Social Work degree Careers

Discovering your perfect career can be a difficult and sometimes frustrating, or even maddening process. Oftentimes, people consider what they already like doing, their personal strengths, or what their values are before pursuing a career path. A career in social work is perfect for people who value relationships, are naturally empathetic, and enjoy work that is social in nature. An ideal social worker is dependable, cooperative, persistent, and independent. Social workers often need to rely on themselves, and their own training, to help clients and don’t require much guidance. Additionally, social workers are expected to exhibit high levels of self-control and stress tolerance when dealing with their clients. Oftentimes clients will lash out, or criticize their social workers, and professionals must maintain composure, keep their emotions in check, and act calmly in the face of highly stressful situations. Finally, social workers must be investigative. Asking questions, connecting the dots, and searching for facts are all skills competent social workers employ to help their clients. If these qualities match your own, a career in social work can be highly rewarding.

A social worker is trained to help a multitude of people, families and groups who are having difficulty coping with events and issues in their lives. These problems could be associated with plutonic and romantic relationships, childhood and family bonds, educational needs, and mental or physical wellness to name a few. Many people considering a career in social work should research how much education is required to address the types of problems and clients that they find most compelling. There are many websites filled with information about social work.

It’s true that many administrative social worker positions today are available to those with only a bachelor’s degree, there are a number of employers who require or expect an applicant to have earned a master’s degree before considering them for higher paying positions in one-on-one and clinical social work. It’s not uncommon to find social workers who only hold bachelor’s degrees to get stuck in a position without the credentials to move forward in their career path.

Types of Roles

While a bachelor’s degree is commonplace in the job market and many people doing social work have them, a master’s degree gives practitioners a fuller understanding of human behavior, supervision, leadership, and cultural diversity. A bachelor’s degree in social work is likely to offer you the opportunity to land an entry level position, but is not likely to open any doors to an independent practicing license. Every state has different licensing requirements, but in all cases, a master’s degree is required to work as a clinical social worker and is usually required for a professional certification. Not having a master’s degree can act as a glass ceiling for many professionals trying to succeed as social workers.

Social work is a vast field, full of varied challenges for young professionals. Depending on his or her interests, a social worker can find fulfilling work in a number of industries. For those that would rather work in social services than as a social worker, there are many positions to consider, such as:

• Health Educator
• Probation Officer
• Psychologist
• School or Career Counselor