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Choosing Social Work as a Career
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Choosing Social Work as a Career
Through counseling, advocacy, crisis intervention, case management, family intervention, and group work, social workers help people to solve personal and family problems. Social workers advocate for persons who face a life-threatening disease or a social problem like lack of housing, unemployment, substance addiction, serious illness or disability, or domestic abuse. They bring people together to create change in neighborhoods, villages, or change in our world. Social and economic justice is the primary goal of social workers.
In addition to these important qualities, social workers must be able to handle responsibility, work independently, value diversity, and maintain good working relationships with clients and co-workers. For those who choose a career path that is focused on helping others, the rewards are great.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the opportunity for a successful career in social work is very high. Employment is projected to grow faster than average and job opportunities are good in urban areas and above average in rural areas.
Examples of employment opportunities:
- Family and children's services
- Homeless and domestic violence centers
- Hospitals and health care centers
- Mental health and community support programs
- Criminal justice system
- Substance abuse programs
- Head Start programs
In 2009, the National Association of Social Workers created an interactive microsite entitled "50 Ways to Use Your Social Work Degree." The site is available at 50ways.socialworkblog.org. The site showcases more than 50 different ways that social workers are using their degrees from the nation's 600 schools and programs of social work to make life better for individuals, families and communities. Through individual profiles of social workers employed everywhere from schools, hospitals, and private businesses to government and non-profit agencies, foundations and the US Congress, the site explores what experiences and interests led each person to the profession.