How to become a social worker guide

One of the most important things for social work students to be aware of is the power that comes with being a social worker. As a student sitting behind the desk or screen and struggling to juggle homework, fieldwork, and other responsibilities, it can be hard to feel empowered. Especially for MSW students who plan to become licensed, however, it is essential to be aware of the impact that social work has on people’s lives and to engage in ongoing assessment of our individual and collective practices to help ensure they are, in fact, in the best interests of others. To be effective change agents, I encourage social work students to reflect upon two important questions: “How will I use my voice?” and “How will I amplify the voices of others, especially those that have been marginalized and oppressed?”

Most social worker students I know entered this field because they want to make a positive difference in the lives of others. To accomplish this, social workers must learn how to effect change at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. One of the most useful, challenging, and rewarding ways that social work students learn to become change agents is through the field education experience. Field education not only teaches about change processes but also functions as a change process itself to help students develop a professional identity as a social worker.

As a field, social work is going through its own change processes. One of the major changes we are undertaking is becoming more aware of the widespread prevalence and impact of individual, collective, and cultural trauma in our world and the disproportionate impact of systemic and structural violence and victimization on marginalized individuals and groups. We are working to identify and redress ways in which the profession inadvertently perpetuates the forms of oppression it seeks to eradicate. We are striving to not only teach about diversity, inclusion, and equity but also to become more diverse, inclusive, and equitable as a profession.
Another way the social work field is changing is through digital technology. Internet and digital communication technologies are now a fundamental part of our world. Since social work is a profession that assesses and assists people in the context of their environments, today’s social work trainees must develop digital literacy skills to practice in physical and virtual environments both competently and ethically.

The need for holistic preparation that involves knowledge and skills, but also examination of one’s own places of strength and weakness, wounding and healing.

BSW/MSW programs that include the holistic preparation that I briefly describe above.

I think it will continue to change with the demographic changes domestically. People versed in work with older adults as well as those bilingual in Spanish must grow among our ranks.

Awareness of self is the most important aspect for preparing for a career in social work. Everything about you as a unique individual person with lived experiences has an impact on how you serve others in a professional helping relationship. Be willing to dig deep and do the work to know yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, bias and prejudices, and never stop striving to be the best version of yourself.

Social work is holistic, integrating evidence-based knowledge, values and ethics, competency-based skills, and cognitive and effective processes. Training that considers all aspects of social work generalist practice is the most useful to keep professionals grounded in the basics. Too many times we as professionals get so focused on our specialized areas of practice, we make the work more complex and complicated than it has to be….keep it simple and return to the basics of holistic practice.

There are new fields of practice beginning in areas people often do not think about social work. For example, social work in sports and veterinarian social work are two that come to mind. Social work is also moving toward more advanced, higher education by seeking accreditation of doctoral level social work education as a terminal degree. Currently a master’s degree is considered a terminal degree in the field, but that is changing. Another area of potential change is nationally recognized licensure. Currently each state in America has their own licensing practices. Some states have multiple levels of licensure including baccalaureate, masters, special recognition, and clinical social work licensing. Other states only recognize one license as an LSW or LCSW. This inconsistency from state to state is problematic for the profession, and something that professional Social Work Associations such as ASWB, CSWE, and NASW are looking at.

Relationships matter! This profession is all about how we engage with others. Our professional interactions include clients, colleagues, communities, and the various systems we need to navigate. As with all successful relationships, we must come to the work from a place of empathy, compassion, and respect. Equally important is our commitment to social justice and advancement of equality for all people.

We have this saying in social work education, “Practicum as signature pedagogy.” Social work educators understand the significance of a student’s internship experience and the importance of effectively connecting classroom and field. Students gain academic knowledge in class and have the ability for the practical application of these skills during the practicum. The field experience also provides an opportunity to better assess the student’s readiness for practice.

The profession is becoming more global which I think is amazing! Our international collaborations are growing, and more and more students have the opportunity for international study and employment.
I have observed a shift throughout the course of my career from a micro perspective to a more macro focus. When I was in graduate school most students pursued the clinical track hoping to become a therapist and work with individuals, groups, and families. Now I have an increasing number of students choosing careers in policy development, government, and community activism. It is quite interesting and, in my opinion, exactly what the world needs right now, more social workers in large-scale decision-making roles.

There are a couple of things that social work students should be aware of while they are preparing for career, which include:

Developing relationships that can be used for collaboration, networking, resource building based on your professional interest and surveying peers who have strengths in leadership areas or fields of service.

