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There are several factors that students take into consideration when picking a suitable career. Salary and growth opportunities are, understandably, some of the most critical factors. However, now, more than ever before, students see their potential careers as a way to have an impact on others. Jobs are rarely now just a way to make money and have a secure life.
Instead, we want to help improve our communities and leave a lasting impression. Many different fields allow us to directly or indirectly impact society. However, many of these fields don’t involve engaging with people on a personal level. Suppose you want to add that individual element and genuinely engage with people and help them live better lives. In that case, you might enjoy a career as a social worker.
Social workers work relentlessly to secure a better life for some of the vulnerable communities. With their help, the oppressed can rise again as valuable members of society. However, if you’re still unsure about picking this as a career, keep reading below. We’ve listed all the reasons why you should choose social work as a career.
Complete your education at an accelerated pace.
As discussed earlier, many professions allow you to touch people’s lives profoundly. However, most of these professions require many years of education and training before you can even step into the field. Even when you start working, you’ll have to work on the fringes before you can make some meaningful change in anyone’s lives. Conversely, a career as a social worker has an accelerated pace to allow you to step into the field and make a significant change as soon as possible. If you study full time, you can quickly complete your requirements in a year, compared to the minimal four years that other fields required. Not only does this allow you to become independent sooner, but it is also much easier on your pocket.
The shorter duration doesn’t affect the intensity of the program, however. You can benefit from various learning experiences, where you can work in teams, lead discussions, conduct fieldwork, and think creatively. The problem-solving skills you learn can help you in several fields and make you a dynamic candidate. So, if you don’t want to waste too much time on your degree, opt for cswe accredited online msw programs, which you can complete in no time at all.
Versatile career paths
Social work is an incredibly dynamic field, with various career paths you can pursue. Each career path is highly specialized and allows you to help individual community members. Social workers work with people struggling with addictions, the homeless, domestic abuse victims, vulnerable children, and elders, to name a few groups. Social workers thus work in various settings and help the weakest members of society.
They can work in schools, shelters, adoption agencies, psychiatric hospitals, and rehabilitation facilities. Interesting fact is that, one of the most common roles that social workers fulfill is that of counselors. They can help people get past emotional and behavioral disturbances. Social workers also increasingly occupy positions in government as they advocate for better rights for marginalized communities. Social work is ever-evolving, making it one of the fastest-growing fields around. Everyone has a social issue they feel strongly about. A job as a social worker allows you to address these concerns effectively.
Opportunities for self-development
Social work can undoubtedly be incredibly challenging, especially if you’re an empathetic individual. You’ll have to encounter different cases, some of which can be incredibly difficult to handle. However, viewing people’s suffering up close and personal and working relentlessly to help them can change you personally. It can expand your worldview immensely and build your emotional intelligence. It can improve your relationships personally and help you relate better to others and become a more generous, warmer person.
As a social worker, you will face cases that will make you challenge your personal biases, assumptions, and values. You can become a better educated, aware, and empathetic individual in a short time. In becoming a better person yourself, you can motivate others to work on their self-development. It may seem like a small step, but it’s when we change ourselves can we begin to shape others to be better, kinder people too.
Change people’s lives
Vulnerable populations need the most significant assistance from the authorities but have the most challenging time getting it. They often meet many legal and social hurdles when trying to get the help they deserve. It means that they can often find themselves stuck in a vicious loop where they cannot escape their destructive environment. Social workers help these populations navigate these situations and get the assistance they deserve. In doing so, they impact people’s lives more than any profession ever could. They don’t just help people develop coping mechanisms but help them alter their situations altogether. Social workers can have children from abusive homes placed with loving families, help those struggling with addiction move to rehabilitation centers, and more. They help address poverty, racism, inequality, and abuse to create safer, healthier societies.
Conclusion
The biggest reason to choose social work as a career is that it allows you to touch people’s lives profoundly. With so much suffering in the world, a career as a social worker is the best way for you to do your part to help those who need it most. It’s a career with its fair set of challenges but rewards that make everything worth it.
