Orrick Hosts Interview Workshop for SVUDL Students

Nine SVUDL students and alumni attended an interview skills workshop hosted by Associates and Summer Associates at the Menlo Park office of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. The session introduced participants to common interview questions, preparation strategies, and ways to connect their experiences to the position or opportunity they are seeking.

Participants discussed the importance of researching an employer, reviewing the job description, preparing examples from their academic and extracurricular experiences, and asking thoughtful questions about a workplace. SVUDL alumnus Noah Becerra reflected, "I'm glad to know what an interview is like... Now, I know how to prepare for one and I can take what I've done with my research for law firms and apply it to interviews."

Throughout the workshop, participants were encouraged to draw from experiences they already have through school, Speech and Debate, extracurricular activities, and previous work. The speakers explained that examples of resolving disagreements, contributing to a team, responding to failure, or organizing a project can help interviewers understand how an applicant approaches responsibility and problem-solving.

The group also discussed how to make interview responses clear, relevant, and conversational. Michelle Tran, a junior at KIPP San Jose Collegiate High School, shared, "I learned to make my answers a lot more genuine and to have stories ready, and to make things conversational. At first I was sort of robotic but he helped to make my tone more conversational."

The workshop concluded with small-group practice. Students and alumni prepared responses to "Tell me about yourself" and selected behavioral interview questions, then received feedback from Orrick team members. The practice gave participants time to turn their experiences into focused answers by explaining what they did, what they learned, and how those experiences connect to the positions they are pursuing.

Zakaria Aissous, a rising senior at Silver Creek High School, said, "I learned to not only present a narrative, but to keep it succinct... Keep it conversational but also keep it short."

Participants also practiced asking questions of an interviewer and considering whether a workplace might be a good fit. Megan Medeiros, a rising senior at Silver Creek High School, reflected, "I hadn't had a lot of experience before with asking the interviewer questions, either during or after the questioning period, so I got some good feedback from one of the Summer Associates about how to really go about asking your questions, like making sure not to ask questions that are too heavy or complex and to make sure you're still making a good impression while getting the information you want from the interviewer."

Thank you to the team at Orrick for offering such an impactful workshop to SVUDL students and alumni!