There are many ways in which you might be hoping to use your skills and natural talents in order to have a positive impact on your community. Many choose to help their local or further community through their professional lives by becoming police officers, firefighters, physicians, and even educators. However, there is one role that falls into the category of community service that you might not have considered before: social worker.
A social worker is someone who works with individuals who are at risk of mental health conditions, behavioral issues or who are in undesirable circumstances. The job of a social worker is to advocate for and educate such individuals in order to help them to come to a better, more stable way of life.
Although often riddled with challenges and obstacles, the role of a social worker is one that is greatly needed. Communities across the country are in need of empathetic, communicative, and caring professionals who will use their career for the common good.
If you have recently been trying to figure out if you should go through the process of becoming a certified and qualified social worker, here are some of the top reasons why such a path is worth considering.
You Would Be in Good Company
Not only is the field of social work one that is filled with talented individuals who have chosen to use their professional skills to help others, but there is a long and rich history of social workers who have been instrumental in making the field what it is today.
Notable social workers of history include the likes of Harriet Rinaldo, George Edmund Haynes, and Jane Addams who is often credited with being the Mother of Social Work. These pioneers and others all paved the way for those in social work today to be able to advocate for and help their clients in the best manner possible. While there are still mountains to be climbed, the work of those who came before is invaluable and has undoubtedly brought about a better sense of community in today’s society.
There Are Multiple Career Path Options
Among the many practical reasons to become a social worker is the fact that you would be giving yourself the opportunity to pursue a variety of career paths. There are multiple roles that a social worker can fill that would allow you to make the best use of your professional skills and knowledge in this field.
For instance, many social works choose to seek employment in their local communities helping to educate and better the lives of those within it. Others opt to work at a hospital where they are responsible for evaluating and diagnosing patients who might have underlying mental health or behavioral issues. Still others choose to work with children, the elderly, or even couples who are struggling in their relationships all in the effort to improve the lives of their patients.
Another option that you might consider is to become a social worker in a school. There are far too many cases of children who find that school is their only safe place. A social worker in a school can help to bring about a better life for a child who would not otherwise have the ability or the resources to pull themselves out of an undesirable or even dangerous situation.
You Are Good With People
Not everyone is cut out for a career in social work. It is a job that certainly has its fair share of challenges. However, if you are someone who is good with people and who possesses the ability to empathize with others who are struggling, then you might be one such individual who is geared for a career in this area.
Due to the nature of the job, a social worker must be good with people. They have to have the ability to communicate well with people from all sorts of backgrounds and to earn the trust of those who need assistance. Since such people tend to be mistrusting of others in general, this is no small task.
That being said, if your natural disposition is one that most people are drawn to and appreciate, then it is certainly worth considering a career as a social worker.
You Want to Make Meaningful Contributions
At some point or another, most people find themselves wondering just what they can do in order to have a positive impact on society. Some might brush the inclination away, feeling rather that they can best serve society by looking after themselves and theirs. Others tend to make a charitable donation from time to time or even volunteer themselves to help out a particular cause that is special to them.
Another route to consider, however, is that of committing yourself through your career to help your local community and those within it who are in need. This is precisely what a social worker decides to do, and it is through this course that you would be able to make tangible, meaningful contributions to your local community.
You Are Looking to Grow Through Your Career
There are many different career path options out there to consider. However, few offer you the ability to grow on a personal level as well as a professional one quite like becoming a social worker. The challenges that you will face and overcome in your work will help to make you a more resourceful and resilient individual in other areas of your life as well.
Not to mention the sort of professional development that you can enjoy through your career as a social worker. Not only will you be presented with opportunities to develop your communication, critical thinking, and organizational skills, but you can also make sure of such skills as you progress in your career and explore other fields related to that of social work.
You Have Overcome Your Own Struggles
Everyone has that one thing that drives them to pursue their chosen career. For many social workers out there, motivation is derived from something they had to overcome themselves either in their upbringing or their adult life.
While it is certainly enough to have come to a point where you have been able to rise above your own obstacles, there is something to be said for turning those struggles into a way in which you can help others in similar situations. Your experiences can be used for the ultimate good and can actually make a positive difference in someone else’s life.
The Job Outlook Is Good
When you are trying to decide on a career path for yourself, it would be irresponsible to discount practical matter such as potential salary and job security. The good news is that when it comes to a career in social work, you can find both.
Not only is the median salary of a social worker above $50,000 per year, but there is also the potential to earn even more depending on what it is you want to do in your career. Furthermore, the field currently growing at an above average rate, meaning that dedicated and qualified social workers should have no issues find and keeping a good job.
This also means that you will enjoy a bit of flexibility when it comes to where you want to work and live. There are communities, healthcare systems, and schools all across the country that are in need of good social workers. Depending on your circumstances, you should be able to find a job as a social worker in your chosen area.
Social Workers Are Needed
One of the most compelling reasons why you should consider pursuing a career as a social worker is the simple truth that social workers are desperately needed in far too many communities across the nation. Schools, hospitals, and communities in general are all looking for caring and skilled social workers to help bring about better lives for those in need.
While this fact obviously means that there is a decent sense of job security for social workers, it means so much more than that. Essentially, there are people out there who need an advocate and a helping hand who are simply not able to get it due to a lack of qualified professionals. By becoming such a professional yourself, you can help to fill the void and lift up those who are unable to make it alone.
There is no denying the fact that there are many ways in which you can go with your future career than might be more lucrative or financially more compelling. However, by choosing to pursue a career as a social working, you can provide yourself with a good living while at the same time spending your days doing work that really matters.
There is virtually no telling the sort of positive impact that you might be able to have on the lives of others who are struggling when you make the decision to become a fully qualified social worker.
