Social Worker: Career Information

By Dawn Rosenberg McKay

Ads:

Social Worker Employment

Counseling Jobs

Masters Degree Jobs

To Become a Social Worker

Career Management
Blend Images-Dave and Les Jacobs/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
Ads
Distance MBA From IGNOUwww.shiksha.com/IGNOU+Distance+MBADistance MBA Approved by UGC & DEC. No
Entrance Exam. Enquire Now!
Submit Your Resumewww.shine.comUrgent Jobs in Top Companies Exp. Professionals Register Today!
Jobs in Coca-Colamonsterindia.com1000's of Jobs in Coca-Cola Submit your Resume Free. Now!
Top Related Searches
Masters Degree In Social Work
Social Work Jobs
Degree In Social Work
Emotional Maturity
Supervisor Program
Doctorate Degree
Ads
MBA in Healthcare MGMTwww.inlead.in9 Months Paid on Job Training with 100% Placement in Top Hospitals.
Sikkim Manipal Universitysmude.edu.in/Admissions_OpenRanked No.1 in Distance Education. EduNxt Online Learning
Platform!
Job Description:
Describing a social worker's job isn't easy. The description depends on whether one is talking about a direct-service or a
clinical social worker, and then on the population he or she serves and on his or her work environment. A direct-service
social worker helps people cope with challenges they are facing in their lives. Clinical social workers are therapists who
diagnose and then treat individuals who have mental, behavioral and emotional disorders.
Employment Facts:
In 2010 there were 650,500 people employed as social workers in the United States. 296,000 were child, family and
school social workers who were primarily employed by entities that provide services to individuals and families, state
and local governments, and schools. 153,000 were healthcare social workers who were mostly employed by hospitals,
nursing and residential care facilities, organizations that provide services to individuals and families, and home
healthcare services firms. 126,000 were mental health and substance abuse social workers whose employers were
typically outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers, entities that provide services to individuals and families,
and hospitals.
Educational Requirements:
To become a social worker you will have to go to college. For most entry-level direct-service jobs, you need a bachelor's
degree in social work (BSW), but sometimes you can get a job with a degree in psychology or sociology. If you want a
clinical career, however, a master's degree (MSW) is a must.
Why Do You Need to Know About Educational Requirements?


Other Requirements:
All states and the District of Columbia require social workers to be either licensed, certified or registered. Requirements
vary by state and apply to practice and use of professional titles. See the Social Work Career Center for a list of state
licensing agencies.
There are certain qualities that will help a social worker be more successful in his or her career. One should be
compassionate, a good listener and able to work with different groups of people. The large caseload that is common for
many social workers make good time management and organizational skills a necessity.

Advancement:
With related work experience and an advanced degree, a social worker may move up to a position as supervisor,
program manager, assistant director, or executive director of a social service agency or department.
Why Do You Need to Know About Advancement?


Job Outlook:
Employment of social workers of all types is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through
2020, with the greatest growth expected for healthcare social workers and the least for child, family and school social
workers.
Why Do You Need to Know About Job Outlook?


Earnings:
Social workers' earnings varied according to their area of specialization. Here are the median annual salaries and wages
for social workers, employed in different specialties, as of 2011:
Child, Family and School Social Workers: $40,680/$19.56
Healthcare Social Workers: $48,620/$23.37
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers: $39,230/$18.86
All Other Social Workers: $53,900/$25.91
Use the Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much social workers currently earn in your city.

A Day in a Social Worker's Life?:
On a typical day, a direct-service social worker's tasks might include:

assessing a client's needs to determine if he or she needs help, what his or her goals are and who he or she can
count on for support
developing plans to assist a client
referring clients to community resources
helping clients get the help they need from government agencies
responding to crises
following up with clients
A clinical social worker's tasks, on a typical day, might include:

evaluating a client for mental, behavioral and emotional disorders
diagnosing a client's disorder and developing a treatment plan
delivering therapy to individuals, families and couples
referring clients, as necessary, to other resources
evaluating the effectiveness of therapy
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Social
Workers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Community-and-Social-Service/Social-workers.htm (visited August
10, 2012).
Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET Online, Child, Family, and School Social
Workers, on the Internet athttp://www.onetonline.org/link/details/21-1021.00, Healthcare Social Workers, on the
Internet at http://www.onetonline.org/link/details/21-1022.00, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers, on
the Internet at http://www.onetonline.org/link/details/21-1023.00 andSocial Workers, All Other, on the Internet
at http://www.onetonline.org/link/details/21-1029.00(
.