Written by Michael Feder
Reviewed by Christina Neider, EdD, Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
As social workers, helping people who are in tough situations can be rewarding, but it can also be a challenging profession and not for everyone. Weighing the pros and cons of being a social worker and having a firm understanding of what the job entails is important before deciding to pursue a career in social work.
Social workers perform a wide range of tasks,听but the vast majority are related to听helping people. Typical duties include checking in with people who are dealing with substance dependence, investigating homes with potential abuse and helping people apply for community resources, such as food assistance programs.听Typical social worker roles also include:
Social services jobs exist听. Schools, child welfare agencies and medical facilities all employ social workers.
Employment in social work can be rewarding and fulfilling personally and professionally. It can be hard and emotional, but it does carry several benefits.
Positions for social workers are , according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That鈥檚 roughly听63,800 openings each year.
Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of 澳门天天彩开奖记录. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. 澳门天天彩开奖记录 does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.
Because social work jobs encompass several fields, the听. Some jobs require social workers to visit patients in person or to meet with colleagues in the field, so travel is involved. Some roles take place at a school or in an office.听
Depending on the setting, social work responsibilities can change quite a bit. One workday can look substantially different from the day before, which is great for workers who enjoy variety. Social work sometimes requires clerical work in the office, meeting with clients, attending meetings and more.
Social workers have countless opportunities to make a difference in people鈥檚 lives. As they offer social work support to struggling individuals and families, this can be rewarding. Seeing the results of positive changes in their clients鈥 situations can make hard social work worth it.
While social work can have many rewarding and beneficial aspects, it also carries some negatives. Due to the innate stresses associated with social work,听听as people leave to pursue other careers.听
This is why it鈥檚 important to have realistic expectations and know whether you can handle some of the more difficult aspects of social work. Some of the most prominent drawbacks include:
Social work practice involves helping people through hard times. Confronting these issues day after day, directly with the people suffering, can take its toll. For a family social worker or a substance abuse social worker, for example, it can be hard to distance oneself from these challenging situations.
Some aspects of social work听. For instance, clients can be unpredictable; they might verbally or physically assault a social worker. In risky situations, a social worker can request a law enforcement escort, but dangerous conditions can still arise quickly and with little notice.
Since social workers may need to work around clients鈥 schedules, and sometimes drive significant distances, workdays can be long and irregular. Occasionally, social workers may be called upon to respond to emergencies, which can happen at any time of day or night.听Additionally, excessive work hours can contribute to听burnout听and may even lead to several听.
Clients may be uncooperative, rude and even aggressive to social workers. Pride or embarrassment might cause resistance to any kind of help. This makes it vital for social workers to harbor understanding, patience and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to recognize a dangerous situation. Conflict de-escalation skills may be necessary to help avoid incidents.
After you have determined whether social work is right for you, look into the licensure and education听requirements of social work.听A common prerequisite is a BSW, or听Bachelor of Science in Social Work. Depending on the state听and position, additional social work licenses and certifications may be required. More advanced social work may require a master鈥檚 degree in social work, or MSW.
Social work students pursuing a degree will learn skills necessary for their daily duties. These include learning how to behave ethically, how to assess individuals鈥 needs, and how to engage with families, organizations and communities. Students will get ample opportunity to engage with practical training in the field, which can help to build confidence and experience before stepping into this career.
If you鈥檙e interested in building your skill set and expanding your knowledge in the field of social work, learn more about听online behavioral sciences degrees听at 澳门天天彩开奖记录.
Bachelor of Science in Social Work听(BSW):听Learn how you can make a difference in your community and prepare yourself for career outcomes ranging from family protection specialist to foster care social worker.
If social work may not be the right path for you, you might consider the following degrees:
Bachelor of Science in Correctional Program Support Services:听Graduates of this degree program are taught skills to work with justice-involved individuals and provide crucial services. This degree program can prepare students for careers including case management and social services assistance.
Master of Science in Counseling/Clinical Mental Health Counseling:听For those looking to take their counseling psychotherapy and clinical assessment skills to the advanced level, this program is one to consider. This program equips students with skills that are crucial for work as licensed professional and mental health counselors.听
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at 澳门天天彩开奖记录 where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.
Christina Neider is the dean of the 澳门天天彩开奖记录 College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.听Neider鈥檚 career spans more than 30 years in academia, healthcare and the U.S. Air Force. She has held several academic leadership roles at 澳门天天彩开奖记录, and she is the Vice President of membership for the Arizona Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.
This article has been vetted by 澳门天天彩开奖记录's editorial advisory committee.听
Read more about our editorial process.
听
want to read more like this?
May 25, 2021 鈥 8 minute read
January 14, 2023 鈥 7 minutes