3 Signs Social Work Is the Right Degree For You

In a world with never-ending options, it can be difficult to decide if a career will be right for you. Throughout my undergraduate degree, I remember the stress this caused me and the number of options I toyed with. Trying out different careers was a part of my journey to social work, which I am thankful for because these different life experiences increased my awareness of important social problems. Your journey might be similar to mine, so I have written this blog post to support you in deciding if social work could be the right field for you. This post will explore what social work entails and three signs social work might be the right degree for you!

Key Takeaways

• To figure out if social work is right for you, you should learn about what social work is and how it is different from similar professions.

• Social work might be a good fit for you if you have an interest in social justice, a desire to support underserved communities, or if you are interested in diverse career prospects.

What is social work?

 A common question in the Master of Social Work application is, “Why do you want to become a social worker or continue your social work education?” To answer this question fully, it’s helpful to clarify what separates social work from other helping professions, like counselling psychology or occupational therapy. This can be an important step in the process of identifying if social work is the right fit for you!  

Related: Social Work Career Guide

So… what makes social work different from other helping professions?

The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) describes social work as a registered health profession that works against social issues like oppression, discrimination and poverty in the service of people (CASW ACT, n.d.). This lens of social justice is the most prominent piece that sets social work apart from other health professions.

Related reading: Social Work Vs. Counselling Psychology Programs

This leads us to the first of the three signs social work might be for you...

1. You have an interest in social justice:

Are you passionate about social justice issues and the impact systems have on individuals communities, and society at large? Then social work might be an interesting option for you! A key aspect of social work is considering social justice issues, having an awareness of the effect larger systems have on populations, and working to change these inequities. This lens is clear in the social work code of ethics, which includes:

•        Respect for the inherent dignity and worth of persons

•        Pursuit of social justice

•        Service to humanity

•        Integrity in professional practice

•        Confidentiality in professional practice

•        Competence in professional practice

As many applicants pursue social work to become therapists, it can be helpful to review the code of ethics and the social justice lens to consider if this is a perspective that resonates with you. There are incredible helping professionals across many fields, but if you want to work from a framework that considers the oppressive systems that might be working against your clients, then social work could be an interesting area to explore.

Related: 3 social work theories you should know before applying to your MSW

2. Career Prospects

In addition to the social justice lens, social work might be worth considering if you want diversity in the settings you can work in! By becoming a social worker, you could work in a variety of settings like hospitals, government organizations, not-for-profits, mental health clinics, child welfare and private practice. Social work services are needed across many public and private settings, making this degree important if someone has many areas of interest or a desire to support the needs of many diverse populations.

Related: How much do social workers make?

This brings me to the last sign…

3. You have a desire to support underserved communities

When working in public settings, social workers are often supporting underserved, at times under-resourced, and incredibly resilient populations. This career path can expose you to the many social inequities prevalent in our society. Supporting people in navigating (and working to change) these inequities can be such an honour. Social workers are often the only professionals in the room with this systemic focus, making the field invaluable.

*Note: This is not to say other health professionals do not have this lens, but rather social work is the sole profession where this lens is built into the code of ethics.  

Decided on an MSW? How to use this information on your personal statement.

If you do decide to apply for an MSW degree, this blog post might be helpful to review when you are answering the prompt, “why do you want to become a social worker?”

How your values align with the unique focus of social work will be helpful to highlight in this section. In addition to considering these three signs, different social work schools have various specialties. Before answering this prompt, you could look at the school website and see what the focus of the school is and consider if this is the right fit for you! This might help your selection process and provide a framework to emphasize in your personal statement. Specifying why you have chosen social work and the values the profession stands for will really help your personal statement stand out in this section! Lastly, social work embraces diversity and different journeys, so I really encourage you to highlight your unique experiences and the observations that have come from these experiences, in your own personal statement!

Applying to your MSW? Check out our free webinar on writing the MSW personal statement.

Final Tips

When considering a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and the social work profession, these three signs can help you clarify if social work might be right for you! If you find your values do align with those of the social work profession, I’m certain that throughout your education, your perspectives will be challenged and grow, which is an amazing thing! I believe this profession is so special and plays a particular, critical role in supporting people through some of life’s challenges and injustices. If social work is calling to you, I suggest reaching out to a social worker you know and asking some further questions about what their role entails. All of these resources will support you in making this important choice! Good luck! And if you do decide on social work, the profession will be lucky to have you.

Interested in social work but not sure if it is right for you? Register for a 1:1 consultation with a current MSW student to get your questions and concerns answered.

References  

Canadian Association of Social Workers ACT. (n.d). What is Social Work? CASW ACT. https://www.casw-acts.ca/en/what-social-work