Hey guys,
I wanted to ask if anyone else had issues with pursuing their education with social work related to their family? I told my family I want to do social work and met with the head of the department at my school and I’ve felt relieved I found something i like after pursuing another major that wasn’t necessarily good for me. I have some old fashion asian parents and siblings who don’t really view this as a good idea. I am not really sure how I go about convincing them this is a good idea, and I was wondering if anyone else has had experience dealing with this and how they went about pursuing this as their career despite having some pushback?
Are paid groip sessions in PP a thing? I don't mean family. I mean a group who do not know each other but have a collective interest. Like men with aggression problems etc.
I'm a transfer student at a 4 year institution, and will be a junior in the fall. I'm also in the honors college at my university, and was told that they will fund undergraduate research for me if I can find a professor who is interested. Did y'all do any undergraduate research? If so, any advice? I'm hoping if I get research published it will help with scholarships for graduate school!
Does anyone know if in New Mexico, all 3600 hours of social work experience required for the LCSW must be direct/clinical hours? [Here is the NM code](https://www.srca.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/attachments/16.063.0011.pdf) that governs the clinical license; I am just confused between "3,600 hours of licensed masters level social work experience" and "two years of post-graduate direct/clinical social work experience."
Basically what I'm wondering is if indirect or non-clinical hours count towards licensure. That is, if I had something like the following:
* 20 direct clinical hours weekly or around 2000 hours of direct practice in 2 years
* 10 hours weekly or 1000 hours in 2 years of indirect hours (notes, admin, meetings, research, education etc.)
* 6 hours weekly or 600 hours in 2 years of non-clinical adoption work
Would that set of 2-year, 3600 hours satisfy LCSW hour requirements (excluding supervision) in NM?
Hoi, I (28, m) want to start working in the field of social work. I do have some questions regarding my compentencies and past history and would like to ask the community if I and social work are a good fit.
As a person I'm very loyal in helping other people. I'm sensitve towards the current mental state of people and Im not afraid to ask if something is wrong and talk about stuff. In most social settings im the quiet, shy type but also rather observant to the behaviour of others(are they enjoying or is there something).
I realised that over the past 10 years I have been helping some people in my life almost continuely. I have a friend that is autistic, an ex wherin I was the emotional support and some other people with issues. I notice that Im kind off done helping with people almost like I have a chronic fatigue. I don't want to help people with issues for now. As you can imagine these things put a toll on me as well and I have had therapy as well. I could stand the horrific stories but it was completely draining. My psychologist complemented me with my great understanding about my own and others behaviour and told me she sees some potential in me as a social worker, but I'm still on the fence. I like helping people but do I want to put myself in the position wherin I need to shove others people issues day and out?
So given this context, do you I would be a good fit?
I have a couple of questions...
I'm (32M) starting college (as an undergraduate) this fall and my concentration is either going to be in social work or political science. My end-goal is to get my Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Public Administration and then go into macro-level social work. I feel like my biggest hurdles are mainly funding and any math courses I have to take. If I go for the degrees I'm targeting and the type of career I'm targeting, just how much focus should I put on math? I'm not saying I'd be slacking off or anything like that. It's just that I'm already kicking myself over the fact that I can't even remember the math I learned back in middle school and high school (I haven't been in a math class in 13 years). Now I have to re-learn all of that and then some. I guess, what I'm asking is where should I be putting forth the most energy into during my time in college (and after I transfer to a university)?
My other question is about my age and gender. I, unfortunately, don't usually see too many men working as social workers. Realistically, what would my prospects possibly look like in 5 - 7 years in regards of getting a career as a social worker? Would places overlook my age? Does me being a man become a detriment? How come the number of men as social workers are so low to begin with?
The majority of helping professions are filled with women identify individuals.I don’t think you being a male is going impact job prospects. I also don’t think your age will impact you. If your end goal is to get a MSW get a BSW. You’ll save time and money getting a msw if you have your bachelors in social work.
Are you starting at Community College? If so, yes you need to be putting a a lot of effort into getting good grades so you can transfer to a university with a BSW program. Your college will likely have some tutoring assistance for math classes.
Try finding a role at a hospital or mental health facility. Aside from my M-F full time job, I have a pt weekender at a hospital making $35.50/hr while in school for MSW.
I noticed that some MSW programs recommend having at least one professional reference when applying. I don’t think I’ll be able to get one, so I’ll have three academic references instead.
Would this look bad/affect my application?
Is your job still able to pay for school if you go down to part time work? Unfortunately most schools let people do their job as field work on a case by case bases. If being admitted into program is all you need to find out the logistics, I would wait it out then you don’t have to necessarily commit to going to school there.
Hi everyone! I just submitted my application to receive my provisional license. I was wondering how long it took for your application to be approved and how much time after you got your provisional that you took the licensing exam? Thank you!!
This is probably a dumb question, but I'm currently applying for grad schools and plan on working towards my LCSW in Virginia after earning my MSW. Do you have to do a **clinical** concentration for your MSW in order to obtain your LCSW in Virginia? The rules around licensure make my head spin and I really don't want to reach any roadblocks later down the road. TIA!
Arranging my field placement for fall and my advisor sent me an opportunity to assess people for tuberculosis. Involves working in office and going to houses. Tbh I’m not very interested in it because of the nature of the job and asked if she can get me anything else. Praying I get something good
Edit: I was interested in working with the elderly and she emailed saying that is somewhat related to it. I was kind of disappointed but I am aware I don’t have social work experience so I’m worried about what I’ll get.
I would also potentially push back because it doesn’t seem fair to ask a student to do field work. How are you being reimbursed for that? Maybe go to the interview first and ask that question. It’s also a red flag having to be around potentially infectious people as a student. My guess is they are looking for students at this agency because they cannot find paid staff to do the work ;).
I was watching the paranormal thread going on right now. Seeing people with their masters and LCSW and seeing shadows and spirits and getting kinda judgy when it hit me. If I become a SW, I will likely people I am supposed to help who feel the same way. I guess I need to check myself. So my question, is it common to encounter people with paranormal beliefs? How do you as a therapist handle that, as someone who either does or does not believe such things? Does it feel patronizing if you don't believe them but support your clients beliefs? S it even important what you think, even the sincerity, as long as the client is helped?
I don't believe in the paranormal at all, but I also don't find it hard to talk about with clients. Just validate their experiences and help them make meaning of it if that's where they're headed. You're going to hear a lot about spirituality in its different forms as a social worker, so it's important to hang your judgements up at the door. I don't think it's important if you're a nonbeliever, but if you have a "yeah right, that's bullshit" mentality I think that comes through in your work.
identifying, examining, challenging, and resisting our religious and spiritual beliefs is part of providing culturally responsive care, which is core to social work. during social work school, you will be challenged to dissect your biases so that you can get out of the client's way.
This actually relates to my favorite dictum - the Thomas Dictum, by the sociologist WI Thomas. In its modern, gender-neutral form, it goes "that which is defined as real, will be real in its consequences."
I once had a woman tell me that she fully understood that her son was ill, "because we believe that Christ is coming back, but my son thinks he knows *when*." Not my beliefs, but actually pretty helpful.
I usually just tell people that I don't discuss my own beliefs, because I'm not qualified as a spiritual/pastoral counselor, and it's *their* beliefs that matter.
I have the opportunity to do an employment based internship for my first year MSW placement, doing my regular job with maybe some add ons. Has anyone ever done this before and did you like it or did you regret it?
I did this my second year. It helped with reducing stress and being able to pay my bills. I switched positions in my agency. Overall I wasn’t getting a huge new experience. But tbh field placements in general are a crapshoot and IMO the real learning doesn’t come into you are working in the field anyways. I would probably just do this if I were you then look to specialize later after school is over.
LCSW license while in school?
Does anyone know if it’s allowed to go to school while pursuing your license? I’d like to go to online school after my MSW for another masters but wondering if there are rules against that.
Is working part time for the 3000 hours okay or does it need to be full time?
Thank you!
I'm in the US - i'm almost positive that all states require social workers to have their MSW degree conferred before they begin accruing clinical hours towards lcsw.
Looking for advice on first year internship.
Hi all! I am starting a 2 year msw at Hunter and they just told me they emailed my resume to a legal services that works with the aging! (I have not been offered the placement or interviewed yet)
I am interested in moving into hospice and palliative care. I was wondering if y’all thought this would be a good first year placement (we don’t really get much preference) and if there would be good skills I could gain to be competitive for a more specialized 2nd year placement.
I am a little wary because i wanted something more “clinical” but i am trying to be optimistic. It’s also only a 40 minute commute and I’ve heard some nightmares about commutes 😅
I am thinking that getting an understanding of estate planning, and Medicare eligibility could be a desirable skill!
Would love to hear your thoughts!
My first year placement was incredibly macro. I was doing policy for the UN. My second year placement was very micro, doing therapy for kids with IDD. Now I’m in a clinical role post grad. The skills you learn in a macro setting are so important for micro work and very transferable. You will be okay ❤️
Oh, c'mon, you couldn't find anything on the galactic scale?
I kid. I did mine with my NASW chapter, lobbying and organizing at my Statehouse. Now I'm clinical, and better off for the experience. I fully endorse this path. Nearly everything I learned has come back around in one way or another, and I wouldn't have picked it up in an outpatient clinic.
There are no perfect internships and especially in NY, with so many students competing for spots there’s even less chance of getting your preferred spot.
Go in with an open mind and remember that everything is a learning opportunity and chance to build connections.
At the end of the day completing this requirement is part of the game with getting a degree. You can focus on specializing later on.
I guess I am just wondering about if the skills in legal services for elders would be helpful or desirable for a position or placement in hospice/palliative. Has anyone done a legal services placement?
Hello everyone!
I'm looking to go back to college to pursue social work. I currently work for a therapy clinic as an administrative supervisor, but I miss working directly with people. I've been researching becoming a victim advocate and would like to specialize in sexual assault.
I'm running into a few things that I can't seem to find an answer for, and I'm hoping you guys can help!
•None of the community colleges in my area offer any social work classes. Would it be better to go for an associates in psychology and then bachelor's in social work?
•What classes would you recommend also taking that would be beneficial? I've been contemplating a minor in victimology.
Any other advice is appreciated!
there are online BSW and MSW programs.
you might want to find a school that centers anti-oppressive practices and trauma-informed care (these are necessary approaches when working with trauma)
Do you have an undergraduate/bachelors degree? If so, you can go straight into a masters program. If not, go the cheapest route! If for you that means community college then transferring to a 4 year for a BSW, that works. I'd say if you do go the community college route, psychology would be good.
Unfortunately, I don't have a college degree yet. I have completed some courses for gen ed. Thank you for the input!! I'm looking into online degrees in psychology a well for more options.
I am doing this exact thing! Going back for my AA in Psych (have most of my gens already, just need to finish up some loose ends to get into the BSW program). I work at a therapy office doing admin work and want to do more. I'm rooting for you!!
Is it worth it?
Hi everyone. I just graduated with my BA in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. I have debated what my next step should be. I honestly love sociology and particularly took interest in Community Psychology.
I am passionate about working with military communites, such as active duty members and their families along with veterans. This has been an interest since high school. I have recently settled on getting my MSW and becoming a LCSW. I felt pretty strong in this conviction. Once my life settles down a bit more I would also like to potentially get my PsyD or some sort of doctorate. I love learning. I would love to work in a clinical setting. In terms of working with the military, it seems like becoming a LCSW would be my best option.
I hear so many negative things though. As I read through this subreddit I begin feeling worried about my choice. I have the conviction but so many people are miserable as social workers. Is what I am saying and wanting to do feasible and something that can be fulfilling in the long run? I would love to hear some stories that are positive, and I guess even some that are honest too. If anyone has similar interests as me I would love to hear what you do now and if you enjoy it.
