When discussing best practices for interviewing, we often refer to the importance of asking open-ended questions.

For example, it’s good to start an interview with a question such as:

Can you tell me a little bit about your work history?

These types of questions help ensure the candidate is doing most of the talking during the interview.

Authentic connections emerge when a person feels listened to and understood.

But what happens if the conversation hits a lull or starts to feel awkward?

According to bestselling author Michael Bungay Stanier, there’s a simple “add on” question that can be appended to any answer that will supercharge the conversation.

The question is: And, what else?

Sounds simple but adding this phrase at the end of a candidate’s answer is a powerful technique for getting the candidate to share more openly.

According to Stanier, these three little words have magical properties.

With seemingly no effort, it creates more wisdom, more insights, more self-awareness, and more possibilities out of thin air.

Since you’re taking the time to interview, don’t waste the opportunity to build a connection.