5 Steps Required to Join the Social Work Profession

The social work profession plays a significant role in society. It is a challenging career but in return, rewarding.

Social work requires people with a helping and caring personality. They identify people at various levels with problems and formulate solutions for them, making their lives better. People face different challenges in their daily routines, increasing jobs for social workers.

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If you are passionate about helping others, the social work profession will serve you right. The information in this article is a comprehensive guide to know to start a career as a social worker. It entails the responsibilities, education requirements, and the earnings of a professional social worker.

Social Work Profession

What Do Social Workers Do?

The social work profession involves a wide range of services to members of society at the federal and local state levels. Professional social workers offer the elderly various cultural groups. The primary goal of a social worker is to ensure they identify people in need of help and formulate meaningful solutions. They focus on providing that the clients have a better life.

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Daily problems handled by social workers include issues caused by neglect, domestic abuse, substance abuse, child labor, and mental health. You need to have extensive skills and experience in how to handle your clients based on their level and their situations. Patience in the social work sector is a virtue.

Depending on the situation, a social worker may be needed to provide direct counseling or solve a client’s crisis. Social work covers a wide range of problems, hence the need for specialization. You can specialize in working in a hospital, mental health centers, schools, career centers, and community centers. Specialty also involves a difference in education requirements.

Social Worker Categories

Social workers are categorized based on their specialization area. They can work in hospitals, correctional facilities, military bases, educational institutions, government agencies, and private sectors

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  • Geriatric social workers focus on helping clients plan for their health complications and also find jobs to provide food for their families.
  • Hospice care social workers are trained and devoted to helping their clients adjust to severe illnesses. They also care for dying people.
  • Medical social workers are determined to connect patients and their families with hospital resources.

Average Social Worker Pay

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that health social workers earn approximately $51,930. The compensation varies with the qualifications and type of clients you are handling. The fee is rewarding since you can control various clients in a day.

Educational Status

Social workers must have a bachelor’s degree and post-master experience. Studying sociology and psychology is an added advantage, ensuring you have extensive knowledge and expertise to handle members of the community.

To be licensed as a professional worker, you must have at least two years of experience after graduating. It’s also a requirement to pass the test set by the state.

Skills and Personality

As a social worker, you must be passionate and have great listening skills, organizational skills, creative thinking abilities, and time management.

Conclusion

Social work is projected to grow at least 9% as compared to other occupations. People are continuously seeking treatments in mental clinics, thus increasing the growth of clinical social workers. Jobs are available in all the above areas, so you should create a resume and drop it by at a workplace in your area of specialization.

Also read – 6 Things Every New Social Worker Should Know