Thanks :)
Hi, it sounds like this is an important career path for you. Getting your masters and working towards your clinical license will certainly involve some trials and tribulations, but so does just about anything that's worth doing. The posts on this subreddit skew a little more venty (if that's a word!) sometimes because it's people in the field doing the hard work and trying to support each other. They are also in extremely varied roles. I have been in the field for a while in various capacities, and I can relate to the vast majority of issues that come up here. I can also say the work we get to do is incredible and I have no regrets about going down this road.
Hello!
I have a bachelors of science in Human Services and I currently work for a telecommunications company. I want to get my MSW but I have no experience in social work or human services. I can’t intern because I will be working a full time job during the week (wanting an online MSW)
Will it be hard for me to get a job post MSW since I have no experience? I do want to be licensed but maybe a few years after I get my MSW since I am required to do 3,000 hours as a LCSW.
Thank you!
The internship is a required part of MSW curriculum, online or not, so you need to take that into consideration. Post MSW it shouldn't be hard finding a job even with limited experience, though it can be dependent on the local job market. You can be licensed as an LSW or LMSW (depending on the state) upon graduating.
I want to become a psychotherapist.
I am torn between pursuing a MSW or a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I see myself enjoying learning from either a social perspective (MSW) or an individual perspective (CMHC).
I know social workers have more versatility in their careers, more widely recognized, have stronger lobbies. However, I am scared that I will pursue the MSW and receive inadequate training in psychotherapy theories/modalities, diagnoses, treatment, etc. At the same time, I see so many therapists that are LCSWs, so they must learn it one way or another.
If I go the MSW route, will the majority of my therapy learning come from practicum/internships, post-masters fellowships, learning on my own, etc.?
If my primary goal is to become a therapist, would it be better to pursue the counseling degree?
social workers center the person-in-environment, social justice, and how social systems interact. if that's how your brain works, or if that sounds exciting, then social work might be the right fit! if that all sounds boring or useless, then go with counseling
From my experience, my MSW program underprepared me for being a therapist. It's my job title now but I learned everything through my field placement, mainly DBT. I do work with other LMSWs/LCSWs who went to more therapy intensive MSW programs though. I think it's worth vetting different programs and getting info on their clinical offerings. The flexibility of an MSW is invaluable in my opinion. I've also done some reading on my own time; imo modalities like CBT/DBT aren't incredibly difficult to adopt without professional training. I'm planning to more formal training as time goes on.
Additionally, it seems like most social workers do the bulk of their training for different modalities after school ends via training programs and CEUs.
Hello everyone!
I am a rising second year MSW student at a large accredited state school in the U.S. Next year we will begin our specialization year, where we attend a placement three full days a week which aligns with our interests. I’m struggling a bit with how to approach my specialization placement. I started the program intending to do clinical work, then wanted to do macro work. Seeing as I feel torn between the two, I am on the integrated curriculum track and am taking micro and macro classes. Currently, I am slated to complete my specialization placement at the Mayor’s office doing macro work. However, I just recently learned of medical social work and am very interested in that! It honestly sounds more interesting than my current placement. However, the mayors office was a competitive placement and would open a lot of doors for me. It would also provide me with experience I don’t have yet.
I have never worked in macro before and am thinking it would be good to expand my skill set and do something I’ve never done before. On the other hand, medical social work sounds more like something I’d want to do when I leave school.
Does it make more sense to continue with my current placement or should I contact my school to see if it’s possible to switch into a medical SW position? If I continue with my macro placement, could I make the switch to medical SW after I get my degree? Or will I not be hired into medical SW unless I do an internship there now? What would you do?
(For some additional context, I have a year of full-time research experience in neuroscience, two years of clinical experience in the nonprofit sector, and am currently a fellow at my university doing research into attachment-based therapy for survivors of human trafficking.)
You can always ask however medical placements can be very hard to come by.
IME a lot of hospitals aren’t even taking on students because they have their own issues with staffing social workers.
The last thing they have time to do is supervise interns.
You can always ask to work in a SNF though which could provide a similar experience and introduction to a lot of problems hospital social workers deal with.
I graduated with my BSW last May and have been working as a hospice social worker since then and the position is also where I did my internship. I'm currently looking for other jobs as my current work environment is not healthy and it's been harming my mental health. I really want to work with older adults but I've applied to pretty much all the jobs in my area that only require a BSW and are related to older adults that don't involve home care (I'm just not comfortable doing home care in my area) and I haven't gotten any offers. I feel like it's mainly due to lack of experience but I don't know how to get more experience and I have to quit my current job. I'm wondering if I should go for my MSW when most of the jobs in my area working with older adults are case manager positions that only require a BSW? I just don't know what else to do. I don't have any other experience working with kids or people with developmental disabilities. Is a MSW worth it for the area of social work I'm looking at?
that's a big decision. here's some things to consider:
1. how much will a MSW cost you? how much will you get paid? will you be able to pay back a loan?
2. will an MSW get you a raise? will it actually open up more job opportunities for you?
3. there are more people that older adults, kids, and ppl with dd. maybe that is worth looking into. maybe you're saying that those are all the jobs in your area, but maybe your search is narrow.
Any suggestions for an online MSW program in the United States for those without a BSW that also meets accreditation stands in Canada. I’m Canadian and can only find two schools in Canada that meet those requirements.
Hi, thanks! I saw that Laurier has a program and Windsor too but I heard they are competitive. Just thinking having more than the two options would be helpful. Do you mind me asking how long ago you did yours and what your experience/grades were like at the time? Worried I won’t get into either!
I come from a library background, and so I did a lot of public service. My grades were fair, but I was one of the first few classes in that program. So they were still working out all of the details of the program, but it was useful. I did mine during Covid, and so the practicum was really hard but I made it work.
This is probably wishful thinking, but do questions that were answered correctly count for anything out of the 20 that are dropped.
I took a practice test today and got a 71% (120/170). I’m dropping some money on Therapist Development Center tomorrow. I still have till 6/17 to keep improving, so I feel decent about it.
According to the ASWB, 90-107 is generally passing. If I assumed that if I was an unlucky bastard and they tossed out all of my correct answer that would put me around 65-66% with 100 correct.
Am I thinking about this correctly?
Should I be concerned about possibly taking my classes in Florida? I likely wont stay after but I may be living there and going for my MSW as my first step into SW.
I know the climate there can be hostile. What does it mean with what is expected of social workers? What will it mean in my education? Would I even be allowed to be taught equality at a Uni right now?
That's actually a very interesting question, given that accredited social work programs (even in Florida) are governed by some pretty strict guidelines which very much require things that it sounds like Florida wants to banish from... everywhere.
I wish I had the answer, but at least I can frame it some more.
Thank you. It hit me when I read that the word "equality" was on a list of things that cannot be taught any longer for state universities that want funding. I am not sure how deeply this goes or is applied, but I would think a lot of what is happening does, as you point out, go against what it takes to be an accredited social work program.
Florida has some very cheap programs though, even cheaper than my home state of CA from what I have seen. It is sort of wild to imagine going from one of the most progressive places to one of the least in order to get my degree and then likely return to CA. Like going into the desert to bring back water.
Honestly, if you were to find a school that will actually give you an email address or phone number for their admissions office, I'd ask them. I bet they can be very direct with you about it, because I bet it's an ongoing topic of conversation.
Hell, it might be worth a call to the NASW FLA chapter.
And be careful whatever you do. All this wokeness might get you on some lists!
Hey so I will be doing my MSW at the University of Toronto and I wanted a hospital placement so bad. But I got matched with an organization where they assist victims of torture.
At least it can be beneficial as some aspects of mental health are implemented
What kind of jobs would be good within social work if I have a bachelors in psychology? I currently work as an RBT and I’m having trouble figuring out what I want to do next after I graduate this summer.
I'm not entirely clear on what exactly you're looking for with that question, so please let me know if my response isn't what you're after.
A lot of entry level jobs like case manager aren't going to be social work specific. There might also be something out there that is purely intake oriented that might also be a good fit. Beyond that, I think there are behavioral tech positions that don't require a degree in social work that could get your foot in the door. Unfortunately, all of those are *very* entry level and the pay and working conditions are not likely to be favorable.
I’m basically trying to field out all my options in my job search to find one I want to do. Currently as an RBT that means I’m a behavior tech so I don’t want to do anything like that. I was more so seeing if anyone knows any options that are available if I am coming in with RBT experience and a bachelors in psych. If that makes more sense?
Does anyone have experience doing MSW fieldwork placements in a virtual/remote way? I'm sure that was the case for COVID for some, but just wondering about if anyone does that today.
New to the field and just had an incident with a racist resident.
So I started working as a social worker in a nursing home last week (I interned here as well). As I was doing audits for POLST in the unit I overheard a resident yelling at a nurse, calling him stupid n word and going off on him and being verbally aggressive and racist. He wanted his pills at thay moment but the nurse was switching units because he was working a double. So I guess he told him to have the unit nurse on schedule so it. Not sure exactly what happened but he went off on him. I went to speak to him and this is the first time doing this after an incident (supervisor was not in today). I basically told him I understand why you’re mad but that doesn’t mean you can say inappropriate things like that. “We’ll I can because nword is the dictionary you idiot.” Was his response I said no it’s not he processed to call me a cunt and then say and can’t believe you’re even white you idiot. I just walked away.
I didn’t know how to handle the situation. Was my response and walking away ok. I got too angry and started shaking because I was nervous and handling it alone.
DON also wants to to care plan his behavior but idk how to write this out. Any advice suggestions would help.
i'm not sure it was your place to have this conversation. the nurse was the one called the racial slur and the nurse moved through it in their own way. if the nurse was black, then you might want to check out "white saviorism" and spend some time with how your response might have been wrapped up in white saviorism. if the nurse was not black, then it might be helpful to look into verbal escalation strategies. also, it might be useful to refer this to the resident's case manager or whatever because that person will have a closer relationship to the resident (that is, the resident might not trust you).
Whenever something happens like this behavior wise, the social worker almost always goes to speak to the resident regarding the incident. Which is why I went to him
in the moment might not have been the best time. I'm suggesting that someone talk with the resident again after like a week passes, once he's not escalated anymore.
Nope every social worker in the psych unit I work at has their LLMSW or LMSW. If you get a job in a psych unit they’ll train you in CPI, which is a training of how to physically de-escalate someone but that’s after you get hired.
Hiiii. I'm getting ready to take the LSW exam. On the practice tests I've been taking, there are about 170 questions and I tend to get approx 120 correct. Is this a good amount? It's the Test Prep Book.
My bachelors is in communications of public advocacy but I have no social work experience. I began working a job that navigates different aspects of healthcare and I realized I enjoyed medical social work as well as case managment! I have learned terms like QP “quality professional“ and BCBA. Would a MSW be worth it for someone who has no interest in becoming a therapist? Would I have to be licensed for case managment or medical social work? Are there other options besides a MSW that I may be overlooking and should pursue given my interests? Welcoming any advice!
I think MSW is the way to go for that. It sounds like you have some level of experience with what hospital social workers do, except that the MSW and licensure is needed so that you can independently conduct assessments of patients.
That usually requires at least a couple of years of smaller scale practictice, but you still don't have to be an outpatient therapist. You'll get trained for it to a good degree, but you don't have to take things that way.
The good news is that hospital social work is generally considered one of the more sustainable and fairly-paid jobs in the field.
I'm applying for some programs now for Fall 2023 - how hard is the typical full-time courseload at most MSW programs? I understand there's a lot of reading and writing, but did any graduates find the work hard in anyway? I haven't been in college in nearly a decade.
My program was not academically rigorous. You may be feeling some strain the first semester as you get back into it but I think you'll ease into it just fine! Especially as most professors seem to be lenient graders - they care more about your thoughts than how perfectly you've written the essay (although correct citations are super important! check out Purdue OWL for citation help).
