GUEST POST: So, You Want To Be a Social Worker?

by Lauren Dennelly, MSW, LSW

You’re a promising young 20-something, ready to forge ahead into grad school, or maybe you’re thinking about a second career. And you want to go to school for social work. Sure, you have your reasons--you have a passion for helping people, have some personal experiences that are guiding you toward the field, or you just think social work sounds interesting. Whatever your reasons, here’s a quick Top 5 guide to what you need to know before you dive in:

1. Social work is HARD work. Self-care is your new best friend. Make sure you save time for it! This article on burnout and self-care from The New Social Worker can help.  Also check out http://www.socialwork.buffalo.edu/students/self-care/ for some helpful resources.
2. You are NOT in this for the money. Salary varies based on what agency or specialty you choose, but overall, you will not be living the Donald Trump lifestyle. But you knew that already, right? Donald Trump is over rated anyway.
3. Not all MSW programs are created equal. Take the time to do some research on the course catalogs of various programs--what specialty coursework do they offer? What kinds of internship opportunities are there? What is the program’s reputation in the social work world? It is important that you choose a program that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, and you can find a complete listing of these programs on the CSWE web site.
4. Choose your field experiences wisely. In this economy, when jobs are hard to come by for new graduates, your internship experiences are increasingly valuable. What have you always been interested in, and what kinds of jobs are out there in that specialty? Look at sites like www.indeed.com, www.idealist.com, and http://www.socialworkjobbank.com to see what kinds of positions agencies are posting.
5.  NETWORK. This process begins while you are in your graduate program and never stops once you leave it. Talk to other people in the field. Is there someone you know (or someone you would like to know) that has your ideal job? Talk to that person and ask how he/she got the position. What experiences does he/she have? Becoming an NASW member can help link you to other professionals in the field. This organization has a whole section on its web site just for students! (http://www.socialworkers.org/students/default.asp)

Of course, this list could go on. Perhaps the most important thing to remember if you are thinking of a career in social work is that you will meet some of the most interesting and amazing people, both as co-workers and in your work with clients. On my most trying days, refocusing on the work I do with clients helps to center and remind me of what’s truly important in life--the connections we have with one another.

Words of Wisdom for New Social Work Graduate Students

 The excitement is building as a new academic year begins and thousands of students are embarking on a social work graduate degree. As I scroll through my facebook newsfeed, I see photos of MSW program orientations, showing groups of men and women who, over the next year or two, will be transformed into new social work professionals.


I am reminded of my own MSW graduate school experience. It was an exciting time of learning and growth, anticipation and--sometimes--fear!  My very wise field instructor said to me, "If you already knew everything, why would you need to get a master's degree to do this?"  In other words, be "okay" with not knowing and with the learning process as it unfolds. Any time something difficult came up (which was maybe a daily occurrence), my co-interns and I laughed and called it a "learning experience," which it definitely was! Letting ourselves learn the hard lessons was not always easy, but it was always worth it.

To all new and continuing social work students, I wish for you the BEST (if not the "easiest") learning experience ever.  Be open to unexpected opportunities and experiences that will expand your ability to be the best social worker you can be.

I would love to hear other "words of wisdom" for this year's new social work students. Your comments are welcome!

Back to Social Work School: How to Communicate Effectively With Your Professor

It's back to school time! Social work Ph.D. student Karen Zgoda wrote this article for THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER magazine on using technology effectively in communicating with your professors. For example:

DON'T: Ask your professor what course you are taking with him/her. Seriously.
DO: Communicate that you are going to miss a class.

Read the article here.

Do you have other tips or comments to add?

9 Essential Tips for New Medical Students--Do They Apply to Social Work Students, Too?

I came across an article on KevinMD.com outlining 9 essential tips for new medical school students.  I think some of them--like don't cram, don't get down on yourself, set aside time to relax, learn about the profession, and others--can just as well apply to students in other professions, including social work.  What do you think?  What tips would you add for social work students?

You can read the article here:
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2012/07/9-essential-tips-medical-students.html