Superheroes in Disguise

Would you like to have a career that lets you help others and make a difference? Social workers have been doing this for more than 100 years, and it continues to be a much-needed job. Currently, there are about 700,000 social workers in the United States. This career is expected to grow about 13% from 2019 to 2029, which is faster than the average rate of growth for careers. In 2019, the salary for social workers in the U.S. ranged from less than $31,800 to more than $82,500. According to OKCollegeStart, the average pay for social workers in Oklahoma is about $37,600. 

Social work is a career located within the Human Services career cluster. People in this field work in a variety of places—from schools to government agencies, to clinics and hospitals. Social workers help people with various challenges they face. They can work specifically with children, teenagers, or adults. A social worker can choose to specialize, which means focusing on a particular area of work. However, a degree in social work does not limit you to only one career path. Lots of different jobs are available to someone with a social work degree, and many people gain experience in several areas of social work throughout their careers. 

If you choose to go into social work, it is important to have certain skills and abilities. Wanting to help people who are going through stressful or difficult situations, and empathizing with them during these times, are key skills you will need to have. Organization is important, too, because social workers must keep detailed records of interactions with the people or families they work with. Another necessary skill for social work is the ability to clearly communicate and listen to people without judgment. A social worker is looked to during times of crisis as a helper and someone who can provide a sense of calm. 

School Social Worker

A school social worker helps students with many issues. They help students deal with academic difficulties or issues at home, and they are someone students can talk to about their problems. School social workers often work with families to provide needed resources such as food, clothing, and other items by connecting families with people in the community who can help.

Aging Social Worker 

An aging social worker is also known as a geriatric social worker. This focus of work helps people who are older and need more assistance. Geriatric social workers connect elderly people with services in the community that provide food and medical resources. They help older people maintain an independent lifestyle for as long as possible. 

Medical Social Worker

A medical social worker works with patients in a hospital. They provide support and resources for people recovering from surgery or sickness. Medical social workers check in with patients and patients’ families to ask if they have any questions and to make sure the patient is feeling comfortable. Sometimes, they help patients get the services needed to go home after a hospital stay. Some of these services include transportation to get home, meal plans, and in-home medical equipment. It is important to feel comfortable working with sick people and dealing with stressful and emotional situations if you want to go into this area of social work.

Adoption Social Worker

An adoption social worker works to help children who may need a new home. Sometimes, parents are unable to provide shelter, food, and safety for their children, so an adoption social worker places the children with a new family. They match children with families that want to adopt a child. Adoption social workers can work for the government or for nonprofit organizations. A nonprofit organization is a group of people that provides help to communities without charging any money to the people they help. An adoption social worker could work in many different locations depending on the day—they could be in a school, an adoptive family’s home, or a hospital. They need to be a good listener and feel comfortable working with kids. It also is necessary to have good judgment when placing children in adoptive homes. 

All types of social workers need to have these key skills and abilities:

• Listens carefully and patiently.

• Empathizes with and cares for others. 

• Is comfortable with speaking to people about difficult situations.

• Can work in stressful situations and manage stress.