Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 212 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
21 roles · 212 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Architectural Intern
Intern Average Positive experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation
My interview experience with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill was really good overall. It felt professional but also easy to talk to people. They wanted to know about my background, my design ideas, and how I solve creative problems. I got to talk a lot about my portfolio and previous work, and the interviewers were really interested, asked good questions, and were supportive the whole time. It was a helpful talk and gave me a good feeling about how everyone works together and thinks things through at SOM.
Confirmed questions4 questions
- What motivated your decision to apply to Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)?
- Can you elaborate on your portfolio and previous projects?
- Describe your approach to creative problem-solving.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Structural Engineer
Entry Difficult Neutral experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
I had a 30-minute video chat with three structural engineers from SOM. It was a mix of behavioral questions about teamwork, challenges, and decision-making, plus technical questions covering structural design basics, problem-solving, and detailing. They also asked about projects I find interesting and why, so I could connect my background to SOM's work.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Which SOM project interests you and why?
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Intern
Intern Average Positive experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
My interview at SOM was great. The team was super welcoming and professional. They asked really thoughtful questions that let me show off my technical skills and how I solve problems. It felt more like a chat than an interrogation, which gave me a good vibe about their culture. Overall, it was a cool and inspiring experience, and I'm even more pumped about potentially joining their innovative projects.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you tell me about a favorite SOM project and explain why, and also what courses you've taken that are relevant to this role?
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Junior Designer
Entry Average Positive experience Accept offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral
The interview was really welcoming and chill. They told me upfront that the firm does work across different teams, which I liked. They seemed more interested in the ideas behind my projects than just my technical skills. We had a good talk, and I felt like they wanted to know how I think and what unique things I could bring to their team. It made me more excited about working there because they seem to value different ideas and talking openly.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you describe a project where you collaborated with a team?
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill interview reports.
“How did you source the abandoned structure used in your presented project?”
Read reports →“Do you plan on pursuing graduate studies, and if so, when and in what area?”
Read reports →“Could you elaborate on the bio-climatic design aspect of your Egypt project?”
Read reports →“How are the teams in the office divided into areas like concept and detailed design?”
Read reports →“Would you rather work from home or come into the office?”
Read report →“What was the hardest part of a graduate-level technical course you completed?”
Read report →“Considering your graduate school studies, what subject would you be interested in researching during your initial year at SOM?”
Read report →“This work is a lot more difficult than just writing a press release or an article, how would you approach that?”
Read report →“How does your design (referencing one of my projects) relate to the urban context?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 212 Skidmore, Owings & Merrill interview reports.