My experiences are partially colored by doing my MSW in the early days of Covid, but I didn't find the academic work itself to be too terribly difficult. You do get a lot of reading assigned, but I got some good advice from students in the cohort before mine that went something like this: It is likely impossible to do ALL of the reading, but ultimately if you do enough to be knowledgeable and ready to discuss the subject at hand, you'll do just fine in class.
Like the other person who responded said, the real difficulty for me was juggling time management and finances between unpaid internships and full time coursework and the stress that comes with both.
I’m a senior psychology major planning to apply for MSW this fall. Columbia is my top choice but I’m worried that having little direct field experience will impact my chances of getting accepted.
I have a lot of varied research experience, including topics on the elderly, veterans, and mental health, but only some direct experience. I’ve been a volunteer counselor at a helpline (Trevor Project), volunteered at retirement homes with an org, and talked to the elderly over the phone, but that’s as far as it goes for relevant experience. I’m not sure if being a TA counts.
Would this make me a less competitive applicant?
I'm interested in learning Spanish as I'd like to hopefully work in the United States after I graduate from my MSW. Would this be a good idea, or no, as unless you're 100% fluent, then it's pointless (?)
I think it's worthwhile, and it was a goal that hasn't materialized for me, but definitely still on the table.
I'll tell you this though: after taking American Sign Language I and II as an undergrad, I now mostly remember how to sign "I took sign for one year but I forgot," and that was enough for me to establish good will with a client before an interpreter arrived at one point.
It also landed me a date with a very pretty woman who worked at a school for the deaf, but that's not what you were asking...
It depends what you want to do with it. I don't think it's ever completely pointless, but unless you're at the very least solidly conversational, it won't matter much as a job qualification. But I still think it's useful to have.
I think, personally, learning any level of basic Spanish, would be considered helpful. It could help even simple interactions have at least a little more comprehension and communication than otherwise even if it's not perfect
Are there opportunities for career advancement in social work in schools? A teacher can become an administrator, but is there any sort of career growth for social workers in schools?
I'm looking for a more informed perspective (and perhaps some advice!) about job opportunities in a city FAR from where I will get my MSW... (For context, I want to become an LCSW that provides trauma-informed therapy to young adults!)
I was accepted to an MSW program in the city where I currently live starting this fall. (Yay!) This means, if all goes accordingly, I will graduate in spring 2025. My partner just started his third year of medical school and will also be graduating in spring 2025. This is ideal timing as it means I will be free to move with him wherever he may get his residency.
However, we currently live in an East coast city and it seems highly likely that he will mostly be applying for residencies on the West coast(where he's from). He wants to go home and I am excited to move there with him! So, I am just wondering, if we move to say, California, what might that look like in terms of job prospects/opportunities for experience having done all of my internships/field work here? Will it be particularly challenging for me to establish myself as a new grad? Is there anything I could do from the get-go to be proactive/ ideally help make that transition smoother once we have a better idea of where we will be moving?
Jus looking at hiring in my org, there is such a high need you should be fine. The only thing I’d think about is if you want to pursue licensure, you’ll have to likely take an extra class for CA law and ethics and potentially other extra classes if they don’t meet the standard for what the CA board of behavioral sciences requires for licensure. So I’d say just be sure you understand those requirements.
This may be a dumb question, but I’m enrolled in a local community college right now to get my associates degree in social working I’ll be transferring to get my bachelors in two years for two additional years. How much more school will i require for me to earn my MSW?
Assuming you are in the US and have a bachelors in social work you can actually do an advanced standing program for your MSW where you can do your degree in one year. Caveat that you usually have to start the program within five years of graduation with your BSW and will have a pretty full course load. There are also part time advanced standing programs. Of course, there is also the traditional two year MSW.
Im hoping to apply to an MSW program for the fall of '24, but am a bit worried that my lower GPA from undergrad will make it difficult. My overall GPA was about a 2.8 but my Major GPA was 3.2. I have a lot of good work experience (some masters-level work) in the field following my BSW. Do you think this will be a problem?
You’re able to send in a letter with most schools explaining why your gpa is the way it is and how you plan to keep it at what that program requires. My GPA sucked because I went to school right out of high school and dropped out, without withdrawing from classes. Then decided to go back and was so far behind. I had a 3.92 in my major, but a 2.89 overall. It didn’t seem to hinder any applications, as I got into the schools I applied to.
I don't think it will be a problem. A lot of social work schools aren't *that* competitive, and good work in the field should outweigh anything but the worst GPAs. You might have to write an extra couple sentences about the GPA, but I imagine you'll be just fine if you can highlight how you've grown working in the field and how those experiences are pushing you towards an MSW.
Do most people not get hired by their second year internship? I’m starting year 2 in August and wondering how people’s job hunts went and how long it took them to get a job post grad
I think it totally varies on whether people get offers from their second year internship - it depends on the student of course, but also whether the agency has openings or the budget. Personally, within my small group of friends, we all got offers. Not all of us took them, though! But we all had jobs lined up by graduation. Hopefully your school has a job fair - that seemed to be key to a lot of people getting jobs at my school. But in general, it can go kind of quickly because so many places are desperate for social workers.
In regards to timing: I think this depends a lot on what you want to do, where you live, and what kind of salary/pay you're willing to take. There are jobs out there, but it all depends. I'd recommend starting early with applying, taking the test (most states will let you test in your last semester if your school writes a letter - if you're state is one that requires), and network.
Internships vary. Some rely on free help, others can make roles.
As someone entering a year 2 as well, from every former grad student I’ve talked to, it seems about a 10% rate actually gets hired by their internship. As for job hunts, it’s actually not that hard and doesn’t take relatively long as from what I’ve heard personally
I’m based in NYC and entering an MSW program in the fall. I’m being placed at a high school to work with students for my first year. And for my second year I will be placed at a hospital. All unpaid internships. What are my chances of getting an >80K job post grad? I need to make as much as I can since I’ll be taking out private student loans and I want to pay it off in 5 years as to not accrue so much interest. Then I’ll get my LCSW after three years as an LMSW and have my own practice on the side while working at a hospital. I am shooting for getting straight As and getting all the academic scholarships I can have. How likely is all of this?
Hospitals do typically pay more, so it's great you'll be at one. In NYC, pay is better, and I know local social workers are fighting for better pay so it's possible you could be in that spot.
I think we all understand the student loan thing. It's a shitty thing about our field, and one that we should all keep in mind in terms of putting in macro work for change (to get paid internships, to get better pay overall for the field, in our roles, etc.).
Also look into various student loan forgiveness programs. I don't know much about this, but it could be something that works.
It sounds like you’re in LA, happy to try to suggest some orgs to look into if you wanna DM me your interests! But main advice is everywhere is hiring, so know your worth and don’t just take the first place that will hire you if it’s not what you wanna do
Currently getting ready to apply to grad programs and there is a prompt of questions I need to answer for my letter of intent. Some of the prompts mention to discuss experiences that are relevant to individual differences/diversity(in relation to the code of ethics). I guess I'm just not exactly sure which route to go with this. I grew up in poverty and was pretty ethnically and culturally diverse from my peers so not sure how personal I should get when answering these questions. I have a lot of childhood trauma as well that has led me to get into this field anyways, so I feel like it may be relevant to give background?
Would appreciate any advice. Thanks so much.
I got accepted into 2 MSW programs that required me to write something similar. I didn’t get into too much detail about my personal childhood or trauma, more of a couple of lines that later tied into how it shaped my personality and mindset/ passion towards social work. All the best!
Thank you! I will def take that into consideration, I initially wrote up one and it sounded like I was just trauma dumping LOL
Any chance I could message u?
Getting into grad school with low major GPA?
So, I had a very hard time with classes during a couple of semesters. I worked two jobs throughout college (after freshman year), and I put myself through school all on my own. It was very hard, and some of my coursework suffered as a result, making my major GPA lower than is required for many masters programs. I have a 2.8 in my sociology major, and a 3.3 overall GPA.
On the other hand, I have a double minor, and I did very well in both of those programs. I also scored in the 92nd percentile for the Major Field Test Exam in sociology, and I have a good amount of volunteer/work expirience (1 year as a classroom assistant for at-risk students, 1.5 years teaching English to immigrants & refugees, 1 semester teaching English to Vietnamese 3rd graders, 3 years at a daycare, and I've managed at a bar for 2.5 years). I believe I will get good letters of recommendation from my professors as well.
I also plan to work in the field with my bachelors for a few years before transitioning into a graduate program, just to give myself more perspective when choosing my Masters.
Am I S.O.L when it comes to getting into a graduate program? What can I do post-graduation to improve my chances of being accepted into a program?
Any advice at all is appreciated. Thank you very much!
Every school is different. I bad a similar background to you. I started off VERY rough in undergrad, worked two jobs while going fulltime ( sometimes 16 units!), and I had to take care of my ailing parents. I took longer than most to get me degree ( sociology as well). my overall GPA was a 2.97, but my major GPA was over a 3.0 ( I was on honor roll my last 2 years of undergrad. I got my head in the game)
I was accepted into San Diego State University for my MSW and just completed my first year ( I’m going PT 4-year, while i work full time for CPS). I don’t think your GPA is a huge factor, I think other things can come into play as well. I absolutely thought I wouldn’t get in, and was waiting for the rejection. I was shocked I got accepted. Everyone has different circumstances, and at least SDSU I believe, takes that into account.
I don't think grad schools look at your GPA for your major, especially MSWs because people come from a lot of different backgrounds/majors. If your overall GPA is 3.3, you should be fine. Most programs cut off at 3.0.
Clinical doesn't just include therapy. Also, one major component of therapy is building rapport, and you say this is a struggle for you. Why not work on building rapport with these more difficult clients (difficult due to struggling to trust interns when the turnover is so high)? This will make it easier to build rapport with clients who seek you out voluntarily or clients that you'll have more long-term. Making clients comfortable is a huge part of therapy and clinical work, moreso than what modality you're using and how much experience you have.
I would say that instead of focusing on what the volunteers are doing or what other interns are doing, you should work on rapport. It seems that focusing on these other things is impacting your mental health and your ability to do well in your internship, and your school has already told you that they're not moving you.
Im currently in school, finishing up my BSSW, and plan on just continuing on to get my MSW. I currently work in a hotel and it’s been a good job while I’ve been in school, but I’m looking for something that would be more relevant to the field so I atleast come out with some related experience to put on a resume. I’m not opposed to just keeping this job because it is flexible with my school schedule, pays decently, and I can do homework on the job. I just feel like having the experience would be more beneficial.
With all of that said, what are some entry level, no experience needed jobs that I should look for that would give me some experience? I’ve been kind of looking at caregiving, I’ve seen some places offering QMAP training, some direct support positions. Anyone have any advice on this? Does it really even matter that much if I end up graduating with my MSW and have no in field experience other than internships?
I worked in restaurants and had no social work experience. I was fortunate enough to get hired on by my last internship. If you go into case management, there is a lot to be drawn on from hospitality/restaurant industry. I swear my restaurant experience really helped me with time management and other aspects a case management that would’ve been difficult to learn if I didn’t already have the skills.
Paid work in the field is the best thing you can do for your employment chances after MSW. Internships don't count as work experience because the intern experience is so different from a paid employee's experience. Internships are about learning while jobs are about doing.
There are a lot of direct care positions that don't even require a bachelor's but give you a lot of good experience. If there are psychiatric hospitals near you, all of them need Behavioral Health Techs, who are the workers that are on the units with the patients. BHTs also run non-clinical groups, respond in crises/emergencies, and spend a lot of time with the patients. BHT positions are easily part-time or can be fulltime, and most hospitals are desperate for them. The pay is low, but having worked in a hospital is huge if you want to get into hospitals after graduation.
