Asking better questions

Questions with answers beat questions that invite a speech. "What does an ordinary Tuesday look like" beats "what is it like working in law". "What surprised you in the first year" beats "do you enjoy it". Specific questions produce specific answers, and specific answers are the ones worth having.

Then listen properly and follow the thread rather than working through your list. The best thing in most of these conversations is something the person said in passing, which they assumed you already knew — and it only ever appears if you ask about it.