Attend professional conferences and gain at least five professional contacts entering the field.
Join professional organizations prior to graduation to get the student rate for a year and find ways to join the membership team or join committees.

Locate a person in the field (i.e. professor, presenter at a conference, director of an agency etc.) and consider a mentor request, so you can develop your skill-set and reach professional goals.

Make a career plan and profile to ensure you are staying “true” to your goals.

During your internships experience, determine the specialty or expertise of your supervisor and ask them to train you specifically on that skill.

Have at least 3-5 theories that relate to social work and diverse groups and know them for practice, application, and assessment purposes.

The most useful training for social workers is cultural competence, how to complete a biopsychosocial, trauma-informed care practices, and communication skills.

The field is changing in terms of technology, as you need to be versed in your digital platforms. There is limited tolerance for racism and sexism and understanding one’s privilege and positionality is important. This is a generation of action and activism, maintaining the status quo is not acceptable and you will be “called out.”

Interdisciplinary acuteness

Transformational leadership, advocacy, and social justice.

I think the most important thing for social work students to be aware of is our profession’s commitment to social justice. We can take pride in this value that uniquely defines our profession and calls us to continuously uplift the voices of those in our communities who are oppressed or marginalized. The SW profession has never been more relevant or necessary in addressing the complex problems that are facing our world

I believe that technology has changed every profession in dramatic ways. However, the importance of human relationships must never be replaced by technology. I have read that the social work profession is the least likely to be automated for this reason – human beings are necessary to do this work. While technology has undoubtedly changed the ways we do our work, it is imperative that we continue to ground our practice in relationship-based interventions. It is only in the context of supportive relationships that human problems can be effectively addressed.

The most important thing for students to be aware of as they prepare for their career is to be aware of themselves. Meaning, their ethics, self-awareness, CSWE competencies, and awareness of their skills. It’s important that social workers know themselves before they go into the workforce.

In the current environment, I believe the best training social workers can receive is one that includes diversity, case management (because all levels of social work includes this), health, social and economic justice, and training on real-world experiences.

The field of social work is changing where more awareness is being brought to new issues. New field options that were not available to social workers 20 years ago, are now options for those entering the field. Areas such as, environmentalism, criminal justice/working with police, and new technologies and intelligence.

Social work is a diverse profession. Social workers do many things and can be found in many settings. There is no typical social work role. Social work is about partnerships, they don’t fix “broken” people, they help people along a path of self-determination in resolving issues that impact their lives. Social environments must be considered in providing assessment and assistance. Social workers need to understand their values and ensure that they don’t interfere with helping others. Social workers must be good at developing relationships with clients and others. Resources are a key tool and social workers must be good at cultivating resources. Social work is a profession, many others can do the various things that social workers do, but social workers have the skills and training to put it all together.

The versatile nature of social work provides social workers with more and more opportunities. The roles of counseling and case management in the traditional micro roles have morphed in more problem-solving roles. School systems now see the need for social workers to help with student and family situations. The nature of mental illness and policing have defined roles for social workers to best respond to certain situations. Social workers are becoming more involved with policy by a range of activities from advocating on policy issues and providing professional input to activism and to be more vocal about necessary policy changes. With people more and more divided on a number of issues social workers need to be more aware of policy and the policy process. No longer can social workers avoid policy or they open themselves up to be victims of the policies that come down.

No matter what area of social work that you choose, people skills are the most important. The first work in social work is social. A social worker must be able to engage people and groups at all levels. Developing partnerships with clients and others is the key to getting results. Listening skills are important, not just listening but active listening to get clarity and cooperation. Advocacy skills are important as well. Social workers are often the voice of the voiceless, there is a need to engage in policy work to change unfair systems and achieve social justice. Self-assessment and self-evaluation skills round out the basics. Social workers must be able to constantly evaluate our practice and make adjustments, learning is an ongoing process. As a professional we can never be complacent in the skill set that we have developed.

The future of social work is evolving. The unique skill set in the social work profession make social workers useful in a number of situations. Traditional social work roles will still be there. However, social workers can play key roles in emerging situations. Social workers provide vital services during the pandemic. Social workers can play a vital role in revising policing responses. Social workers need to be involved in the changing policy that impacts the clients and systems that we deal with. The social work profession has the skills that will make it a valuable asset to the issues that impact and will impact, in the future, people and society.

The most important thing for social work students to be aware of as they prepare for a career in social work is they are entering a profession that will require lifelong learning and professional growth. The concept meta-competency best reflects the importance of a strong commitment to continuing education beyond licensure requirements. Meta competency is having the insight and knowledge about your professional limitations to identify what you don’t know. This insight usually drives social workers to seek additional training and education in areas they come to understand they have limited competency.

