How to stop a conversation from feeling like an interview
If you’ve asked several questions in a row, offer a related detail about yourself. Then pause long enough for the other person to choose where to go.
Practice asking fewer, better follow-upsReplace the next question with a connection
If they’ve told you how they learned to bake, share a brief attempt of your own: “I once set the timer for the wrong hour and only noticed when my friend arrived.” Stop there. They can ask about the friend, laugh about the timer or tell a different baking story.
Hand over the choice of topic
Try “I’ve been asking everything today. Is there something you’d like to talk about?” If they like short direct questions, keep some. Check whether both people have had room to tell a story by the end.