply ignored. It’s a way to evaluate the culture of learning and professional growth.
Concrete examples are more valuable than promises. This question invites real stories of support, allowing you to evaluate the effectiveness of training policies and understand how they’ve been applied in practice.
🔍 Depth
Open questions allow exploration beyond the surface, revealing hidden thoughts, experiences, and skills.
🧠 Critical Thinking
They invite reflection, analysis, and structuring of responses, showing how the candidate processes information and makes decisions.
💬 Communication
They reveal the ability to express oneself clearly, organize ideas, and convey messages effectively.
🌟 Authenticity
They allow the candidate to show their true self, without fitting into prefabricated responses or clichés.