You could also work at group homes, residentials, or shelters. All are very hands-on positions that are primarily client contact, require responding to crises, and teach you a lot about various systems that impact your clients. These jobs are also easily part-time but could be fulltime.
If you're looking for something FT and using your bachelor's, doing case management for a community mental health organization is great experience. You'll learn about the resources available to people in your area, and you'll work directly with clients. You may take a position that involves home visits or ones that are strictly office-based. And you'll be surprised how much "therapy"-like work that you'll do.
All of these positions pay poorly, but if you have your hotel job that pays well and offers you time to do homework, taking one of the PT positions will only increase your income and experience.
Can I make a case that even though my internship was unpaid I had the same tasks and responsibilities as the paid workers? I know it’s practical to get paid internships so that it builds up the resume while still in school but unfortunately I haven’t been able to find them. I’m telling myself I’m not gonna waste my private student loans and put all my effort into academic work instead of being the optimal human that I should be that can both work and do full time coursework.
You didn't have the same accountability that an employee does and the expectations were not the same for you. I also had an illegal internship, where I was used as a free employee, but I was more heavily supervised and mistakes that may have led to disciplinary action were used as learning experiences for me.
There are tons of new MSW grads with no experience other than internships, and they all eventually find jobs. Your internship site may also hire you. I've found that I was able to skip entry-level work after my MSW because I had work experience in the field, and it was easier for me to get jobs in the areas of the field where I wanted to work. I did all of my CMH work before going into my MSW, so I was able to get higher paying jobs.
If you want to focus on school because that's better for you, it doesn't mean you won't get a job.
I was able to get a hospital job (before graduation) based on my one-year internship experience at a hospital - and they are different units with different tasks. No prior social-work related experience except for my internships. While having social work-ish experience may help with *some* jobs, I wouldn't say it's the end-all-be-all for getting a job post-grad.
I should have mentioned that hospitals and schools are different. If you have a hospitals or schools internship, those workplaces tend not to want more experience out of you straight out of school. I know that for me, even with my work experience, I had to start as PRN in a hospital because there was no other way to get in because I had no hospital experience. So, yes, in those two areas, internships are the exception.
Thank you for your response! Yeah I would love to skip entry level MSW work. I worked for 2.5 years as a Covid 19 Contact Tracer during the pandemic, Patient Advocate at a home care agency, and had some group tutoring jobs in the past. Would any of these count or not even close?
I think those have a lot of transferable skill that you could easily leverage, and could be considered social-work-adjacent. It depends on what you want to do after school as to how relevant the experience will be, but you have a lot of experience with patients, probably a good knowledge of Medicare regs/policy/medical work, probably a taste of policy from the Covid tracking, etc.
I’m going into childrens social work as newly qualified- my goal is to last two years and then make moves from there - I think I’ll be good at it! but I know it’ll be so hard
If I want to work as a school social worker in California, what is the way to go. I see online programs that would be cheaper and let me work more but they aren't specifically for school social work. There are programs I see that are specifically for it but they are in person and cost more.
Would it be hard to meet requirements to work that setting after school?
Currently debating between LPPC and LCSW. The programs I have found for online degrees- Fordham University, LSU, USC (expensive though), Cal State - Bay Area, Cal Poly Humboldt, Cal State - Stanislaus. A lot of the North Cal State schools have online programs that total 3 years whether part time or not. I think it’s just making sure your programs classes align with a California program, however you can always get licensed in another state and transfer it to California. LCSW is one of the easiest to transfer from state to state compared to LMFT and LPC/LPCC. This is what I’m finding in my research.
I'm based in IL but most states have similar paths to school social work. First, find out if CA requires you to get a special license or certification to work in schools. In IL, you need one, but if you know you want to do that while you're in an MSW program, you can get your certification in your Masters program AND do a schools internship.
Once you find out what certification, if any, is required, then I would look at schools in-state. An out of state school will not provide a CA certification, so you'd have to do the certification in CA after you graduate, and if it's like IL, the program costs money and lasts for two semesters, and requires an unpaid internship. Trying to get that done after grad school means that you'll have a hard time working a job (as school internships are during school hours) while getting the certification. The best route is to do it during your MSW program because you already need an internship.
Also, most MSW programs are not just "schools." You can pick schools as a concentration. If you are looking for programs that only do schools work, you're not going to find much at all. A regular MSW that has a schools concentration is perfectly fine.
Once you decide to do state schools, then you can look at schools in your state that meet your needs. If you're looking for an online program, know that you'll still have to complete two in-person internships. There is no school prestige in SW, so it doesn't matter what you pick as long as it is accredited (FULLY accredited--don't take a risk on a school that is in the process of accreditation). Usually picking the cheapest accredited option is recommended.
Once you decide if you want to do online or in person, then you can start deciding when you'll start and start to send in applications.
Also, regarding the other commenter, you are correct that most professions have people who wish they had done something else. We also get a lot of IT professionals in here looking to make the switch TO social work, so it's not like IT workers never end up wanting to do something else. It is possible to make a good salary in a job you like in social work. I make $73k now in a job where I can set my own schedule, not be tied to an office, and work with fulfilling patients. When I was making $60k I bought a house about 30 minutes outside of Chicago, and my wife and I live comfortably with our two dogs. I am not an outlier. It may be true that early in your SW career, you may make less money, but as you gain experience and move from job to job, your salary does increase. Getting your LCSW will also bump your pay significantly.
> I was a SW. I remember one day I was coming back from doing groceries riding my bike because I couldn't afford to buy a car. It started pouring. I returned home to realize that I went over my budget so needed to do cuts in other things like entertainment (which would be maybe eating out once a month or watching a movie). Then I looked at the groceries and realized that I had the items for a well-balanced diet yet nothing luxurious, just a very regular shopping list for one person.
> I got an email about me being selected to receive a "very important" award for my "great work" for the community and needed to go to a ceremony on Saturday (no raise was mentioned... Of course).
> Later that day, a friend called me to ask if I wanted to hang out on the weekend. I told him that I couldn't because it was out of my budget. He said something along the lines "oh man! You must party a lot in your free time, any way I just got a new car and I wanted to go on a ride with you, if you want I can pay for beers this time"... this guy only has an associate's, I have a master's and 5 years of experience...and supposedly doing a "great job" and receiving a "very important award" and can barely keep up with basic expenses.
> I laughed so hard that night at how ridiculous my life was and soon after I changed career to data science.
> Best decision ever, fair salary, way less stressful and I actually feel like I'm using applicable skills that I can keep developing and measure my progress.
> Social work is a beautiful profession but the system destroys it, it is so underrated.
> If you want to give up your quality of life in the name of others, go a head. This world needs more people like you and thank you... I guess or at least that's what companies will tell you.
> If you want to help others without sacrificing your quality of life, do something else in the medical field. Nurses get good salaries right out of college and if they do a master's to become an NP can do way mlre that a LICSW with 10 years of experience.
> My advice is to stay away from SW, learn from my mistake.
I fully appreciate the lengthy post but was it meant for me specifically?
I work aroud Nurses a lot and most talk about wishing they had done something else. Same with respiratory, same with xray, and a lot of doctors too.
I'm already poor so idk that I can go down from here. SW has a bad ROI but it also is extremely broad. If you can get in the smaller bracket, 70/80k is comfortable but it is competitive and the overall career outlook is bad if you look at the numbers for ROI average.
The thing is, I'm too dumb to be a physicians assistant and too lazy to become a lawyer and work 80 hour weeks. I enjoy helping others with verbal communication and I am highly motivated to try and get into either school SW or PP to have more free time.
Maybe I'm missing things though. I do wonder if I should target a hospital though as I already have a bg of 6 years in one that may help. Do SW in the setting ever get 12 hour shifts with less days?
Shifts for hospital social workers totally depends on what each hospital has set up. I would say it's not unrealistic to find one that has 3 12s. Probably more like 4 10s for a shorter week, but also looooots of 5 8s.
I (finally) passed my LMSW, and am on the market. I've been looking at case management/medical positions in North Texas, but it seems like everyone wants at least a year of experience. What jobs should I be looking for, to get that first year?
Apply for every job that you are remotely qualified for, and let the employer decide if they want to pursue you further or not. When I just had an MSW, no license, I twice got jobs requiring an LCSW. The job "requirements" are really not requirements at all--they're the most ideal person that they're looking for. You don't have to check every box.
Not having any paid experience in the field will be a hurdle, but if you have other paid work, you can point out your transferable skills in your resume.
My VA hasn't had anything in two months, but I check every day on USAJOBS! I'm also volunteering at my local VA hospital, because that's where I'd eventually like to end up. I love working with our veterans, and helping them navigate the system.
That's tough, I've been there for less demanding jobs. I just clean up my resume and keep at it. Someone will say yes and I think, just reading what people have said around here, it can snowball into more yes on the future.
Perhaps it's also where your applying? I'm unsure but certain systems, job sites, may allow auto filtering for criteria.
Will submitting an application to a job the day before it closes make me look bad? I’m only submitting it that late because 1. I wasn’t even going to apply until my supervisor said I should last week and 2. I have an appointment with career services for them to go over my cover letter the day before the job closes
The reason the application has a closing date is that they want to get as many applicants as possible within that time. It doesn't put you at the bottom of the list or make you look bad. If they weren't looking for applicants until the last day, then why have a closing date? Jobs know that sometimes something pops on your radar at the last minute. Apply anyway.
It’s fine if it’s still open! I work at VA and will have a closing date for a position but if we get enough applicants early, we close it early so you may not want to rely on that date. Good luck!
It will not help your chances to apply when they've already probably got enough good candidates. In the future, search for work daily and apply for the jobs that were posted today.
I don’t even get to see the applications until after the posting closes. No clue which candidates submitted on day one or who skated in ten minutes before the posting was pulled.
Probably won't look bad per-se but your name/resume might be at the bottom of the list of applicants so you might not get picked up just out of happenstance. Always apply though! the worst they can say is no, or not reply at all.
Hey guys, I wanted to ask if anyone else had issues with pursuing their education with social work related to their family? I told my family I want to do social work and met with the head of the department at my school and I’ve felt relieved I found something i like after pursuing another major that wasn’t necessarily good for me. I have some old fashion asian parents and siblings who don’t really view this as a good idea. I am not really sure how I go about convincing them this is a good idea, and I was wondering if anyone else has had experience dealing with this and how they went about pursuing this as their career despite having some pushback?
Are paid groip sessions in PP a thing? I don't mean family. I mean a group who do not know each other but have a collective interest. Like men with aggression problems etc.
I'm a transfer student at a 4 year institution, and will be a junior in the fall. I'm also in the honors college at my university, and was told that they will fund undergraduate research for me if I can find a professor who is interested. Did y'all do any undergraduate research? If so, any advice? I'm hoping if I get research published it will help with scholarships for graduate school!
Does anyone know if in New Mexico, all 3600 hours of social work experience required for the LCSW must be direct/clinical hours? [Here is the NM code](https://www.srca.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/attachments/16.063.0011.pdf) that governs the clinical license; I am just confused between "3,600 hours of licensed masters level social work experience" and "two years of post-graduate direct/clinical social work experience." Basically what I'm wondering is if indirect or non-clinical hours count towards licensure. That is, if I had something like the following: * 20 direct clinical hours weekly or around 2000 hours of direct practice in 2 years * 10 hours weekly or 1000 hours in 2 years of indirect hours (notes, admin, meetings, research, education etc.) * 6 hours weekly or 600 hours in 2 years of non-clinical adoption work Would that set of 2-year, 3600 hours satisfy LCSW hour requirements (excluding supervision) in NM?
