Essential Skills and Traits for Social

Workers

Social work is a dynamic and demanding profession that requires a variety of skills
and qualities. Whether these skills are innate or acquired, success in the field
requires social workers to continually develop them throughout their career. While
this list is not exhaustive, the following skills are vital for all social workers.
10 Characteristics and Skills of Successful Social Workers
1. Empathy

Empathy is the ability to identify with and understand another person’s experience and point of view.
NASW defines it as "the act of perceiving, understanding, experiencing and responding to the emotional
state and ideas of another person."¹

“Stepping into someone else’s shoes” and recognizing that experiences, perceptions and worldviews are
unique to each individual enables social workers to better understand and build stronger relationships with
clients. It is a vital skill that helps social workers to determine a client’s needs based on his or her unique
experiences in order to efficiently provide services.

¹Barker, R. L. (2003). The Social Work Dictionary. 5th ed. Washington, DC: NASW Press.

2. Communication

Communication – both verbal and non-verbal – is a vital skill for social workers. The ability to
communicate clearly with a wide range of people is essential. It is the duty of social workers to advocate
for their clients – in order to do this, social workers must understand the client’s needs. In addition to being
cognizant of body language and other non-verbal cues, this means communicating appropriately and
effectively with clients regardless of cultural background, age, gender, literacy skill level or disability.
Social workers must also communicate with care providers, colleagues, and agencies, and must document
and report information in a clear manner.

3. Organization

Social workers have busy schedules and a wide range of responsibilities in addition to managing and
supporting multiple clients, including documentation, reporting, billing and collaboration. This requires
social workers to be very organized and able to prioritize clients’ needs in order to effectively manage
cases. Disorganization and poor time management could cause a social worker to overlook a client’s needs
and result in negative outcomes.

4. Critical thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information gathered from unbiased observation and
communication. Social workers must be able to objectively evaluate each case by collecting information
through observation, interviews and research. Thinking critically and without prejudice enables social
workers to make informed decisions, identify the best resources and formulate the best plan to help clients.

5. Active listening

Active listening is necessary for social workers to understand and identify a client’s needs. Listening
carefully, concentrating, asking the right questions, and utilizing techniques such as paraphrasing and
summarizing also helps social workers to engage and establish trust with clients.

6. Self-care
Social work can be demanding and emotionally stressful, so it is important to engage in activities that help
you to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Self-care refers to practices that help to reduce stress and
improve health and well-being – engaging in these practices helps to prevent burnout and compassion
fatigue and is crucial to having a sustainable career. By taking the time to care for themselves, social
workers are better able to provide the best services for their clients. Learn more about self-care with
our self-care starter kit.

7. Cultural competence
Working effectively with clients from diverse backgrounds requires social workers to be respectful and
responsive to cultural beliefs and practices. Social workers must be knowledgeable and respectful of their
clients’ cultural backgrounds and must, as stated by NASW, “examine their own cultural backgrounds and
identities while seeking out the necessary knowledge, skills, and values that can enhance the delivery of
services to people with varying cultural experiences associated with their race, ethnicity, gender, class,
sexual orientation, religion, age or disability.” Possessing a non-judgmental attitude and an appreciation
for diversity and the value of individual differences enables social worker to provide clients with what they
need.

8. Patience
Social workers encounter an array of circumstances and individuals in their work. It is important to have
patience to work through complex cases and with clients who need longer periods of time to make
progress. This empowers social workers to understand the client’s situation and avoid hasty decision-
making and frustration that can lead to costly errors and poor outcomes for the client.

9. Professional commitment
Being successful in social work requires lifelong learning. Social workers must have a professional
commitment to social work values and ethics, and to continuously developing professional competence.
This commitment is necessary for fulfilling the mission of social workers – “to enhance human well-being
and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment
of people who are vulnerable, oppressed and living in poverty.”

10. Advocacy

Social workers promote social justice and empower clients and communities through advocacy. Advocacy
skills enable social workers to represent and argue for their clients and to connect them with needed
resources and opportunities, especially when clients are vulnerable or unable to advocate for themselves.

