Social Worker
The profession of social work can best be described as the “helper profession.” There are such a wide range of jobs that social workers are qualified to do, so it is best to say that social workers serve and care for individuals and communities. The field is known for its outreach role and for meeting people where they are to provide assistance in times of stress, to alleviate crisis situations, to counsel, and to link people to needed resources. Furthermore, social workers intervene on a “macro,” or community level to develop helping programs or agencies, or to collaborate with community leaders on policy making. Social workers can aid societies in addressing chronic problems to improve the community’s overall functioning and thereby enhance citizens’ quality of life.
You might enjoy social work if you love working with people and are very compassionate toward the needs of others. It is the perfect field if a desk job isn’t right for you and you are satisfied by having a meaningful career that isn’t always the most lucrative. A social work career could also be a good idea if you know you like to help others, but aren’t sure exactly what specific job you would like, or if you are a little restless and might like to experience a different type of job setting every few years. Social workers work with all populations and age groups, and are employed to assist with these problems: mental illness, physical illness, addictions, aging, poverty, stress, or disabilities. They work in a variety of settings, such as schools, prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, hospice programs, mental health agencies, child welfare and public social service agencies.
Social Work Education and Licensing
Professional social workers have a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree in social work from an accredited university, as well as a license to practice. The most job opportunities are available for master’s level social workers (MSW). The MSW degree includes the following types of courses: human behavior, practice, ethics, statistics, macro practice, psychopathology, group therapy and areas of specialty like gerontology and addictions. There are also required internships that provide experience and insight into types of jobs in the field. Here is a list of accredited social work programs.
Social workers are licensed by state and unfortunately there is not an option to get nationally certified. The types of licenses and requirements to obtain licenses vary by state. The licensing process will most likely require an exam, a background check, client contact hours, a certain amount of years of experience, supervision hours, and fees. It is common for there to be several levels of licensing, such as a Certified Social Worker (CSW) which bachelor’s level social workers are eligible to receive. The LSW is the master’s level license which you can apply for after receiving the graduate degree. The clinical license (LCSW) typically requires two years of full-time work with clients under supervision after receiving the LSW. Once you have gotten the clinical license you are permitted to work in private practice to provide psychotherapy services. The LSW and LCSW exams are nationally recognized, so you will not have to take different exams to become licensed in additional states. To learn more about the social work exams, check out this website.
More information about the social work profession
- National Association of Social Workers
- Association of Social Work Boards
- Find A Social Worker
- 10 Jobs For Social Workers
This career description provided by a professional social worker from Online Counseling & Therapy.
