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Choosing the Right Social Work Job for You
by Pat Fontana
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Clientele
As with any career decision, choosing the right social work job starts with a self-assessment. Think about your experiences and what has worked out well for you, and what has not worked out well, in the past. Ask yourself some questions, and answer them honestly. Decide if you'd rather work with children, families, individuals, or in a research or business environment. Your questions should involve issues like how well you have interacted with others and whether you interact more effectively with a particular age group or even a particular gender. Ask yourself if there are certain issues that concern you more than others, such as child abuse or addiction problems.
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Environment
Decide what type of work environment suits you best. Of course, you may not always have a choice of work environment, but different social work jobs often involve different scenarios. If you decide to work as a child social worker, for example, you may pursue a career as a school social worker and will be working in an office in an elementary or secondary school setting. A social worker specializing in mental health issues, such as drug or alcohol addictions, will be involved in setting up and conducting group sessions as well as individual counseling. You will probably work in a treatment center as an addiction counselor. Medical social workers usually have offices in a hospital setting and sometimes do home visits for their clients as well.
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Education
Certain social work jobs also require additional education and training, beyond the essential bachelor's degree in social work. If you are going to work in a clinical setting, for example, as a hospital or mental health social worker, you will need to secure a master's degree as well. And, if you decide to teach in a university or pursue a position as a social work researcher, you will need to continue on and earn a doctorate degree, such as a PhD or a DSW. Depending on which type of social work job you choose, you will also need to become licensed or certified. Requirements vary by state, but licenses and certifications generally require that you have a certain number of hours of experience and that you pass an exam. When deciding which social work job is right for you, you will need to decide how much further you want to pursue your education.