The professional context and auspices where social workers are employed is very diverse, so I don’t know that there is a most useful training. I believe an effective training method for social workers to learn or hone practice skills is live supervision or simulations. Training that places the social worker in a live situation where they can receive real time feedback, corrections or insights. At the University of Texas Permian Basin Department of Social Work we are integrating simulations in dedicated labs beginning in the Fall of 2021 that will prepare students for direct practice. We will also be testing the use of real time data to enhance students’ skills in assessment and rapport building.

Social work is changing in the use of distance technologies, where the client and the social worker are in different physical spaces. I also believe social work is changing in the fundamental values that define our profession by allowing personal biases to guide who will become a client. For example, Texas tried to change the rules that govern professional social workers to allow them to deny services to LGBTQ and people with disabilities. This rule change was abruptly reversed but does suggest concerning trends in the profession. The social work profession is rooted in social justice and a professional value that all people have worth and should be treated with dignity, without judgment.

In my opinion, the most important thing for social work students to be aware of is that they should consider both their short- and long-term career plans. In my experience, many social work students prepare for careers in clinical social work practice without recognizing that within the first five to ten years of their career many of them will transition into supervisory or administrative roles. I would encourage students to pursue knowledge in clinical practice alongside building their capacity to provide supervision and manage and develop programs.

The most useful training for social workers is the field practicum experience. As the signature pedagogy of social work, the ability to integrate coursework alongside day-to-day practice is an invaluable starting place for a social work career.

Probably not surprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the integration of technology within social work practice although this had been occurring on a smaller scale pre-pandemic. Technology not only includes flourishing telehealth services, but social work is also integrating apps more frequently, especially in clinical social work practice. Additionally, the field of social work appears to be in the midst of a new cycle of the integration between its social science and ethical orientations that is spurring a larger number of social workers towards socio-political action alongside clinical practice.

It is helpful for social workers to have training in nonprofit management, graphic design (example: producing an infographic for dissemination to underserved communities about understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy), and knowledge of trauma informed therapies.

The field is changing as it is critical for social workers to be “politically savvy” and intentional engagement in legislative processes at the federal and state levels of government. The social work profession is incorporating public health concepts into curricula and media campaigns. Direct social work practice with individuals, groups, and families is recognizing the need to understand social determinants of health, the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and strategies to address compassion fatigue/burnout among social work professionals.

Given the growing recognition of dual degrees such as MSW-MPA (public administration), MSW-MPH (public health), MSW-M.Div. (divinity) and MSW-JD (law), it is almost certain that there will be an increased presence of social workers in health care, the courts, religious institutions, small business and large corporations. Social workers will be working in non-traditional social work settings and add tremendous value due to an exceptional understanding of human behavior in the social environment coupled with strong training in research methods.

I Recommend “Unapologetically Unashamed” TEDxWillowCreek Talk by Ronne Brown. It’s about the journey of a teen mother who transformed her life and is now a successful entrepreneur.

One of the most essential areas to focus and be aware of is the conscious use of self. Social work is a profession and field that utilizes various tools, including the personal values, lived experiences, and biases of the worker. Therefore, it is important to understand yourself in ways that will allow you to be a positive guiding force for the clients and systems you will encounter. Understanding how to successfully merge your personal with your professional is pivotal in becoming an ethical social worker. Actively working to understand how you present or show-up in the room with your clients and how that impacts them will help you have a long lasting career in being a change agent.

The most useful training for social workers are ethics and self-care. The social work profession requires licensed social workers to continue to receive education as long as they are licensed at any level. One of the required trainings in every state is professional ethics. Ethics is essential to developing social workers that will go out and work hard to do no harm to clients, community, and the broader society. The National Association of Social Work (professional social work organization) recently revised the national code of ethics that added language around self-care. I think it is important for ethical social workers to get training and practice self-care. We work in areas that expose us to primary, secondary, and tertiary trauma. We must remain vigilant about caring for ourselves to be available for our clients. Self-care is ethical social work. Social workers should prioritize self-care training.

Technology! I am a bit biased about this because my research and practice area is around utilizing technology in social work practice, education, and training. Our field has grown exponentially in the past 10 years. Technology has served as a catalyst for growth. The profession is changing the traditional ways we look at providing services, educate social work students, conduct social research, and more with technology. So, it is my belief that we will be seeing more integration of various structures of technology (i.e., artificial intelligence, computer science, predictive technology) with social work as we progress. This type of work has (and will continue to) shift the boundaries and traditional roles as we know them.

