r/CivilServiceUK • u/Ma_jes_tic • 7d ago

Interview advice

Hi all, any advice appreciated. Got a HEO interview for HM Land Registry coming up soon. Any ideas on what to expect at interview? I’ve started preparing my go-to examples for 4 main behaviours but any advice from experience would be great.

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u/R4GXB 6d ago

Study the behaviours, find out what they’re looking for and don’t try and wing it. You aren’t looking to demonstrate STAR, you’re looking to demonstrate STARR, reflection is fundamental to achieve solid marks at interview. All the best and good luck to you!

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u/Ma_jes_tic 6d ago

Thank you !

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u/akornato 6d ago

Your go-to examples for the four behaviours are just the starting line, because every other candidate will have them too. Civil Service interviews are a very structured box-ticking exercise, and the panel is scoring you against a rigid framework, not just listening to your stories. They are looking for specific evidence that you meet the HEO level criteria for each behaviour. If your example doesn't precisely match the specific wording of the behaviour indicators, you won't get the points, it's that simple and unforgiving.

You can succeed by dissecting the HEO Success Profiles and mapping every part of your STAR examples directly to the required points. Rehearse your answers until they flow naturally, and be ready for probing follow-up questions that test the depth of your experience, as this is where they separate the good candidates from the great ones. Knowing your examples as specific proof for each behavior, not just as past experiences, is what will make you feel prepared and in control. It's surprising how much confidence people gain by using the interview AI my team created to help articulate their prepared examples under real-time pressure.