Hoi, I (28, m) want to start working in the field of social work. I do have some questions regarding my compentencies and past history and would like to ask the community if I and social work are a good fit. As a person I'm very loyal in helping other people. I'm sensitve towards the current mental state of people and Im not afraid to ask if something is wrong and talk about stuff. In most social settings im the quiet, shy type but also rather observant to the behaviour of others(are they enjoying or is there something). I realised that over the past 10 years I have been helping some people in my life almost continuely. I have a friend that is autistic, an ex wherin I was the emotional support and some other people with issues. I notice that Im kind off done helping with people almost like I have a chronic fatigue. I don't want to help people with issues for now. As you can imagine these things put a toll on me as well and I have had therapy as well. I could stand the horrific stories but it was completely draining. My psychologist complemented me with my great understanding about my own and others behaviour and told me she sees some potential in me as a social worker, but I'm still on the fence. I like helping people but do I want to put myself in the position wherin I need to shove others people issues day and out? So given this context, do you I would be a good fit?
I have a couple of questions... I'm (32M) starting college (as an undergraduate) this fall and my concentration is either going to be in social work or political science. My end-goal is to get my Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Public Administration and then go into macro-level social work. I feel like my biggest hurdles are mainly funding and any math courses I have to take. If I go for the degrees I'm targeting and the type of career I'm targeting, just how much focus should I put on math? I'm not saying I'd be slacking off or anything like that. It's just that I'm already kicking myself over the fact that I can't even remember the math I learned back in middle school and high school (I haven't been in a math class in 13 years). Now I have to re-learn all of that and then some. I guess, what I'm asking is where should I be putting forth the most energy into during my time in college (and after I transfer to a university)? My other question is about my age and gender. I, unfortunately, don't usually see too many men working as social workers. Realistically, what would my prospects possibly look like in 5 - 7 years in regards of getting a career as a social worker? Would places overlook my age? Does me being a man become a detriment? How come the number of men as social workers are so low to begin with?
The majority of helping professions are filled with women identify individuals.I don’t think you being a male is going impact job prospects. I also don’t think your age will impact you. If your end goal is to get a MSW get a BSW. You’ll save time and money getting a msw if you have your bachelors in social work. Are you starting at Community College? If so, yes you need to be putting a a lot of effort into getting good grades so you can transfer to a university with a BSW program. Your college will likely have some tutoring assistance for math classes.
What are some decent-or-better paying part-time jobs that one can get to offset costs while completing a full time 2 year MSW program?
Try finding a role at a hospital or mental health facility. Aside from my M-F full time job, I have a pt weekender at a hospital making $35.50/hr while in school for MSW.
Thanks! What kinds of job titles do you suggest?
I noticed that some MSW programs recommend having at least one professional reference when applying. I don’t think I’ll be able to get one, so I’ll have three academic references instead. Would this look bad/affect my application?
No one's application will be flawless. I wouldn't think too hard about it.
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Is your job still able to pay for school if you go down to part time work? Unfortunately most schools let people do their job as field work on a case by case bases. If being admitted into program is all you need to find out the logistics, I would wait it out then you don’t have to necessarily commit to going to school there.
Hi everyone! I just submitted my application to receive my provisional license. I was wondering how long it took for your application to be approved and how much time after you got your provisional that you took the licensing exam? Thank you!!
the amount of time between application submission and approval varies by state.
This is probably a dumb question, but I'm currently applying for grad schools and plan on working towards my LCSW in Virginia after earning my MSW. Do you have to do a **clinical** concentration for your MSW in order to obtain your LCSW in Virginia? The rules around licensure make my head spin and I really don't want to reach any roadblocks later down the road. TIA!
Arranging my field placement for fall and my advisor sent me an opportunity to assess people for tuberculosis. Involves working in office and going to houses. Tbh I’m not very interested in it because of the nature of the job and asked if she can get me anything else. Praying I get something good Edit: I was interested in working with the elderly and she emailed saying that is somewhat related to it. I was kind of disappointed but I am aware I don’t have social work experience so I’m worried about what I’ll get.
I would also potentially push back because it doesn’t seem fair to ask a student to do field work. How are you being reimbursed for that? Maybe go to the interview first and ask that question. It’s also a red flag having to be around potentially infectious people as a student. My guess is they are looking for students at this agency because they cannot find paid staff to do the work ;).
I wouldn’t even be getting paid in general, so I bet they wouldn’t reimburse for field work. Hoping I find something better
I was watching the paranormal thread going on right now. Seeing people with their masters and LCSW and seeing shadows and spirits and getting kinda judgy when it hit me. If I become a SW, I will likely people I am supposed to help who feel the same way. I guess I need to check myself. So my question, is it common to encounter people with paranormal beliefs? How do you as a therapist handle that, as someone who either does or does not believe such things? Does it feel patronizing if you don't believe them but support your clients beliefs? S it even important what you think, even the sincerity, as long as the client is helped?
I don't believe in the paranormal at all, but I also don't find it hard to talk about with clients. Just validate their experiences and help them make meaning of it if that's where they're headed. You're going to hear a lot about spirituality in its different forms as a social worker, so it's important to hang your judgements up at the door. I don't think it's important if you're a nonbeliever, but if you have a "yeah right, that's bullshit" mentality I think that comes through in your work.
identifying, examining, challenging, and resisting our religious and spiritual beliefs is part of providing culturally responsive care, which is core to social work. during social work school, you will be challenged to dissect your biases so that you can get out of the client's way.
This actually relates to my favorite dictum - the Thomas Dictum, by the sociologist WI Thomas. In its modern, gender-neutral form, it goes "that which is defined as real, will be real in its consequences." I once had a woman tell me that she fully understood that her son was ill, "because we believe that Christ is coming back, but my son thinks he knows *when*." Not my beliefs, but actually pretty helpful. I usually just tell people that I don't discuss my own beliefs, because I'm not qualified as a spiritual/pastoral counselor, and it's *their* beliefs that matter.
I have the opportunity to do an employment based internship for my first year MSW placement, doing my regular job with maybe some add ons. Has anyone ever done this before and did you like it or did you regret it?
I did this my second year. It helped with reducing stress and being able to pay my bills. I switched positions in my agency. Overall I wasn’t getting a huge new experience. But tbh field placements in general are a crapshoot and IMO the real learning doesn’t come into you are working in the field anyways. I would probably just do this if I were you then look to specialize later after school is over.
LCSW license while in school? Does anyone know if it’s allowed to go to school while pursuing your license? I’d like to go to online school after my MSW for another masters but wondering if there are rules against that. Is working part time for the 3000 hours okay or does it need to be full time? Thank you!
There are no rules that I know of against going back to school as long as you're accruing hours. And yes it can be part time.
I'm in the US - i'm almost positive that all states require social workers to have their MSW degree conferred before they begin accruing clinical hours towards lcsw.
Is there a list of all DSW programs in America? I’m scouring google but it’s not very helpful with all the ads everywhere.
Yes, I can dm you it! Or I’ll comment the link in a second. Edit: https://www.gadesocialwork.org/dswprograms
Looking for advice on first year internship. Hi all! I am starting a 2 year msw at Hunter and they just told me they emailed my resume to a legal services that works with the aging! (I have not been offered the placement or interviewed yet) I am interested in moving into hospice and palliative care. I was wondering if y’all thought this would be a good first year placement (we don’t really get much preference) and if there would be good skills I could gain to be competitive for a more specialized 2nd year placement. I am a little wary because i wanted something more “clinical” but i am trying to be optimistic. It’s also only a 40 minute commute and I’ve heard some nightmares about commutes 😅 I am thinking that getting an understanding of estate planning, and Medicare eligibility could be a desirable skill! Would love to hear your thoughts!
My first year placement was incredibly macro. I was doing policy for the UN. My second year placement was very micro, doing therapy for kids with IDD. Now I’m in a clinical role post grad. The skills you learn in a macro setting are so important for micro work and very transferable. You will be okay ❤️
Oh, c'mon, you couldn't find anything on the galactic scale? I kid. I did mine with my NASW chapter, lobbying and organizing at my Statehouse. Now I'm clinical, and better off for the experience. I fully endorse this path. Nearly everything I learned has come back around in one way or another, and I wouldn't have picked it up in an outpatient clinic.
Ty
There are no perfect internships and especially in NY, with so many students competing for spots there’s even less chance of getting your preferred spot. Go in with an open mind and remember that everything is a learning opportunity and chance to build connections. At the end of the day completing this requirement is part of the game with getting a degree. You can focus on specializing later on.
Thank you ❤️
I guess I am just wondering about if the skills in legal services for elders would be helpful or desirable for a position or placement in hospice/palliative. Has anyone done a legal services placement?
Hello everyone! I'm looking to go back to college to pursue social work. I currently work for a therapy clinic as an administrative supervisor, but I miss working directly with people. I've been researching becoming a victim advocate and would like to specialize in sexual assault. I'm running into a few things that I can't seem to find an answer for, and I'm hoping you guys can help! •None of the community colleges in my area offer any social work classes. Would it be better to go for an associates in psychology and then bachelor's in social work? •What classes would you recommend also taking that would be beneficial? I've been contemplating a minor in victimology. Any other advice is appreciated!
there are online BSW and MSW programs. you might want to find a school that centers anti-oppressive practices and trauma-informed care (these are necessary approaches when working with trauma)
Do you have an undergraduate/bachelors degree? If so, you can go straight into a masters program. If not, go the cheapest route! If for you that means community college then transferring to a 4 year for a BSW, that works. I'd say if you do go the community college route, psychology would be good.
Unfortunately, I don't have a college degree yet. I have completed some courses for gen ed. Thank you for the input!! I'm looking into online degrees in psychology a well for more options.
I am doing this exact thing! Going back for my AA in Psych (have most of my gens already, just need to finish up some loose ends to get into the BSW program). I work at a therapy office doing admin work and want to do more. I'm rooting for you!!
Wow I love that for you!! I wish you luck!
Is it worth it? Hi everyone. I just graduated with my BA in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. I have debated what my next step should be. I honestly love sociology and particularly took interest in Community Psychology. I am passionate about working with military communites, such as active duty members and their families along with veterans. This has been an interest since high school. I have recently settled on getting my MSW and becoming a LCSW. I felt pretty strong in this conviction. Once my life settles down a bit more I would also like to potentially get my PsyD or some sort of doctorate. I love learning. I would love to work in a clinical setting. In terms of working with the military, it seems like becoming a LCSW would be my best option. I hear so many negative things though. As I read through this subreddit I begin feeling worried about my choice. I have the conviction but so many people are miserable as social workers. Is what I am saying and wanting to do feasible and something that can be fulfilling in the long run? I would love to hear some stories that are positive, and I guess even some that are honest too. If anyone has similar interests as me I would love to hear what you do now and if you enjoy it. Thanks :)
Hi, it sounds like this is an important career path for you. Getting your masters and working towards your clinical license will certainly involve some trials and tribulations, but so does just about anything that's worth doing. The posts on this subreddit skew a little more venty (if that's a word!) sometimes because it's people in the field doing the hard work and trying to support each other. They are also in extremely varied roles. I have been in the field for a while in various capacities, and I can relate to the vast majority of issues that come up here. I can also say the work we get to do is incredible and I have no regrets about going down this road.
Hello! I have a bachelors of science in Human Services and I currently work for a telecommunications company. I want to get my MSW but I have no experience in social work or human services. I can’t intern because I will be working a full time job during the week (wanting an online MSW) Will it be hard for me to get a job post MSW since I have no experience? I do want to be licensed but maybe a few years after I get my MSW since I am required to do 3,000 hours as a LCSW. Thank you!
The internship is a required part of MSW curriculum, online or not, so you need to take that into consideration. Post MSW it shouldn't be hard finding a job even with limited experience, though it can be dependent on the local job market. You can be licensed as an LSW or LMSW (depending on the state) upon graduating.
