Work As a Social Worker
Social workers provide services that improve the quality of life of clients. Social workers work with individuals, families, and communities. Their jobs are focused on mental health and substance abuse, the chronically and terminally ill, school age children and adult employees. Social workers also work as college professors and in government. To become a social worker, you will need to obtain the appropriate education and decide which area of social work you want to work in. You should also research how being a part of a professional social work organization can help you build your career.
Steps
- Complete your social work education.
- Entry-level social work jobs require a minimum of a bachelor's degree. This degree will allow you to obtain employment as a social work aide or assistant. You may also be able to gain employment as an entry-level case worker.
- A master's degree will enable you to work in various social work roles and to apply for a social work license. A license is a credential required to provide counseling, substance abuse treatment and to work in schools. Licensed social workers are also called clinical social workers.
- Earning a doctorate degree in social work will open the doors to working as a college professor as well as administrative roles in government.
- Decide on an area of concentration in social work.
- Choose an area of social work
- As a medical or public health social worker you would work in hospitals and clinics. You will perform psychosocial evaluations that document current and past problems a patient has had with mental, family and social issues. This form of social work involves working with patients who have chronic and terminal illnesses and their families. You will help patients to obtain housing, transportation, aftercare, etc. The elderly are also a population that social workers working in health care facilities assist.
- If you become a clinical social worker, you will work in mental health and substance abuse facilities. Clinical social workers provide individual and group therapy, perform psychosocial evaluations and write treatment plans (a written report that identifies the client's problems and the strategies that will be used to help the client overcome the problem). As a clinical social worker you may work in inpatient or outpatient facilities. You may also have a private practice with clients coming to you directly for therapy instead of through a mental health or substance abuse facility. Employee assistance programs are also an option for you as a clinical social worker. They provide a limited number of counseling services for a company's employees.
- Social workers are also employed as case workers dealing with child welfare and neglect as well as adoption and foster care. If you choose this area of social work, you will work in the field, often going to clients homes and schools.
- If you decide on school social work, you will work in schools with children who have been identified as having behavioral and or family problems. You will work directly with the student and his or her family to create a plan for assisting the child.
- Pursue work as a college professor. Because you have a doctorate, you will also be qualified to work in government agencies that research and implement policies that address child welfare, poverty, violence and other issues.
- Join a professional organization.
- Becoming a member of a professional social worker organization will provide you with opportunities to meet peers who can help you find work. Many associations, like the National Association of Social Work, have conferences, job banks and continuing education opportunities to help you go further in your career.
Things You'll Need
- College degree
- Social work license
