What Questions Do I Use When Meeting Someone Online? A well-chosen question can help you start a conversation about social distancing, first impressions, and co-creation efforts. Here are some examples of questions you can use to get started. Among these are:

Personality-based questions

When meeting a person online, it’s easy to be fooled by their answers. Unlike a face-to-face interview, online personality tests often ask generic questions that don’t tell the whole story. When interviewing for a job, however, you need to focus on the qualities and traits that match the role. If you’ve met someone online but want to know if they are as interesting in person as they are online, here are some personality-based questions you can ask.

Past and present: Ask about the person’s past, which will reveal memorable events in their lives. This question works best in one-on-one interactions or small groups of people. It builds trust and is more personal than other types of questions. It also shows a person’s interests and passions. However, you should consider the level of personal information you want to share before asking them more personal questions.

Avoiding closed-ended questions

There is a common mistake people make when meeting someone online: using closed-ended questions. While these questions can be effective, they also limit the conversation and are likely to lead to biased answers. The best way to avoid this is to ask “How does this work?”

Open-ended questions are better for small talk and forming stronger connections with close friends. Curiosity keeps relationships fresh and strong. Using open questions is a good idea, too, when you meet someone for the first time or when you’re trying to improve a current relationship. Closed questions, on the other hand, are like “multiple choice” questions on tests.

When meeting someone online, it’s also important to avoid asking them about their work. This can lead to awkwardness. Alternatively, you can use a bridge response. You can change the topic of the conversation by mentioning a related news story. A bridge response can help you move the conversation away from awkwardness and towards a positive outcome. And, if you’re uncomfortable with an open-ended question, it might be a good idea to ask “how was your weekend?” This way, the other person doesn’t feel like they’re being forced to answer.

Listening carefully

One of the biggest differences between meeting someone online and meeting them in person is how you listen to them. Unlike meeting someone in person, listening online requires empathy, which means a great deal of communication happens nonverbally. Pay attention to facial expressions, gestures, and body language to uncover hidden messages and ideas. Listening carefully also means not jumping to conclusions or interjecting to finish your sentence. While it may be easier to say what you think, you’ll be more respectful if you’re fully listening.

Distractions. Active listening is hard when there are multiple distractions around you, like your desk, bookshelf, and picture of yourself. It’s also difficult to concentrate on someone else when you’re distracted, so leave your phone, pens, and other devices at home and focus on the person you’re speaking with. If you’re not paying attention to the speaker, they’ll think you’re not interested in their conversation.

Attention span. Face-to-face communication is largely non-verbal, and detecting emotions in non-verbal cues such as the set of the mouth, the slope of the shoulders, and eye contact is easier. It’s also possible to learn to listen more effectively by participating in interactive exercises and summarizing conversations so you can follow through on them with accuracy. In this way, you’ll feel more confident in interacting with others and build trusting relationships.

When you meet someone online, you need to be able to hear their message clearly. Technology has made it difficult to get a person’s undivided attention, so you have to be very attentive and pay attention to every word they say. If you don’t hear them clearly, they might be distracted and may not even acknowledge your message. Regardless of the medium, people value leaders who listen to them.

Avoiding messaging multiple times in a row if you are not receiving a response

Some people believe that not responding to texts is a strategy that works. After all, the guy may be thinking that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but the reality is that this is a bad strategy because it makes you anxious. Also, leaving a message on read is rude and is not acceptable behavior. The key is to start a conversation.