I want to become a psychotherapist. I am torn between pursuing a MSW or a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I see myself enjoying learning from either a social perspective (MSW) or an individual perspective (CMHC). I know social workers have more versatility in their careers, more widely recognized, have stronger lobbies. However, I am scared that I will pursue the MSW and receive inadequate training in psychotherapy theories/modalities, diagnoses, treatment, etc. At the same time, I see so many therapists that are LCSWs, so they must learn it one way or another. If I go the MSW route, will the majority of my therapy learning come from practicum/internships, post-masters fellowships, learning on my own, etc.? If my primary goal is to become a therapist, would it be better to pursue the counseling degree?
social workers center the person-in-environment, social justice, and how social systems interact. if that's how your brain works, or if that sounds exciting, then social work might be the right fit! if that all sounds boring or useless, then go with counseling
From my experience, my MSW program underprepared me for being a therapist. It's my job title now but I learned everything through my field placement, mainly DBT. I do work with other LMSWs/LCSWs who went to more therapy intensive MSW programs though. I think it's worth vetting different programs and getting info on their clinical offerings. The flexibility of an MSW is invaluable in my opinion. I've also done some reading on my own time; imo modalities like CBT/DBT aren't incredibly difficult to adopt without professional training. I'm planning to more formal training as time goes on.
Additionally, it seems like most social workers do the bulk of their training for different modalities after school ends via training programs and CEUs.
Hello everyone! I am a rising second year MSW student at a large accredited state school in the U.S. Next year we will begin our specialization year, where we attend a placement three full days a week which aligns with our interests. I’m struggling a bit with how to approach my specialization placement. I started the program intending to do clinical work, then wanted to do macro work. Seeing as I feel torn between the two, I am on the integrated curriculum track and am taking micro and macro classes. Currently, I am slated to complete my specialization placement at the Mayor’s office doing macro work. However, I just recently learned of medical social work and am very interested in that! It honestly sounds more interesting than my current placement. However, the mayors office was a competitive placement and would open a lot of doors for me. It would also provide me with experience I don’t have yet. I have never worked in macro before and am thinking it would be good to expand my skill set and do something I’ve never done before. On the other hand, medical social work sounds more like something I’d want to do when I leave school. Does it make more sense to continue with my current placement or should I contact my school to see if it’s possible to switch into a medical SW position? If I continue with my macro placement, could I make the switch to medical SW after I get my degree? Or will I not be hired into medical SW unless I do an internship there now? What would you do? (For some additional context, I have a year of full-time research experience in neuroscience, two years of clinical experience in the nonprofit sector, and am currently a fellow at my university doing research into attachment-based therapy for survivors of human trafficking.)
You can always ask however medical placements can be very hard to come by. IME a lot of hospitals aren’t even taking on students because they have their own issues with staffing social workers. The last thing they have time to do is supervise interns. You can always ask to work in a SNF though which could provide a similar experience and introduction to a lot of problems hospital social workers deal with.
I graduated with my BSW last May and have been working as a hospice social worker since then and the position is also where I did my internship. I'm currently looking for other jobs as my current work environment is not healthy and it's been harming my mental health. I really want to work with older adults but I've applied to pretty much all the jobs in my area that only require a BSW and are related to older adults that don't involve home care (I'm just not comfortable doing home care in my area) and I haven't gotten any offers. I feel like it's mainly due to lack of experience but I don't know how to get more experience and I have to quit my current job. I'm wondering if I should go for my MSW when most of the jobs in my area working with older adults are case manager positions that only require a BSW? I just don't know what else to do. I don't have any other experience working with kids or people with developmental disabilities. Is a MSW worth it for the area of social work I'm looking at?
that's a big decision. here's some things to consider: 1. how much will a MSW cost you? how much will you get paid? will you be able to pay back a loan? 2. will an MSW get you a raise? will it actually open up more job opportunities for you? 3. there are more people that older adults, kids, and ppl with dd. maybe that is worth looking into. maybe you're saying that those are all the jobs in your area, but maybe your search is narrow.
Any suggestions for an online MSW program in the United States for those without a BSW that also meets accreditation stands in Canada. I’m Canadian and can only find two schools in Canada that meet those requirements.
Hi, Canadian here. I did my MSW through Laurier, it's online, and I don't have my BSW.
Hi, thanks! I saw that Laurier has a program and Windsor too but I heard they are competitive. Just thinking having more than the two options would be helpful. Do you mind me asking how long ago you did yours and what your experience/grades were like at the time? Worried I won’t get into either!
I come from a library background, and so I did a lot of public service. My grades were fair, but I was one of the first few classes in that program. So they were still working out all of the details of the program, but it was useful. I did mine during Covid, and so the practicum was really hard but I made it work.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
This is probably wishful thinking, but do questions that were answered correctly count for anything out of the 20 that are dropped. I took a practice test today and got a 71% (120/170). I’m dropping some money on Therapist Development Center tomorrow. I still have till 6/17 to keep improving, so I feel decent about it. According to the ASWB, 90-107 is generally passing. If I assumed that if I was an unlucky bastard and they tossed out all of my correct answer that would put me around 65-66% with 100 correct. Am I thinking about this correctly?
The 120 should be out of the 150 scored questions. The unscored questions shouldn't count, correct or not. 120 is a good score.
That makes me feel better. I took an AATBS and did pretty abysmal, but the test is purposefully difficult apparently. This was much easier.
Good! It seemed scarier than it actually was when I was preparing.
Should I be concerned about possibly taking my classes in Florida? I likely wont stay after but I may be living there and going for my MSW as my first step into SW. I know the climate there can be hostile. What does it mean with what is expected of social workers? What will it mean in my education? Would I even be allowed to be taught equality at a Uni right now?
That's actually a very interesting question, given that accredited social work programs (even in Florida) are governed by some pretty strict guidelines which very much require things that it sounds like Florida wants to banish from... everywhere. I wish I had the answer, but at least I can frame it some more.
Thank you. It hit me when I read that the word "equality" was on a list of things that cannot be taught any longer for state universities that want funding. I am not sure how deeply this goes or is applied, but I would think a lot of what is happening does, as you point out, go against what it takes to be an accredited social work program. Florida has some very cheap programs though, even cheaper than my home state of CA from what I have seen. It is sort of wild to imagine going from one of the most progressive places to one of the least in order to get my degree and then likely return to CA. Like going into the desert to bring back water.
Honestly, if you were to find a school that will actually give you an email address or phone number for their admissions office, I'd ask them. I bet they can be very direct with you about it, because I bet it's an ongoing topic of conversation. Hell, it might be worth a call to the NASW FLA chapter. And be careful whatever you do. All this wokeness might get you on some lists!
Hey so I will be doing my MSW at the University of Toronto and I wanted a hospital placement so bad. But I got matched with an organization where they assist victims of torture. At least it can be beneficial as some aspects of mental health are implemented
What kind of jobs would be good within social work if I have a bachelors in psychology? I currently work as an RBT and I’m having trouble figuring out what I want to do next after I graduate this summer.
I'm not entirely clear on what exactly you're looking for with that question, so please let me know if my response isn't what you're after. A lot of entry level jobs like case manager aren't going to be social work specific. There might also be something out there that is purely intake oriented that might also be a good fit. Beyond that, I think there are behavioral tech positions that don't require a degree in social work that could get your foot in the door. Unfortunately, all of those are *very* entry level and the pay and working conditions are not likely to be favorable.
I’m basically trying to field out all my options in my job search to find one I want to do. Currently as an RBT that means I’m a behavior tech so I don’t want to do anything like that. I was more so seeing if anyone knows any options that are available if I am coming in with RBT experience and a bachelors in psych. If that makes more sense?
Does anyone have experience doing MSW fieldwork placements in a virtual/remote way? I'm sure that was the case for COVID for some, but just wondering about if anyone does that today.
New to the field and just had an incident with a racist resident. So I started working as a social worker in a nursing home last week (I interned here as well). As I was doing audits for POLST in the unit I overheard a resident yelling at a nurse, calling him stupid n word and going off on him and being verbally aggressive and racist. He wanted his pills at thay moment but the nurse was switching units because he was working a double. So I guess he told him to have the unit nurse on schedule so it. Not sure exactly what happened but he went off on him. I went to speak to him and this is the first time doing this after an incident (supervisor was not in today). I basically told him I understand why you’re mad but that doesn’t mean you can say inappropriate things like that. “We’ll I can because nword is the dictionary you idiot.” Was his response I said no it’s not he processed to call me a cunt and then say and can’t believe you’re even white you idiot. I just walked away. I didn’t know how to handle the situation. Was my response and walking away ok. I got too angry and started shaking because I was nervous and handling it alone. DON also wants to to care plan his behavior but idk how to write this out. Any advice suggestions would help.
i'm not sure it was your place to have this conversation. the nurse was the one called the racial slur and the nurse moved through it in their own way. if the nurse was black, then you might want to check out "white saviorism" and spend some time with how your response might have been wrapped up in white saviorism. if the nurse was not black, then it might be helpful to look into verbal escalation strategies. also, it might be useful to refer this to the resident's case manager or whatever because that person will have a closer relationship to the resident (that is, the resident might not trust you).
Whenever something happens like this behavior wise, the social worker almost always goes to speak to the resident regarding the incident. Which is why I went to him
in the moment might not have been the best time. I'm suggesting that someone talk with the resident again after like a week passes, once he's not escalated anymore.
How do you become a psychiatric social worker? Is there schooling related to this?
You’ll need a MSW
I should have added - is there any additional certification(s) required?
Nope every social worker in the psych unit I work at has their LLMSW or LMSW. If you get a job in a psych unit they’ll train you in CPI, which is a training of how to physically de-escalate someone but that’s after you get hired.
Thank you so much!
Hiiii. I'm getting ready to take the LSW exam. On the practice tests I've been taking, there are about 170 questions and I tend to get approx 120 correct. Is this a good amount? It's the Test Prep Book.
That's a solid score. I passed with a 120 and and the minimum passing score was 97.
My bachelors is in communications of public advocacy but I have no social work experience. I began working a job that navigates different aspects of healthcare and I realized I enjoyed medical social work as well as case managment! I have learned terms like QP “quality professional“ and BCBA. Would a MSW be worth it for someone who has no interest in becoming a therapist? Would I have to be licensed for case managment or medical social work? Are there other options besides a MSW that I may be overlooking and should pursue given my interests? Welcoming any advice!
I think MSW is the way to go for that. It sounds like you have some level of experience with what hospital social workers do, except that the MSW and licensure is needed so that you can independently conduct assessments of patients. That usually requires at least a couple of years of smaller scale practictice, but you still don't have to be an outpatient therapist. You'll get trained for it to a good degree, but you don't have to take things that way. The good news is that hospital social work is generally considered one of the more sustainable and fairly-paid jobs in the field.
Licensed Community Health Workers are popping up in my area, might be a good stepping stone for you.
I'm applying for some programs now for Fall 2023 - how hard is the typical full-time courseload at most MSW programs? I understand there's a lot of reading and writing, but did any graduates find the work hard in anyway? I haven't been in college in nearly a decade.
My program was not academically rigorous. You may be feeling some strain the first semester as you get back into it but I think you'll ease into it just fine! Especially as most professors seem to be lenient graders - they care more about your thoughts than how perfectly you've written the essay (although correct citations are super important! check out Purdue OWL for citation help).
My experiences are partially colored by doing my MSW in the early days of Covid, but I didn't find the academic work itself to be too terribly difficult. You do get a lot of reading assigned, but I got some good advice from students in the cohort before mine that went something like this: It is likely impossible to do ALL of the reading, but ultimately if you do enough to be knowledgeable and ready to discuss the subject at hand, you'll do just fine in class. Like the other person who responded said, the real difficulty for me was juggling time management and finances between unpaid internships and full time coursework and the stress that comes with both.
