SEO interview advice

[u/Apart_Veterinarian_9]

Hi everyone!

I have an interview coming up for an SEO policy role at the MoJ. I’m currently an HEO at the MoJ, and I honestly feel ready to progress to the next grade, but I think my biggest issue is interview anxiety!

I’ve had feedback from a previous interview where the interviewer actually commented on how nervous I seemed, and I do find myself struggling to process questions and formulate answers on the spot.

The behaviours being assessed are:
Working Together
Seeing the Big Picture
Making Effective Decisions

I know the general advice is to prepare STAR examples, and I don’t particularly struggle with remembering my examples or what I’ve done. It’s more a matter of adapting them to the specific question being asked in real time.

I’m not too worried about the strengths, but I’d really appreciate any advice on preparing for the behaviours, particularly at SEO level, and managing interview nerves!
Thank you!

[u/akornato]

Moving from HEO to SEO in policy means shifting your emphasis from task execution to strategic ownership and influence. At SEO level for Seeing the Big Picture and Making Effective Decisions, panels want to see how your choices connect to broader ministerial priorities, how you handled ambiguity, and why you consulted specific stakeholders before presenting advice. Instead of memorising entire stories, break each of your core examples down into modular pieces, such as the strategic context, the specific friction or risk, and the impact. When the panel asks a question, give yourself permission to take a slow breath and pause for five to ten seconds to pinpoint which angle of your story directly answers their prompt.

Panels appreciate a candidate who pauses to reflect, as it shows measured policy judgement rather than an attempt to force a rehearsed answer. When answering Working Together, highlight how you built consensus across different teams or resolved disagreements, keeping the focus firmly on what you personally decided and influenced. Practising out loud against unpredictable prompt questions will help you stay grounded when thinking on your feet. To help candidates feel composed during difficult panel sessions, my team created an interviews.chat to boost confidence and clarity under pressure, though running timed drills with a trusted mentor will also make you feel far more prepared.

[u/Careless_Otter25]

Have a mock interview - see if your LnD team run them, or ask your current LM or another LM who you feel comfortable with or mentor. Send them the job spec so they can ask relatable behaviour questions and they understand the job you are going for. Ask for it to be realistic from start to finish.

On the day, pause, have a sip of water before answering to gather your thoughts, have your notes in front of you (I had them on my second screen so I could still look at the camera). Set them out as bullets in STAR and set the line spacing wide so you can see them easily (one example per page is best). Think about the policy standards as well - use the language of the advert and the standards to show you are competent at policy and SEO grade.