Practical Career Support for Veterans Engaged with DVA
If you are unemployed or underemployed, looking to change direction, or finding your footing in civilian work, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Support for Employment (SFE) program may be able to help.
Through The BUSY Group, eligible veterans can access one-on-one coaching, practical job search support, and self-paced e-learning, all built around your situation and your goals. Eligibility applies, check yours below.
Support That Meets You Where You Are
For some veterans, the DVA Support for Employment program can assist them to change career direction, once formal transition has ended. For others, it can help with career decisions made alongside recovery, rehabilitation, or significant change at home.
Many veterans are looking to move forward while still working out how their experience fits beyond Defence, which roles to aim for, and how to present themselves clearly to civilian employers.
If any of that sounds familiar to you, the DVA Support for Employment program is a sensible next step.
How It Can Help
The support is practical, personal, and is paced to stay manageable.
What that looks like in practice (a short version): you might work with a coach to decide on a career direction, refine your resume, prepare for interviews, and tighten
your job search. You can also, use the e-learning tools to keep moving forward in between these sessions.
Career Direction
Work through what comes next, which roles make sense, and where to put your energy.
Resume and Applications
Present your experience clearly and professionally, so the right people see the right things.
Interview Preparation
Walk in with stronger examples, clearer answers, and more confidence.
Translating Defence Experience
Put your skills into language civilian employers understand and value.
Job Search Support
Strengthen how you search, apply, and position yourself for suitable roles.
What You Can Access
Depending on your goals and circumstances, support may include a range of career development modules. Each one is designed to build direction, strengthen your job search, and turn intent into steady progress towards work.
Develop Career Goals
Clarify what you want from your next stage of work and turn broad ideas into a more focused direction. This module supports self-reflection, strengths identification, transferable skills, and Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound (SMART) goal setting, helping you create goals that are realistic, motivating, and aligned with your longer-term plans.
Personality Profiling
Gain deeper insight into your strengths, preferences, working style, and career fit. This module uses profiling tools to help identify strengths, uncover possible development areas, and shape practical next steps for career planning and employment preparation.
Job Search Skills
Build stronger applications and take a more strategic approach to finding work. This module supports resume development, cover letters, networking, job search methods, and presenting your experience clearly to civilian employers.
Personal Branding and Marketing
Strengthen how you present yourself professionally, both online and in person. Topics may include personal values, communication style, LinkedIn, online presence, and developing a clearer professional identity that reflects your strengths and experience.
Interview Skills
Prepare for interviews with a better understanding of what employers are looking for and how to respond effectively. This module covers interview preparation, employer research, job descriptions, common question types, practical examples, and professional follow-up.
Negotiation Skills
Learn how to approach employment discussions with more confidence and a clearer sense of your value. This may include salary research, industry benchmarks, negotiation styles, employment conditions, compensation packages, and balancing career decisions with personal priorities.
Adjustment Coaching
Build confidence, resilience, and momentum through periods of transition, uncertainty, or change. This module focuses on self-awareness, motivation, practical planning, and strategies that can help you move forward in a more structured and manageable way.
Competency and Capability Mapping
Understand how your existing skills, knowledge, and experience align with civilian roles and workplace expectations. The focus is on identifying transferable strengths, recognising development areas, and making more informed career decisions with less guesswork.
Workplace Communication
Build confidence in the conversations that shape your employment pathway. This module may explore rapport building, active listening, asking better questions, using feedback well, networking, employer engagement, and navigating professional conversations with greater clarity and purpose.
Breaking Out of Long-Term Unemployment
Rebuild confidence, structure, and momentum after an extended period away from work. This support may help you identify barriers, refresh your job search approach, strengthen your applications, prepare for employer conversations, and take practical steps towards suitable employment.
Veteran Perspective
“I had experience, but I was struggling to see how it fit outside Defence. Working through it with a coach helped me improve my resume, work out which roles to focus on, and start getting interviews. ”
How to Access This Support
1. Check that you are eligible
If you have been separated from the Permanent Forces for at least 12 months and less than five years, and you do not have a DVA rehabilitation plan, you can apply for Support For Employment through your MyService page by clicking the Services and Benefits tile.
2. Log in to MyService
Open the Services and Benefits tile and look for the Support For Employment link. Please note, if you do not meet the eligibility criteria, you will not have a Support For Employment link within MyService to apply for this program.
3. Already on a rehabilitation plan?
Speak with your Rehabilitation Coordinator, Delegate, or usual DVA representative about whether this support fits your employment goals.
4. Explore more
You can also look into DVA’s Veteran Employment Program for job search support, civilian employment, and workplace adjustment.
Contact us
If you do not have a MyService record or have any questions, contact 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372). When you talk with
DVA, ask to be referred to the Support For Employment Program.
Why The BUSY Group
The BUSY Group has supported ADF members, veterans, and their families through employment, transition, and career development for many years, and we understand what makes that journey different.
Through structured coaching, practical guidance, and pathway-based support, we help people find direction, strengthen their job search, and take real steps towards employment and meaningful work.
For veterans accessing the Support for Employment Program, that means support which is practical, personal, and focused on moving you forward with greater clarity and confidence.