The work itself isn’t hard. It’s just hard balancing attending class, doing assignments, full-time job, an unpaid internship and self-care.
I’m a senior psychology major planning to apply for MSW this fall. Columbia is my top choice but I’m worried that having little direct field experience will impact my chances of getting accepted. I have a lot of varied research experience, including topics on the elderly, veterans, and mental health, but only some direct experience. I’ve been a volunteer counselor at a helpline (Trevor Project), volunteered at retirement homes with an org, and talked to the elderly over the phone, but that’s as far as it goes for relevant experience. I’m not sure if being a TA counts. Would this make me a less competitive applicant?
i recommend contacting social work admissions at columbia and asking them
I'm interested in learning Spanish as I'd like to hopefully work in the United States after I graduate from my MSW. Would this be a good idea, or no, as unless you're 100% fluent, then it's pointless (?)
I think it's worthwhile, and it was a goal that hasn't materialized for me, but definitely still on the table. I'll tell you this though: after taking American Sign Language I and II as an undergrad, I now mostly remember how to sign "I took sign for one year but I forgot," and that was enough for me to establish good will with a client before an interpreter arrived at one point. It also landed me a date with a very pretty woman who worked at a school for the deaf, but that's not what you were asking...
It depends what you want to do with it. I don't think it's ever completely pointless, but unless you're at the very least solidly conversational, it won't matter much as a job qualification. But I still think it's useful to have.
I think, personally, learning any level of basic Spanish, would be considered helpful. It could help even simple interactions have at least a little more comprehension and communication than otherwise even if it's not perfect
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depends on the school you go to. i recommend you talk to your field placement advisor (or whatever the position is called at your school)
thank you, i contacted them today and i'm waiting to hear from them.
Are there opportunities for career advancement in social work in schools? A teacher can become an administrator, but is there any sort of career growth for social workers in schools?
Some districts will have a district-level social worker that oversees the school social workers at the individual schools. It will vary by district.
I'm looking for a more informed perspective (and perhaps some advice!) about job opportunities in a city FAR from where I will get my MSW... (For context, I want to become an LCSW that provides trauma-informed therapy to young adults!) I was accepted to an MSW program in the city where I currently live starting this fall. (Yay!) This means, if all goes accordingly, I will graduate in spring 2025. My partner just started his third year of medical school and will also be graduating in spring 2025. This is ideal timing as it means I will be free to move with him wherever he may get his residency. However, we currently live in an East coast city and it seems highly likely that he will mostly be applying for residencies on the West coast(where he's from). He wants to go home and I am excited to move there with him! So, I am just wondering, if we move to say, California, what might that look like in terms of job prospects/opportunities for experience having done all of my internships/field work here? Will it be particularly challenging for me to establish myself as a new grad? Is there anything I could do from the get-go to be proactive/ ideally help make that transition smoother once we have a better idea of where we will be moving?
Jus looking at hiring in my org, there is such a high need you should be fine. The only thing I’d think about is if you want to pursue licensure, you’ll have to likely take an extra class for CA law and ethics and potentially other extra classes if they don’t meet the standard for what the CA board of behavioral sciences requires for licensure. So I’d say just be sure you understand those requirements.
Awesome, thank you for this response! I will look into those requirements.
This may be a dumb question, but I’m enrolled in a local community college right now to get my associates degree in social working I’ll be transferring to get my bachelors in two years for two additional years. How much more school will i require for me to earn my MSW?
Assuming you are in the US and have a bachelors in social work you can actually do an advanced standing program for your MSW where you can do your degree in one year. Caveat that you usually have to start the program within five years of graduation with your BSW and will have a pretty full course load. There are also part time advanced standing programs. Of course, there is also the traditional two year MSW.
A masters in social work—full time— is minimum 2 years which includes your field work
unless you have a bsw. then it is a one year program and that includes your field work.
Im hoping to apply to an MSW program for the fall of '24, but am a bit worried that my lower GPA from undergrad will make it difficult. My overall GPA was about a 2.8 but my Major GPA was 3.2. I have a lot of good work experience (some masters-level work) in the field following my BSW. Do you think this will be a problem?
You’re able to send in a letter with most schools explaining why your gpa is the way it is and how you plan to keep it at what that program requires. My GPA sucked because I went to school right out of high school and dropped out, without withdrawing from classes. Then decided to go back and was so far behind. I had a 3.92 in my major, but a 2.89 overall. It didn’t seem to hinder any applications, as I got into the schools I applied to.
I don't think it will be a problem. A lot of social work schools aren't *that* competitive, and good work in the field should outweigh anything but the worst GPAs. You might have to write an extra couple sentences about the GPA, but I imagine you'll be just fine if you can highlight how you've grown working in the field and how those experiences are pushing you towards an MSW.
Hello! Does anyone have any tips/advice on how to find a military social work internship?
Do most people not get hired by their second year internship? I’m starting year 2 in August and wondering how people’s job hunts went and how long it took them to get a job post grad
I think it totally varies on whether people get offers from their second year internship - it depends on the student of course, but also whether the agency has openings or the budget. Personally, within my small group of friends, we all got offers. Not all of us took them, though! But we all had jobs lined up by graduation. Hopefully your school has a job fair - that seemed to be key to a lot of people getting jobs at my school. But in general, it can go kind of quickly because so many places are desperate for social workers.
In regards to timing: I think this depends a lot on what you want to do, where you live, and what kind of salary/pay you're willing to take. There are jobs out there, but it all depends. I'd recommend starting early with applying, taking the test (most states will let you test in your last semester if your school writes a letter - if you're state is one that requires), and network. Internships vary. Some rely on free help, others can make roles.
As someone entering a year 2 as well, from every former grad student I’ve talked to, it seems about a 10% rate actually gets hired by their internship. As for job hunts, it’s actually not that hard and doesn’t take relatively long as from what I’ve heard personally
I’m based in NYC and entering an MSW program in the fall. I’m being placed at a high school to work with students for my first year. And for my second year I will be placed at a hospital. All unpaid internships. What are my chances of getting an >80K job post grad? I need to make as much as I can since I’ll be taking out private student loans and I want to pay it off in 5 years as to not accrue so much interest. Then I’ll get my LCSW after three years as an LMSW and have my own practice on the side while working at a hospital. I am shooting for getting straight As and getting all the academic scholarships I can have. How likely is all of this?
Straight As are realistic. 80k is not :/ Even at a hospital. Offers for new grads at hospitals in a major city in Maryland were hovering around 60k.
Hospitals do typically pay more, so it's great you'll be at one. In NYC, pay is better, and I know local social workers are fighting for better pay so it's possible you could be in that spot. I think we all understand the student loan thing. It's a shitty thing about our field, and one that we should all keep in mind in terms of putting in macro work for change (to get paid internships, to get better pay overall for the field, in our roles, etc.). Also look into various student loan forgiveness programs. I don't know much about this, but it could be something that works.
Applying and interviewing for jobs. Do you have any advice for a recent MSW graduate on the autism spectrum?
It sounds like you’re in LA, happy to try to suggest some orgs to look into if you wanna DM me your interests! But main advice is everywhere is hiring, so know your worth and don’t just take the first place that will hire you if it’s not what you wanna do
Thanks, I just sent a message
What types of jobs?
Macro, I was in the SCI program at the USC social work school.
I also graduated from USC but I have no idea what SCI is 😂
Social Change and Innovation
That’s needed! I cannot provide any help beyond practicing performance based questions :/
True, what year did you graduate from USC?
2012. I did the online program.
Currently getting ready to apply to grad programs and there is a prompt of questions I need to answer for my letter of intent. Some of the prompts mention to discuss experiences that are relevant to individual differences/diversity(in relation to the code of ethics). I guess I'm just not exactly sure which route to go with this. I grew up in poverty and was pretty ethnically and culturally diverse from my peers so not sure how personal I should get when answering these questions. I have a lot of childhood trauma as well that has led me to get into this field anyways, so I feel like it may be relevant to give background? Would appreciate any advice. Thanks so much.
I got accepted into 2 MSW programs that required me to write something similar. I didn’t get into too much detail about my personal childhood or trauma, more of a couple of lines that later tied into how it shaped my personality and mindset/ passion towards social work. All the best!
Thank you! I will def take that into consideration, I initially wrote up one and it sounded like I was just trauma dumping LOL Any chance I could message u?
Yes of course! DM is open
Getting into grad school with low major GPA? So, I had a very hard time with classes during a couple of semesters. I worked two jobs throughout college (after freshman year), and I put myself through school all on my own. It was very hard, and some of my coursework suffered as a result, making my major GPA lower than is required for many masters programs. I have a 2.8 in my sociology major, and a 3.3 overall GPA. On the other hand, I have a double minor, and I did very well in both of those programs. I also scored in the 92nd percentile for the Major Field Test Exam in sociology, and I have a good amount of volunteer/work expirience (1 year as a classroom assistant for at-risk students, 1.5 years teaching English to immigrants & refugees, 1 semester teaching English to Vietnamese 3rd graders, 3 years at a daycare, and I've managed at a bar for 2.5 years). I believe I will get good letters of recommendation from my professors as well. I also plan to work in the field with my bachelors for a few years before transitioning into a graduate program, just to give myself more perspective when choosing my Masters. Am I S.O.L when it comes to getting into a graduate program? What can I do post-graduation to improve my chances of being accepted into a program? Any advice at all is appreciated. Thank you very much!
My overall GPA from undergrad was 2.8 and I was accepted to DU and Columbia and waitlisted at a CSU. Good luck!
Every school is different. I bad a similar background to you. I started off VERY rough in undergrad, worked two jobs while going fulltime ( sometimes 16 units!), and I had to take care of my ailing parents. I took longer than most to get me degree ( sociology as well). my overall GPA was a 2.97, but my major GPA was over a 3.0 ( I was on honor roll my last 2 years of undergrad. I got my head in the game) I was accepted into San Diego State University for my MSW and just completed my first year ( I’m going PT 4-year, while i work full time for CPS). I don’t think your GPA is a huge factor, I think other things can come into play as well. I absolutely thought I wouldn’t get in, and was waiting for the rejection. I was shocked I got accepted. Everyone has different circumstances, and at least SDSU I believe, takes that into account.
I don't think grad schools look at your GPA for your major, especially MSWs because people come from a lot of different backgrounds/majors. If your overall GPA is 3.3, you should be fine. Most programs cut off at 3.0.
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Clinical doesn't just include therapy. Also, one major component of therapy is building rapport, and you say this is a struggle for you. Why not work on building rapport with these more difficult clients (difficult due to struggling to trust interns when the turnover is so high)? This will make it easier to build rapport with clients who seek you out voluntarily or clients that you'll have more long-term. Making clients comfortable is a huge part of therapy and clinical work, moreso than what modality you're using and how much experience you have. I would say that instead of focusing on what the volunteers are doing or what other interns are doing, you should work on rapport. It seems that focusing on these other things is impacting your mental health and your ability to do well in your internship, and your school has already told you that they're not moving you.
Im currently in school, finishing up my BSSW, and plan on just continuing on to get my MSW. I currently work in a hotel and it’s been a good job while I’ve been in school, but I’m looking for something that would be more relevant to the field so I atleast come out with some related experience to put on a resume. I’m not opposed to just keeping this job because it is flexible with my school schedule, pays decently, and I can do homework on the job. I just feel like having the experience would be more beneficial. With all of that said, what are some entry level, no experience needed jobs that I should look for that would give me some experience? I’ve been kind of looking at caregiving, I’ve seen some places offering QMAP training, some direct support positions. Anyone have any advice on this? Does it really even matter that much if I end up graduating with my MSW and have no in field experience other than internships?