Communicative, empathetic, warmth, genuine, advocator, critical thinking, and innovative.

Oh my! So many. However, if students were planning to go the clinical route in social work, I would certainly recommend The Gift of Therapy by Irvin Yalom. Another book that is beneficial for every human being, but extremely recommended for individuals taking a journey through social work is The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck.

The social work profession is rewarding, yet challenging. Social work practitioners can have an indelible impact on individuals, communities, and society as a whole. However, social work students need to be cognizant that the work they do in helping others is not easy and, sometimes, the work can have an emotional toll. Burnout is not uncommon in the helping professions. Social work students need to learn how to recognize it and how to incorporate self-care as they help others.

Social work encompasses practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Social work practice, therefore, is varied, and there is a range of opportunities for concentration or specialization. However, regardless, all social workers share fundamental core values of the profession, and it is these core values that drive social work practice. The most useful training for social workers is to understand the practitioner’s ethical responsibilities.

As society changes, social workers adapt and apply their knowledge and skills in helping others to also adapt. Our global society experienced sudden change in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the challenges society will face long-term as a consequence remain unknown. Yet, social workers are prepared to confront these challenges. The future of social work practice will undoubtedly include growth in private practice, increased use of technology in practice, and growth in international social work.

Social work focuses on helping people strengthen their social functioning. Social work practitioners need a repertoire of skills to understand people, the issues they are experiencing, and the resources to help them to resolve those issues. Thus, social work practitioners must be people-oriented, effective communicators, and possess strong assessment and problem-solving skills.

There are many useful sources of information for social work students, and it would be difficult to choose only one or two of them. It really depends on a student’s practice area interests. My practice has generally focused on child welfare. One book (adapted into a movie) I would recommend for social work students interested in this area is Finding Fish: A Memoir by Antwone Q. Fisher. I would encourage students to read a lot and often—as much as they can about their practice area interests.

The most important thing for social work students to be aware of are the opportunities they are not looking for. I personally never considered a doctorate or primarily working in program evaluation. I always wanted to do direct practice. However, I am so thankful for where my journey has led me and the opportunities I have had, despite not looking how I thought they would.

I believe that the most useful training for social workers is anything pertaining to trauma. Whether that is the effects of it or becoming more trauma informed. Trauma, big and small, affects everyone and is typically a major reason that client is seeing you (child removal, all types of abuse, substance dependence, etc.).

The field is changing because society is beginning to see the utility of our profession in various spaces. Over the past few years, we have seen increased initiatives from our national organizations and within communities to develop inter-disciplinary practices and approaches to issues. Therefore, social work is becoming a more sought out and respected profession.

Empathy and education.

Creative. We are in a time where, as a society, we are doing a lot of re-evaluating, and the issues of our time are very complex. I tell my students all the time, complex problems require creative solutions. Therefore, I hope that we begin to embrace our traditions and engage with communities to learn from them so that we can be able to better assist in the growth and change process.

Comfort M. (2012). It Was Basically College to Us Poverty, Prison, and Emerging Adulthood. Journal of poverty, 16(3), 308–322. https://doi.org/10.1080/10875549.2012.695923
Jarecki, E. & Shopsin, M. (2012). The House I Live In: America’s War on Drugs [Motion Picture]. United States: Charlotte Street Films
Jaacks, J. & Santa Fe Indian School (2012). Moccasins and Microphones [Motion Picture]. United States: EPF Media, Inc.

One thing I think is important for students to be aware of as they prepare for a social work career is just how valuable their education and training is for being able to diversify themselves within the field. Being educated in generalist practices develops the types of skill sets that transfer across multiple settings. Professionals who choose to specialize can still find themselves engaging a variety of different populations, contexts, or professional development that they are just as successful in because of the generalist foundational training received. The need for being able to diversify is becoming more and more relevant in our current social climate.

Training that focuses on strengthening one’s cultural competency is very useful. Cultural competent practice is applicable for the individuals we serve, the organizations we work within, and even larger institutions such as local, state and federal government.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts steady growth in the demand for social work-related services over the next decade which I think speaks to the value of the work we do. I also think the field is changing to accommodate new modes of engaging individuals especially around telehealth with regard to persistent health disparities. With consistent technological advances always underfoot, we should constantly expect and welcome ongoing change.

Assessment, communication, advocacy, and interdependence.

I would say the future of social work looks like more female social workers in administrative/executive positions and increasingly representative of the people we serve.

