Sometimes you can walk away from a first date without really finding much out about the person you're dating. If you ask these three key questions, though, you'll learn plenty.

What do you do in your spare time?

If you're dating someone who has lots of interests outside work, they will love to talk about their hobbies.

This is also a great way to find out if you have a lot in common with the person you are dating. It's important to find this out because shared interests can often make or break a relationship.

For example, if your main interest is in extreme sports but they mainly read novels in their spare time and have not participated in any sport since the age of 13, you may find this difference causes problems further down the line.

On the other hand, opposites can attract - you could find your differences bind you together - it's best to stay relatively open-minded for the time being.

What job do you do?

While it can be better not to dwell on this one - work talk can be dreary when you are dating - it is nevertheless a major part of all employed people's lives and something which will show you to some extent what kind of person they are.

While area of employment is not necessarily the main indicator of a person's identity and personality, you should be able to get an idea of you dating partner's strengths by asking this question.

If you feel they are open to discussion, delve a little deeper. Ask where they would like to be in five year's time and this will show whether they are an ambitious type. An ambitious person will be aiming high in their work.

Some people are only working in their current profession because they were convinced to do so by parents or by necessity. For these people, you might find there is a lot more to them than meets the eye.

Ask the person you are dating what job they would do if they could choose anything and you will be able to find out a bit more about their character and personality. If they work as an accountant but would like to be an artist, for example, this shows they have an interest in aesthetics and a creative side - a fact which may not be apparent if you only knew what they currently did for work.

Do you have any brothers or sisters?

While brothers and sisters aren't necessarily an important factor as far as dating conversation goes, the interesting thing about this question is that it gives the person you are dating an opportunity to talk about their family.

For some people, for example those who have endured a difficult childhood, this could be a tough subject, but on the whole people tend to be pleased to talk about their family.

This will also give you an idea of what has shaped them into the person they are. A tough upbringing may have bred resilience into your dating partner, for example, so finding out about their family will give an insight into them as a person.