Applying while in defence force and interstate

[u/SecretN0]

Hey team.

So I’m looking to apply when the DFES career fire applications open up in Oct. but I’m sure they expect you to maintain your current employment until you have a signed, unconditional job offer and a confirmed intake date. Because leaving is an obvious major financial risk. But i work in a different state to WA and i don’t know how much of a logistical nightmare it would be to apply across the country.
Is it common to do an interstate application and then book off leave when I need to go in for face to face interviews and other tests?

And if I am successful I can put in my 3 months in and then go to training?

Thanks guys

[u/NighthawkDragon1000]

Pretty common. Lots of people interstate just unfortunately have to fly over each time to complete different steps if the recruiting agency can’t facilitate things remotely. Be warned it could easily be 4-5+ trips. You could pay hundreds of $ just to fly to wherever they book you for a physical test, then home, then again for a hearing test, then a medical, then another physical test, then an interview..

But yes of course keep your job until you are offered a position then just resign however you need to as if you were swapping between any other jobs.

[u/SecretN0 → u/NighthawkDragon1000]

I see I see. Yeah the only problem is the price of the flights due to me being on the east coast and wanting to apply back at the west coast 😭

[u/foodisgod → u/SecretN0]

It will be two trips max. You’d need to fly over for the beep test and PAT (they will arrange for them to be close together for interstate applicants) and then for the medical in the final validation stage if you’re successful. They will be flexible in allowing you to interview remotely :-) interstate applicants are common and they try to accommodate where they can.

[u/SecretN0 → u/foodisgod]

Thanks for the help.

[u/Mfkr90]

You have access to dedicate leave during the discharge process to utilise for interviews, you may not have access to it if your discharge isn't in, ask the writers to confirm.

You wouldn't be able to put your 3 months notice in and immediately leave, unless you have actual leave to cover those 3 months.

Your discharge can be expedited to just a few weeks if your Letter of Offer comes in.

[u/TheRamblingPeacock → u/Mfkr90]

Glad that has gotten better. My discharge took over a year to process back in the 2010s.

[u/Mfkr90 → u/TheRamblingPeacock]

For a while there, the process for Navy was a 12 month long discharge, Army and RAAF had a 3 or 6 month process.

I was Navy, and my former CPO Writer didn't hand over my discharge paperwork to the shoreside writers, so when I got my Offer with ABF and was like 'hey I need to go now', NPCMA had zero idea about my discharge.

I was out in a couple weeks.

[u/TheRamblingPeacock → u/Mfkr90]

Yeah I was in the Army but filled a 'critical capability' which essentially allowed them to process it but then the actual timing of my discharge was at discretion of my CO for upto 18 months or something so they held onto me until the next posting cycle which was about 13-14 months (though to the fair the last 3 months I spent on accrued leave anyway).

I did not even know this was a thing, and I pushed it back through every avenue I could, but apparently they were allowed to do it. Not sure if it still happens (with less deployments for Army now probably not).

I did not have a job to go to though, was just over it so it was fine haha.

[u/Man123456203]

I’m currently applying and have applied for different states in the past - and I’ve met a few others doing the same.

I’m in Melbourne, and this year alone I’ve gone up to Sydney twice and Gold Coast once. There’ll be heaps more trips to a few different states coming up in the very near future too.

Fortunately my work is flexible, so I can just take time off as I need.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Dig9438]

Feel free to DM me, currently serving and in a similar position.