One thing I have found with new social work majors, especially those who have stumbled upon this career unintentionally, is they are surprised by the vast array of job experiences available. When preparing for a career in social work, keep this in mind, the opportunities are endless. While you may be interested in a particular area or focus in social work, remember the foundational skills you learn will carry you through a multitude of careers. Keep an open mind and try new things, you never know where you may land.

Personally, as a specialist in the area of substance use disorders, I don’t think we give enough attention to training in this field. Substance abuse and substance use disorders impacts a vast majority of the individuals we serve, either directly or indirectly, or both. We see this at the micro, mezzo, and macro level where substance use has been connected to child abuse and neglect, intimate partner violence, crime, physical and mental health, prevention and education in the school systems, and at its most central level of treatment and recovery services. The number of individuals impacted is growing exponentially, most recently with the opioid epidemic declared a public health crisis.

Even before the pandemic, telebehavioral health was emerging as a viable option to provide services. The use of technology integrated into social work practice has grown exponentially and is continuing to transform the way social workers do business. Now, after a year of operating during a pandemic under, the field has learned how to integrate the use of virtual platforms to facilitate groups, conduct assessments, provide education and more. While these methods may not remain a primary means of use, they will provide further opportunities for access and availability of services.

While not a fundamental skill, a primary perspective is to “start where the client is.” This understanding is so valuable in the work we do and reminds us not to rush the process or place unrealistic expectations on our clients. It also serves as a reminder that progress is incremental and change takes time. One framework that illustrates this best is the Transtheoretical Model of Change (Stages of Change) developed by Prochaska and DiClemente in the late 1970s. “Starting where the client is” lets us know which skills will be most effective in that moment.

To be open-minded, be intentional and be present and to really pay attention to the art of active listening. Be willing to go outside of our comfort zone!! I like to tell my students that what we see and hear in the field of social work can be really hard and daunting, but we also see perseverance and success. I find it an honor and privilege to be part of a client(s) journey on their hardest days and on their best days.

Honestly, there are so many things that come to mind but in light of this past 18 months of COVID 19. I would say self-care is more than ever and being trained in the new and improved world of tele-health. Documentation is an area that I see most emerging social workers struggle with, learning to go from writing papers in school to clinical documentation and a more poised professional writing skills. I would be remiss not to mention professional boundary setting — this is crucial to the work we do as social workers!

The field of social work changes frequently, we have to adapt and be prepared to work in a world that is ever-changing. Our trajectory changes with the climate in our communities, states, country and world! The past 18 months have challenged the best of social workers but we emerge with new models and methods of care amidst a worldwide pandemic and have now grown our best practice standard of care to acclimate to a world of challenges we never imagined!

I believe in the practicum experience as the single most useful pedagogical event. In the practicum setting, students move back and forth between practice and reflection/theory more vigorously than at any other time in their education.

The image that comes to mind is a spinning merry-go-round. As a child, I remember the careful calculations that went into leaping onto the merry-go-round at the perfect time — one second too soon or too late and you bash in your teeth. Social work is like that. We’re stepping into people’s lives during times of chaos. We have to approach it the right way, with some assertiveness but not too much, with some solutions in mind but also great curiosity about the clients’ ideas, with some softness but also a great deal of mettle of our own.

Good social workers are not afraid to jump on to this merry-go-round, but they are also wise enough to pay very close attention…and when, for whatever reason, it’s going faster than you can handle, you save your teeth and walk away.

Social work is a versatile field, so social work education builds a strong generalist foundation. You may find yourself interested in community-based case management, then shift to mental health counseling or social policy advocacy later in your career. Your degree will give you the tools to grow and adapt to all of the contexts in which you choose to serve.

Definitely the internship experience. All social work students in accredited programs complete at least one formal internship in a social service setting (often, two). The internship is our field’s “signature pedagogy” — learning through doing is the best training.

Social workers are appearing in new, sometimes unexpected settings (e.g., libraries, police stations, airports, policy think tanks, etc.) There is a growing recognition that our skill set lends itself to a lot of different arenas. This is a positive development for social workers, who have more opportunities than ever for interdisciplinary collaboration.

The future of social work is opening up and growing in powerful directions. Our ranks are increasing at least as swiftly as our opportunities. The hope is that aspiring social workers will get to realize their own visions of how they want to make a social impact. Recognition of our versatile skills and critical thinking abilities by those in other disciplines will help support those visions.

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color Blindness by Michelle Alexander (nonfiction book),The Wire (2002-2008) by David Simon (journalistically informed fiction).