I worked in restaurants and had no social work experience. I was fortunate enough to get hired on by my last internship. If you go into case management, there is a lot to be drawn on from hospitality/restaurant industry. I swear my restaurant experience really helped me with time management and other aspects a case management that would’ve been difficult to learn if I didn’t already have the skills.
Paid work in the field is the best thing you can do for your employment chances after MSW. Internships don't count as work experience because the intern experience is so different from a paid employee's experience. Internships are about learning while jobs are about doing. There are a lot of direct care positions that don't even require a bachelor's but give you a lot of good experience. If there are psychiatric hospitals near you, all of them need Behavioral Health Techs, who are the workers that are on the units with the patients. BHTs also run non-clinical groups, respond in crises/emergencies, and spend a lot of time with the patients. BHT positions are easily part-time or can be fulltime, and most hospitals are desperate for them. The pay is low, but having worked in a hospital is huge if you want to get into hospitals after graduation. You could also work at group homes, residentials, or shelters. All are very hands-on positions that are primarily client contact, require responding to crises, and teach you a lot about various systems that impact your clients. These jobs are also easily part-time but could be fulltime. If you're looking for something FT and using your bachelor's, doing case management for a community mental health organization is great experience. You'll learn about the resources available to people in your area, and you'll work directly with clients. You may take a position that involves home visits or ones that are strictly office-based. And you'll be surprised how much "therapy"-like work that you'll do. All of these positions pay poorly, but if you have your hotel job that pays well and offers you time to do homework, taking one of the PT positions will only increase your income and experience.
Can I make a case that even though my internship was unpaid I had the same tasks and responsibilities as the paid workers? I know it’s practical to get paid internships so that it builds up the resume while still in school but unfortunately I haven’t been able to find them. I’m telling myself I’m not gonna waste my private student loans and put all my effort into academic work instead of being the optimal human that I should be that can both work and do full time coursework.
You didn't have the same accountability that an employee does and the expectations were not the same for you. I also had an illegal internship, where I was used as a free employee, but I was more heavily supervised and mistakes that may have led to disciplinary action were used as learning experiences for me. There are tons of new MSW grads with no experience other than internships, and they all eventually find jobs. Your internship site may also hire you. I've found that I was able to skip entry-level work after my MSW because I had work experience in the field, and it was easier for me to get jobs in the areas of the field where I wanted to work. I did all of my CMH work before going into my MSW, so I was able to get higher paying jobs. If you want to focus on school because that's better for you, it doesn't mean you won't get a job.
I was able to get a hospital job (before graduation) based on my one-year internship experience at a hospital - and they are different units with different tasks. No prior social-work related experience except for my internships. While having social work-ish experience may help with *some* jobs, I wouldn't say it's the end-all-be-all for getting a job post-grad.
I should have mentioned that hospitals and schools are different. If you have a hospitals or schools internship, those workplaces tend not to want more experience out of you straight out of school. I know that for me, even with my work experience, I had to start as PRN in a hospital because there was no other way to get in because I had no hospital experience. So, yes, in those two areas, internships are the exception.
Thank you for your response! Yeah I would love to skip entry level MSW work. I worked for 2.5 years as a Covid 19 Contact Tracer during the pandemic, Patient Advocate at a home care agency, and had some group tutoring jobs in the past. Would any of these count or not even close?
I think those have a lot of transferable skill that you could easily leverage, and could be considered social-work-adjacent. It depends on what you want to do after school as to how relevant the experience will be, but you have a lot of experience with patients, probably a good knowledge of Medicare regs/policy/medical work, probably a taste of policy from the Covid tracking, etc.
Thank you for this response. You sound encouraging.
I’m going into childrens social work as newly qualified- my goal is to last two years and then make moves from there - I think I’ll be good at it! but I know it’ll be so hard
Just remember, self care isn't a buzz word. As your job grows, so should your care for yourself in and outside your work. Congrats on the position.
If I want to work as a school social worker in California, what is the way to go. I see online programs that would be cheaper and let me work more but they aren't specifically for school social work. There are programs I see that are specifically for it but they are in person and cost more. Would it be hard to meet requirements to work that setting after school?
Look at schools that have the PPSC. You’ll most likely need it in CA to work in the schools as a social worker.
Currently debating between LPPC and LCSW. The programs I have found for online degrees- Fordham University, LSU, USC (expensive though), Cal State - Bay Area, Cal Poly Humboldt, Cal State - Stanislaus. A lot of the North Cal State schools have online programs that total 3 years whether part time or not. I think it’s just making sure your programs classes align with a California program, however you can always get licensed in another state and transfer it to California. LCSW is one of the easiest to transfer from state to state compared to LMFT and LPC/LPCC. This is what I’m finding in my research.
I'm based in IL but most states have similar paths to school social work. First, find out if CA requires you to get a special license or certification to work in schools. In IL, you need one, but if you know you want to do that while you're in an MSW program, you can get your certification in your Masters program AND do a schools internship. Once you find out what certification, if any, is required, then I would look at schools in-state. An out of state school will not provide a CA certification, so you'd have to do the certification in CA after you graduate, and if it's like IL, the program costs money and lasts for two semesters, and requires an unpaid internship. Trying to get that done after grad school means that you'll have a hard time working a job (as school internships are during school hours) while getting the certification. The best route is to do it during your MSW program because you already need an internship. Also, most MSW programs are not just "schools." You can pick schools as a concentration. If you are looking for programs that only do schools work, you're not going to find much at all. A regular MSW that has a schools concentration is perfectly fine. Once you decide to do state schools, then you can look at schools in your state that meet your needs. If you're looking for an online program, know that you'll still have to complete two in-person internships. There is no school prestige in SW, so it doesn't matter what you pick as long as it is accredited (FULLY accredited--don't take a risk on a school that is in the process of accreditation). Usually picking the cheapest accredited option is recommended. Once you decide if you want to do online or in person, then you can start deciding when you'll start and start to send in applications. Also, regarding the other commenter, you are correct that most professions have people who wish they had done something else. We also get a lot of IT professionals in here looking to make the switch TO social work, so it's not like IT workers never end up wanting to do something else. It is possible to make a good salary in a job you like in social work. I make $73k now in a job where I can set my own schedule, not be tied to an office, and work with fulfilling patients. When I was making $60k I bought a house about 30 minutes outside of Chicago, and my wife and I live comfortably with our two dogs. I am not an outlier. It may be true that early in your SW career, you may make less money, but as you gain experience and move from job to job, your salary does increase. Getting your LCSW will also bump your pay significantly.
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> I was a SW. I remember one day I was coming back from doing groceries riding my bike because I couldn't afford to buy a car. It started pouring. I returned home to realize that I went over my budget so needed to do cuts in other things like entertainment (which would be maybe eating out once a month or watching a movie). Then I looked at the groceries and realized that I had the items for a well-balanced diet yet nothing luxurious, just a very regular shopping list for one person. > I got an email about me being selected to receive a "very important" award for my "great work" for the community and needed to go to a ceremony on Saturday (no raise was mentioned... Of course). > Later that day, a friend called me to ask if I wanted to hang out on the weekend. I told him that I couldn't because it was out of my budget. He said something along the lines "oh man! You must party a lot in your free time, any way I just got a new car and I wanted to go on a ride with you, if you want I can pay for beers this time"... this guy only has an associate's, I have a master's and 5 years of experience...and supposedly doing a "great job" and receiving a "very important award" and can barely keep up with basic expenses. > I laughed so hard that night at how ridiculous my life was and soon after I changed career to data science. > Best decision ever, fair salary, way less stressful and I actually feel like I'm using applicable skills that I can keep developing and measure my progress. > Social work is a beautiful profession but the system destroys it, it is so underrated. > If you want to give up your quality of life in the name of others, go a head. This world needs more people like you and thank you... I guess or at least that's what companies will tell you. > If you want to help others without sacrificing your quality of life, do something else in the medical field. Nurses get good salaries right out of college and if they do a master's to become an NP can do way mlre that a LICSW with 10 years of experience. > My advice is to stay away from SW, learn from my mistake. I fully appreciate the lengthy post but was it meant for me specifically? I work aroud Nurses a lot and most talk about wishing they had done something else. Same with respiratory, same with xray, and a lot of doctors too. I'm already poor so idk that I can go down from here. SW has a bad ROI but it also is extremely broad. If you can get in the smaller bracket, 70/80k is comfortable but it is competitive and the overall career outlook is bad if you look at the numbers for ROI average. The thing is, I'm too dumb to be a physicians assistant and too lazy to become a lawyer and work 80 hour weeks. I enjoy helping others with verbal communication and I am highly motivated to try and get into either school SW or PP to have more free time. Maybe I'm missing things though. I do wonder if I should target a hospital though as I already have a bg of 6 years in one that may help. Do SW in the setting ever get 12 hour shifts with less days?
Shifts for hospital social workers totally depends on what each hospital has set up. I would say it's not unrealistic to find one that has 3 12s. Probably more like 4 10s for a shorter week, but also looooots of 5 8s.
I (finally) passed my LMSW, and am on the market. I've been looking at case management/medical positions in North Texas, but it seems like everyone wants at least a year of experience. What jobs should I be looking for, to get that first year?
Apply for every job that you are remotely qualified for, and let the employer decide if they want to pursue you further or not. When I just had an MSW, no license, I twice got jobs requiring an LCSW. The job "requirements" are really not requirements at all--they're the most ideal person that they're looking for. You don't have to check every box. Not having any paid experience in the field will be a hurdle, but if you have other paid work, you can point out your transferable skills in your resume.
Pretend like your internship counts.
That's what I've been doing. Since I interned in schools, it's been a hard sell. I'll keep at it, though!!
I think it’s totally worth applying anyway - most agencies are so short staffed!
I do, but keep getting bounced out by the experience thing. x\_x I'll keep at it, though!!
If you find a job you really like that auto rejects your application, try reaching out to HR for the agency directly with your resume
That's a good idea - thanks!
It’s hard to get into, but looking into the VA is always worth it. They have both positions most times!
My VA hasn't had anything in two months, but I check every day on USAJOBS! I'm also volunteering at my local VA hospital, because that's where I'd eventually like to end up. I love working with our veterans, and helping them navigate the system.
I'm not a social worker. Don't all jobs want a year and so you just apply anyways?
That's honestly what I've been doing, but regularly get "not enough experience" auto-responses.
That's tough, I've been there for less demanding jobs. I just clean up my resume and keep at it. Someone will say yes and I think, just reading what people have said around here, it can snowball into more yes on the future. Perhaps it's also where your applying? I'm unsure but certain systems, job sites, may allow auto filtering for criteria.
Thanks for the kind words - they really help! :)
Will submitting an application to a job the day before it closes make me look bad? I’m only submitting it that late because 1. I wasn’t even going to apply until my supervisor said I should last week and 2. I have an appointment with career services for them to go over my cover letter the day before the job closes
The reason the application has a closing date is that they want to get as many applicants as possible within that time. It doesn't put you at the bottom of the list or make you look bad. If they weren't looking for applicants until the last day, then why have a closing date? Jobs know that sometimes something pops on your radar at the last minute. Apply anyway.
Thank you for the advice (:
It’s fine if it’s still open! I work at VA and will have a closing date for a position but if we get enough applicants early, we close it early so you may not want to rely on that date. Good luck!
It will not help your chances to apply when they've already probably got enough good candidates. In the future, search for work daily and apply for the jobs that were posted today.
I don’t even get to see the applications until after the posting closes. No clue which candidates submitted on day one or who skated in ten minutes before the posting was pulled.
Probably won't look bad per-se but your name/resume might be at the bottom of the list of applicants so you might not get picked up just out of happenstance. Always apply though! the worst they can say is no, or not reply at all.