Planning your career involves creating targets for every step to ensure that you make purposeful and logical moves. Career planning has to be something you continue to do. In doing so, you can identify opportunities in your current role to advance your knowledge, develop your skills and expand your network, which in turn will help you advance your career.

Social work is a uniquely rewarding profession that assists vulnerable children, adults and families. As a qualified social worker, you will have obtained all of the necessary documents to practice, including your undergraduate degree and completion of all required registration and training. However, as a practicing social worker, you may wonder about your career’s potential for advancement and what steps you should take to ensure a smooth transition. Look no further – the methods listed below will help you improve your abilities and chances of advancement.

Networking 

Networking is an excellent way to advance in your social work career. When deciding which area of social work to specialize in, it is beneficial to seek advice from those who have already worked in the field. Speaking with working professionals will give you first-hand knowledge of the job. You can also network with like-minded individuals both online and offline. It takes time to build a network because it is based on trust, respect and mutual goals. Therefore, your network should provide win-win situations for all of its members. This means that your network’s members should be ready, willing and able to support one another actively.

Certification 

There are advanced-level programs, such as the Spalding social work master’s degree, that demonstrate a specific competence. If you have a bachelor’s degree in any field, you can enroll in Spalding University’s online Master of Social Work (MSW) program and begin a new and meaningful career. This multifaceted degree prepares you for a variety of positions in social services. So, before your next job interview or performance evaluation, do some research. Determine the type of credential you want, such as an MSW, how much it will cost, how it will relate to your current job, and when you will be able to complete the training. An employer may be unable to give you the raise you seek, but they may be able to fund a certification through another budget such as professional development.

Shadowing

Competencies are measurable practice behaviors demonstrating knowledge, values and skills. Focus on the core competencies of social work practice to excel and advance in your career. Look for opportunities to develop the competencies that employers are looking for as you chart your social work career path. You can improve your skills by shadowing others if you already work in the field. Express your desire to take on new challenges and experiences that will broaden and strengthen your social work skillset.

Internships

As demand grows, employers in both the private and public sectors will continue to seek the most highly qualified candidates to fill social worker positions. Social work practice is a learned skill that requires practice, supervision and feedback. Field internships allow for the development of skills. It will also increase your competitiveness when applying for jobs. As an intern, you will gain valuable skills to include on your resume. It is common to receive a letter of recommendation, or a potential job offer, following a successful internship.

Specialize

Social workers may specialize in specific practice areas at some point in their careers. Child and family social work, social work with the elderly, school social work, and international social work are some of the most common areas of specialization. In addition, social workers who want to work in management or clinical supervision can also specialize in these areas. To specialize, social workers frequently pursue a professional certificate in their chosen fields of study.

To conclude

Social work is a dynamic and demanding profession that requires a vast range of skills and knowledge. Whether these characteristics are innate or learned, to be successful in the field, social workers need to continue to develop them during their careers. While this is a partial list, the above methods will allow you to improve your skills and advance your career.

The current social work role can take many forms, and veteran social workers often develop a wide range of skills while working at various levels, from serving the needs of individuals and families to implementing systemic change. Professional development in the field frequently assists experienced social workers in seeing their specific roles within a larger framework. Individuals in specialized areas benefit from the profession’s versatility because it fosters a big-picture perspective. These methods can help you maximize the scope of your work while allowing you to explore different areas of social work.

By Manali