Many people believe that social work may be their true calling. As human beings, we are hard-wired to empathize with people, says a study at the University of Virginia. It is an emotion triggered by feelings of association as we see someone in anguish, difficulty, or suffering.
We feel sorry for the suffering of people from different socio-economic strata, and most of us want to do something to help them out. It’s truly a noble direction in terms of a career.
Social work is aimed at elevating society. It’s essentially understanding people’s problems and working to find a solution for them. It could be helping people with mental health, helping them with addiction, or their finances. It could be working at a hospital or a community center or any place where your role involves helping people in a tight fix.
It is personally rewarding and professionals gain considerable currency in business. If you’re still not convinced that social work is an excellent career path, sit back and read on; here are some great reasons you should actively pursue a qualification in social work.
Learning to Make a Positive Impact
A positive impact doesn’t necessarily constitute making someone happy; rather, changing someone’s life for the better. Proper education in social work gives you the tools to analyze and work towards the solution. The core of this work is understanding different situations and finding solutions to them.
In a society with so many problems, catering to each one is challenging and requires some professional skills. If you’re looking to invest your time and energies in philanthropic goals, consider the latent scope of online masters of social work programs that allow you to acquire a professional qualification in the field.
A Great Need for Social Workers
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2020, 715,600 social workers are registered in the US, and the trend indicates a 12% growth by 2030. The increase in demand for social workers can also be attributed to the rise in businesses’ philanthropic and charitable activities that recognize their corporate social responsibility and aim to help society.
No decline is predicted in this area, and you can count on career security over the next few years. With hard work, you are surely going to grow.
Lots of Career Options
As a social worker, your skills are transferrable. You can choose where you want to work and whom you want to work with! Social work includes various roles, including working with children, working with the elderly, working with mental health patients, working in hospitals, or just working at schools.
Of course, these are just a few examples. With your skills and degree in hand, you can choose to work anywhere you like and achieve the sense of fulfillment you yearn for in your career.
Great Salaries
We work to put food on the table and support our lifestyles. If you’re worried that this path may not pay well enough, you’re in for a surprise. The average starting salary for social workers stands at $55,283, and with a specialization, i.e., a master’s, that is bound to go up. You get to work flexibly in an environment of your choosing with quite a hefty annual amount coming as your paycheck; need we say more?
Great Self-Awareness Opportunity
Social work puts you in diverse work situations. During your study, you’ll experience the various conditions that a social worker may have to deal with, some of which are quite extreme. During your degree, you will learn to navigate these tough challenges that will equip you adequately for real-world situations and make you better aware of who you are.
Self-awareness is the greatest takeaway from an education program. You will learn to understand your strengths and weaknesses. You’ll learn about your limitations and how to navigate through a plethora of emotions after a long day. You’ll learn to deal with different behaviors.
In short, you’ll come out of the program a changed person.
Great Bonding Opportunity
The friends that you’ll make during your program may well last a lifetime. Training and studying for social work is a tough feat, with each individual going through rigorous procedures, as mentioned before. A friend during these times lasts a lifetime as you see through so many challenges together.
Furthermore, you are united in the training program by a common goal: social service. You’ll get to meet so many like-minded individuals waiting to make an impact. Working together with a common goal in sight forms bonds like no other, and that is not something any other career can offer.
Every Day Is Not the Same.
We all hear the same cliché from many people around us that working 9 to 5 is boring, and you do the same thing every day in the same setup, in the same seat. Social work shatters that narrative, and you’ll learn that during your degree.
As mentioned earlier, you’ll see different scenarios during your time as a student and much more as a professional in the field. You’ll be dealing with people, and each one will present a unique set of challenges. It’s exciting to deal with something different each time, and it challenges you to think differently, something not a lot of careers offer.
Lots Of Transferrable Skills
At the end of the program, you acquire many highly useful skills. These skills include strong communication skills, critical thinking and analysis, teamwork, and time management, all highly critical skills in any field. Any employer would be more than happy to take you on with your skillset! Should you choose not to become a social worker, there is always the choice of shifting to a career in human resource management, user experiences, or some other area of interest.
Conclusion
Going into social work has so many benefits, many going beyond just career development. However, getting an education in this field gives you lots of skills. It gives you the skills to actively make a positive impact wherever you go. A specialization in this field is very lucrative as it allows you to grow and thrive.
You can work in lots of different environments. It provides an opportunity to connect deeply with yourself and form lifelong bonds with your peers around you. It’s one of the noblest use of our time and a way to grow our sense of worth.
____________________________________________________
Some other articles you might find of interest:
Understand how you can maximize your time to grow your business:
Time Is Money And Your Most Valuable Resource. Use it Wisely to Build Your Business
Looking for effective ways to drive and increase traffic to your startup website?
SEO Traffic Guide To Boost Your Blog Rankings
Looking for effective ways to drive and increase traffic to your startup website?
3 Top Reasons Why Startups Fail and How Not to Become a Victim