 Ethical

Frequently, social workers handle cases involving an ethical or legal component. A

strong ethical compass is one of the most important strengths to have as a social
worker. It is important that these professionals take the time to follow the proper
protocols and ensure that they do their due diligence in order to best serve their
clients.

Every social worker is held to a professional standard of ethical work and code of

ethics, as described by the National Association of Social Workers. By operating
from a strong ethical base, social work professionals operate with integrity, enact
social justice, and serve their fellow man by honoring and preserving the dignity of
the human person.

Read More: Want to learn more about the ethos of social work? Explore our guide —
What Do Social Workers Actually Do?

2. Organized

Social workers fill out paperwork for each client they see and maintain a file of their
interactions, observations, notes, and each plan-of-action they develop. Social
workers must be organized in order to stay on top of all their work and the numerous
cases they are juggling at any given time. These essential characteristics of social
work professionals help them to be fully present with each client they serve and to
provide them with the best and most attentive care possible.

3. Empathetic

What makes a good social worker is their ability to understand and share the feelings
of others — also known as empathy. For an individual approaching a social worker, it
can often be a humbling experience to reach out and ask for what they need. When
social workers respond with empathy, it helps their clients to feel validated and not
judged.

Social workers who have a strong ability to empathize will be able to form strong
connections because their clients feel they understand them and can relate to the
things that are difficult for them. Similar to compassion, empathy is at the very heart
of social work and is essential for any effective professional.

4. Respectful

Social workers deal with complicated and sensitive cases every day. An attitude of
respect is one of the most essential personal qualities of social workers. Respect is
required in order to maintain proper professional boundaries, adhere to a code of
ethics. In short, respect for the client, their personal information, and their personal
challenges is essential to being a professional and successful social worker.

Social workers often work with diverse, and in many cases underprivileged,
populations so it is imperative to keep an open mind. Respect for their client’s
culture, ethnicity, religion, and beliefs are key components of a successful
relationship. If a client does not feel that they are respected, they will likely seek the
help they need elsewhere.

5. Patient

Sometimes social work is a slow-moving process. Often, the results you and your
clients want to see take time. Especially when working together with other agencies
and organizations to provide for the needs of your client, patience in social work is
essential.

Social work professionals also need to have heroic patience when dealing with
clients. Particularly when clients are working through difficult situations, they might
not always be forthcoming with the information you need to do your job. Patience will
help you to maintain your calm and sense of control, allowing you to serve your
clients with a collected, mindful, and level-headed approach. Even when the
situations are difficult, patience reassures your clients that you are in their corner
fighting for them.
6. Trustworthy and Dependable

Social work is entirely based on relationships. If those you work for and those you
work with do not perceive you to be trustworthy or dependable, it can be difficult to
do your job effectively.

Social workers can demonstrate to their clients that they possess these qualities by
listening to their needs, assuring them that they will work to find an effective solution,
taking initiative in getting things done, and walking with them each step of the way.
Social work professionals who have these characteristics will find it easier to build
and maintain strong reciprocal relationships with those they serve.

7. Passionate

Passion is necessary to do any job well, but it is particularly important in the field of
social work. Because of the fast-paced and intense nature of the job, it is easy for
social work professionals to burn out. Passion for the work that they do and the
difference they make in the lives of the individuals they help drives a social worker to
give their best to each client and case.

Clients and colleagues can tell if you are passionate about your work. Passion for
your profession inspires hope in those you help and motivates those you work with to
do their job to the best of their ability as well. It is important to build up your fellow
social work professionals, and passion for your craft can help them desire to work to
their fullest potential.

Pro-tip: Read more about how you can avoid burn out and compassion fatigue in a
career that requires you to give a lot of yourself.  

 8. Educated and Professionally Trained

To be an effective social worker requires professional training and a solid education

in the principles and techniques used to manage cases. To begin your career as a
social worker, you will need to hold a minimum of a bachelor’s of social work degree.
With this degree, you can hold entry level positions within the field.

If you want to have more responsibility and advance further in your career, you will
need a Master of Social Work degree. While bachelor’s degrees provide a
fundamental understanding of the field and how to interact with clients, a master’s
degree allows you to dive deeper into the profession and to work with clients on a
more personal level to address their needs.