Have You Heard of the S.O.A.R Method is a guest blog by Thomas Anderson, P.E.
How do you prepare for an interview? Do you read typical questions that the employer might ask? Do you practice artful responses? The S.O.A.R. Answer Method is helpful for preparing for interview questions and it keeps you focused on the discussion while you are answering.
This answer method works well on interview questions 11 and 15 on an article called Top 20 Interview Questions and How to Answer
The S.O.A.R. Method Explained:
S – Situation
Explain the context in the form of a real life story. This is the “before” picture which shows what was happening at the time of the situation.
For example – “I was in a meeting with more than thirty people in Italy trying to portray an idea.”
O – Obstacle
Define the issue or issues that caused the problem. This will inform the interviewer what it is you had to overcome.
For example – “I only spoke English and they were speaking Italian.”
A – Action
Explain the action you took to resolve the situation.
For example – “I found a translator; I analyzed the ideas and I spoke clearly and slowly waiting for the translator to finish.”
R – Results
Share the result. Share the outcome and the important knowledge you gained.
For example – “The project became more efficient and now I am able to understand more Italian.”
Want to learn more? Visit ESRG! The purpose of the group is to provide a platform for engineering students and recent grads to share information and reach out to others for guidance. I hope you find it valuable.
About Thomas A. Anderson, P.E:
Thomas is a licensed mechanical engineer from Point Park University. He has 10 years of experience designing equipment and managing projects within the steel industry. Thomas works for Hatch in Pittsburgh, PA and belongs to the Engineer Society of Western Pennsylvania, Association for Iron and Steel Technology, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He is a dedicated Toastmaster and owns his own coaching business called “engineer your career” where he spends his free time helping engineers reach their career goals.
Please leave your comments, feedback or questions below that you may have in regard to the S.O.A.R. method.
To your success,
Anthony Fasano, PE, LEED AP
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success
