Becoming a social worker is a worthy career choice where you will have a direct impact on helping hundreds of couples, individuals, and families through a number of difficult situations. Social workers play an important role in many different industries, from child welfare, senior care, criminal corrections, marriage counseling, mental health care, and many others. It is a very rewarding and challenging career path, and you will find thousands of social worker career opportunities available all across the country.
At Behavioral Health Jobs, our website specializes in helping job seekers find the best career in the behavioral health industry. There are roughly 74,000+ social worker jobs created each year, and that number is expected to increase as more people seek help. You can search for social worker jobs based on experience and education level, certificate requirements, distance from home, and other criteria. If you are interested in finding a new career as a social worker or other positions in healthcare, check out all the available jobs on the Behavioral Health Jobs website today.
What Is the Role of a Social Worker?
A social worker works with men, women, and children to support them in coping with everyday situations, from family matters to school troubles and other common issues. Plus, clinical social workers are able to treat and diagnose mental health disorders and behavioral issues. They have direct contact with patients to help them with challenges in their lives, research and refer them to community resources, respond to crisis situations, and perform other responsibilities depending on the area they specialize in.
The role of a social worker will vary depending on the industry you choose to work in. Some of the common social worker roles include:
- Child and family social workers
- School social workers
- Healthcare social workers
- Mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Criminal justice social worker
- Welfare social worker
- Veteran’s Affairs social worker
Behavioral health jobs’ website is dedicated to the behavioral health industry, with hundreds of social worker jobs available near you today. This is a fast-paced and stressful job, but the reward of seeing your patients succeed is worth the stress and ups and downs of working in this industry.
Becoming a Social Worker
Becoming a social worker requires several years of education and work experience before you can work with patients in either a clinical or non-clinical role. You will need to complete 4-6 years of postsecondary education and up to 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience before you can treat and diagnose patients.
Education
A high school diploma or GED is mandatory, along with a bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited four-year university. Students who want to diagnose and treat patients can continue their education with a Masters’s, doctorate, or Ph.D. in social work. Some of the schools with the best social worker programs include the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, the University of Chicago, and the University of Washington.
All social workers will need to stay current with new treatments and technologies through continuing education. Those who want to specialize in a specific area can obtain certifications from the National Association of Social Workers.
Work Experience
Students who want to pursue clinical roles will need to complete a minimum of a master’s degree along with several hours of supervised work. Some positions require up to 3,200 hours of supervised work within two years and a minimum of 1,600 hours of clinical work.
Soft Skills
In addition to education and work experience, there are several soft skills that you will need to excel in this industry. This can be a very challenging career choice, and you will need a thick skin to handle the stress and emotional turmoil that is common in this position. Active listening/communicating skills, the ability to express empathy, excellent time management skills, computer skills, and a strong desire to help others are necessary to excel in this rewarding field.
Find Exciting Social Worker Career Opportunities at Behavioral Health Jobs Website
Becoming a social worker is a noble career choice where you will have a chance to help people from all walks of life live happy and healthy lives. The Behavioral Health Jobs website is the perfect place to begin your search for social worker jobs or other career paths in the healthcare industry. You can search through our career tips and advice blogs as well as search through our database of jobs that are updated daily.
If you are interested in becoming a social worker, check out all of the available jobs on the Behavioral Health Jobs website today. Email us questions or concerns via our online contact form.
