Your Dream Social Work Career: Are You a Good Candidate?

There are many types of social worker jobs, but all have one thing in common: helping people. To earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) and enter social work practice, you must be dedicated to helping people cope with a variety of issues, including disability, illness, abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, poverty, and mental health problems. A social work career can be highly rewarding, especially when you find the right job for your educational background and work experience.

If you’re applying for social work jobs and aren’t sure if you’re a good candidate, learn more about how you can tell if you’re the right person for the job, and how you can earn your MSW degree online.

Applying for the Right Social Worker Jobs

Search any job board and you’ll likely find many types of social worker positions, such as medical social worker, school social worker, and clinical social worker. You may want to apply for them all, but your education and previous work experience may determine which positions you’ll be the best candidate for. In addition, before you apply, you’ll want to consider a few things:

• What’s your education level? While a bachelor’s degree may be the desired education level for some jobs, many positions require an MSW or a PhD in Social Work. An advanced degree is typically required for most administrative and management-level jobs, as well as some substance abuse or school social worker positions.
• Who will you serve? Your area of social work practice can determine the types of people you will work with. This can include children, older adults, people with cognitive or physical disabilities, patients with acute or chronic illnesses, and people with drug or alcohol addiction. Before you apply for a job, make sure you’ll be working with the people you’re trained to work with or prefer to work with.
• Where will you work? Professional social workers can work in a range of settings, including schools, hospitals, health clinics, shelters, correctional facilities, military bases, and private practices. Make sure the social worker jobs you apply for are based in a setting that’s right for you.
• What’s the job description? Social workers perform a wide range of duties. From counseling, to patient assessment, to connecting people to assistance resources, to responding to crisis situations, social work practice can include very different tasks from job to job.

Prepare With an Advanced Social Worker Degree

Regardless of the role you decide to pursue in the field, the best way to prepare for the job of your dreams and stand out to hiring managers is to earn an advanced social work degree. Walden University’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program provides the opportunity to earn your MSW online, with the flexibility and pacing you need. Whether you’re looking to advance your skills and knowledge in the field or expand into a new career, Walden’s online MSW program has what you need to meet your professional and educational goals.

With a program designed to prepare you for licensure, Walden offers four MSW degree concentrations and three options for completing your master’s degree, all while helping you develop the skills you’ll need to excel in a range of social work practice. Once you’ve completed the program, you’ll be ready to sit for a licensing exam and begin your career.

Don’t put off your professional goals any longer. Find out more about how to get started at Walden.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your master’s degree using a convenient, flexible learning platform that fits your busy life.

The minimum academic credential required to obtain licensure to practice as a social worker in most states is a Master of Social Work (MSW) from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Walden University’s MSW program is accredited by CSWE.

State licensing boards are responsible for regulating the practice of social work, and each state has its own academic, licensure, and certification requirements.

Additionally, Walden’s MSW program is not designed or intended to prepare graduates for licensure as a school social worker, however, graduates might be eligible for licensure as a school social worker in their particular state of residence.

Walden recommends that students consult the appropriate social work licensing board in the state in which they plan to practice to determine the specific academic requirements for licensure. Walden Enrollment Specialists can provide information relating to the state-by-state requirements for licensure. However, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all licensing requirements for the state in which he or she resides. Walden makes no representations or guarantee that completion of its coursework or programs will permit an individual to achieve state licensure, authorization, endorsement, or other state credential as a social worker.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.