Thinking of Becoming a Social Worker?

What is the job like?

Social workers have the unique responsibility of helping people deal with their everyday lives and overcome health, domestic or social obstacles. There are a few different kinds of social workers, all of whom focus their attention on determining the best solutions and offering available resources for those in trouble.

In schools, social workers are the link between a child's family and the school. They bridge the gap by working with all parties to ensure students are able to learn and perform at their highest potential. Ultimately, school social workers aid children in their academic lives, whether socially, psychologically or educationally. Some social workers are even beginning to hold workshops for the students that deal with such issues as teen pregnancy, misbehavior and truancy. Meanwhile, family and children social workers seek to maximize the well-being of families by assisting single-parent families, aiding in the adoption process or helping find foster homes for neglected or abused children. Family social workers can also assist the parents in finding a job or dealing with personal problems hindering them from performing efficiently and effectively at their current job.

Medical and public health social workers act as a resource for individuals and their families who are suffering from a terminal illness, like Alzheimer's, AIDS or cancer. They can counsel patients and make arrangements for in-home care or advise family caregivers. In this line of work, social workers may be employed by local governments, family services agencies or hospitals.

Mental health and substance abuse social workers treat patients struggling with alcohol or drug abuse. This type of work includes crisis intervention, group therapy, social rehabilitation and teaching clients the skills they need to live everyday life in the community, without substance abuse. Health-related social workers are often found working in similar locations as mental and public health social workers.

While many social workers are found working in an office or residential center, they also may have to travel locally to check on their clients, meet with service providers or attend meetings. They tend to work typical 40-hour weeks, but, sometimes, must work those hours at night or on the weekend to meet clients' needs.

What skills will you need?

Social workers must be emotionally mature, have the ability to work independently, carry out responsibility and be sensitive to, but objective about people and their problems. Maintaining a good relationship with clients and co-workers is also an important skill to have.

As far as education goes, a bachelor's degree in social work is the minimum required education for most social workers. Entry-level jobs can also take majors in psychology, sociology or a similar field. However, more jobs in health care and clinical work are increasingly requiring master's degree in social work. In addition, the opportunities for advancement improve considerably with more education. A second language can also be helpful. Most states require at least two years, or 3,000 hours, of supervised clinical experience for licensure of clinical social workers.

Still not sure social work is for you? Volunteering or taking on a paid position as a social work aide can help you decide!

How much money will you make?

Taken from a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2006, the following are the median annual earnings in industries employing the largest number of social workers:

Salaries ranged from the lowest 10 percent at $25,540 to the highest 10 percent at $68,500.

What are the benefits?

The benefits for social workers depend on the area of employment, area of specialty and amount of education or place within the company. Health and life insurance packages are common when working for a hospital or government agency.

Are there many employment opportunities?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment opportunities in all areas of social work are expected to increase much faster than the average for all occupations over the next decade. While there are more opportunities for those with advanced education, the job prospects are still great for those with simply a bachelor's degree. There is more competition in larger cities, but still plenty of opportunity in more rural areas, especially in working with the aging population.

What are some advancement opportunities?

Again, the more education a social worker has obtained, the more opportunity for promotion or advancement within an agency. A master's degree is required for pursuing a private practice. Social workers with advanced education and related work experience can be promoted to such job positions as supervisor, program manager, assistant director or executive director of a social service agency or department. Teaching, research and consulting are just a few more opportunities for social workers with advanced education.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2008) Occupational outlook handbook: social worker (2008-09 ed.) Retrieved December 20, 2007, from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm