A social worker is a person who is trained to assess the needs of others and provide them with assistance to maintain a livable life free from hardships and abuse. There are numerous social work jobs available, many in the juvenile and adult mental health fields because children and senior citizens are the age groups that are most often in need of assistance.
In order to become a social worker, one has to complete a graduate education. A high school education and diploma will not get you there. The requirements to becoming a social worker is completing high school, completing and receiving a Bachelors Degrees and also finishing and earning a Master's Degree in social work. It is perfectly ok if you have you Bachelors degree in another field however it is best to have your Masters in social work as well. Getting and maintaining excellent grades while completing your education is a must. Make sure you make and maintain good grades; this will show you are very able to tackle the needs of everyone else and are able to provide the proper and necessary interventions.
Before you complete your studies to receive your M.S.W or Master Degree of Social Work, you will have to complete 900 hours of internship. Once you complete this internship you will be properly licensed to help in the lives of others.
Many entry level social work jobs require some form of experience in the social work field. Social work careers are semi competitive especially in the beginning. You may want start off somewhere simple as a living assistant or adult aide job to gain that experience that will make you a more desirable candidate.
The average salary for entry level social worker jobs is anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000. As you can see there is a big difference of what you can be paid for your services at the beginning level, which is why it is important to complete all of the necessary education and training for this type of job. There are over twenty five different classifications for social work careers. The highest a social worker salary can go is from $46,000 to $60,000. Many say the compensation is not all that great for those just entering the field however, if you stay in the field long enough with your education gaining the experience, you will be able to climb the ladder and make more money in no time.
There are openings and shortages all over the world for social workers. There is a shortage because many people do not make a decision to become a social worker until after they have already completed college. These people usually have to work and go back to school to gain the necessary credentials to switch careers. Nontraditional students take a bit longer to complete their studies because they usually have other obligation to maintain while attending school. Many are raising and supporting themselves and families while taking the steps to complete their education to change fields. The average time frame for a nontraditional student who already have a Bachelor degree to complete a Masters Degree is three to five years whereas a traditional student who has support and does not have to provide their own way through college, whose only responsibility is school would generally take two to three years. As you can see the time difference between the tradition and nontraditional student is almost double.
Once you complete your education and internships, you are now ready to find some entry level social work jobs and start your social worker career. There are literally thousands of job opportunities if you know where to look for them. Search the job boards online as it will allow you to search in many demographic areas, provide you more opportunities and increase your exposure in networking while finding the job that is right for you. Find job listings with PublicInterestCrossing.com. There are thousands of listings available. Sign up for your FREE trial today.
