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Malignant Mesothelioma

Associated Careers

Malignant MesotheliomaSocial workers have a strong instinct to help people, and this often translates into positions such as therapists, guidance counselors, and not-for-profit counseling services. Those who become burned out by the intense nature of the client/worker relationship find slightly more distancing professions, such as teaching, writing promotional literature for programs, and fundraising.

Paying Your Dues

Social workers face significant educational requirements. Most initial positions, which are primarily clerical, require only a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (B.S.W.) or a related field, such as psychology or sociology. For positions which involve psychological recommendations or assessments, or for positions with more responsibility, a Master’s in Social Work (M.S.W.) is required. Over 300 colleges offer B.S.W.s and over 100 offer M.S.W.s and are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Those who wish to advance to policy or director positions are asked to complete a Ph.D. in social work. Nearly all programs require extensive field work and client contact. Traditional coursework includes social welfare policies, political science, human behavior, research methodology, and abnormal psychology. All states have strict licensing requirements for social workers, and additional professional certifications are available from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Private practitioners are encouraged to earn professional certifications, as it helps in collecting reimbursement for services from insurance providers.

A Day in the life of a Social Worker

Malignant MesotheliomaSocial workers spend their days helping people with complicated psychological, health, social, or financial problems. They assist families in need and people who are the victims of abuse. They provide counseling, advice, and direction for people who would otherwise have no way of bettering their situations. While seeing people who are confused, scared, and beset by problems all day long may sound disheartening, social workers told us that they were uplifted by their job and that they truly felt they were doing work of value. “People need your help and if you’re part of the human race, you give it to them,” said one, adding, “The only strange thing is that you get paid to do it.” Social workers, around half of whom work for local and federal governments, have to be familiar with all assistance programs and services available for those in need. This requires continuing education to keep abreast of programs, their funding, and their efficacy. “The quickest way to lose your client’s trust is to send them to an agency that tells them they’re not eligible,” said one by way of explaining that the trust of one’s client is difficult to earn and easily lost. Social workers have to be prepared for disappointments from their clients as well. Over 30 percent of urban families assigned a social worker miss one of their first three appointments. Still, most professionals invest themselves heavily in the fates of their clients, and a number of our respondents called this involvement emotionally draining. While this contributes to the reasonably high attrition rate for first-year workers (15 percent), respondents noted that it was valuable in that it kept them aware of the significance of what they do. More and more, social workers are being asked to find an area of focused responsibility, such as criminal justice issues, gerontological services, or medical issues. This can leave the social worker a bit dissatisfied, as often a client will have a number of concurrent problems, and they have a very prescribed range of duties they can perform. For people with a natural instinct to help others, this is tantamount to “telling a millionaire he can only give away twenty dollars at a time.” Private professionals are under no such restrictions, and record generally higher levels of satisfaction.

Earnings

Malignant MesotheliomaMedian annual earnings of child, family, and school social workers were $37,480 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $29,590 and $49,060. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,480, and the top 10 percent earned more than $62,530. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of child, family, and school social workers in May 2006 were:

Elementary and secondary schools $48,360
Local government 43,500
State government 39,000
Individual and family services 32,680
Other residential care facilities 32,590

Median annual earnings of medical and public health social workers were $43,040 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $34,110 and $53,740. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,280, and the top 10 percent earned more than $64,070. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of medical and public health social workers in May 2006 were:

General medical and surgical hospitals $48,420
Home health care services 44,470
Local government 41,590
Nursing care facilities 38,550
Individual and family services 35,510

Median annual earnings of mental health and substance abuse social workers were $35,410 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $27,940 and $45,720. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,490, and the top 10 percent earned more than $57,630. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of mental health and substance abuse social workers in May 2006 were:

Local government $39,550
Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals 39,240
Individual and family services 34,920
Residential mental retardation, mental health and substance abuse facilities 30,590
Outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers 34,290

Median annual earnings of social workers, all other were $43,580 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $32,530 and $56,420. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,540, and the top 10 percent earned more than $68,500. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of social workers, all other in May 2006 were:

Local government $46,330
State government 45,070
Individual and family services 35,150

About 20 percent of social workers are members of a union. Many belong to the union that represents workers in other occupations at their place of employment.

Job Outlook

Employment for social workers is expected grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2016. Job prospects are expected to be favorable, particularly for social workers who specialize in the aging population or work in rural areas.

Employment change. Employment of social workers is expected to increase by 22 percent during the 2006-16 decade, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The growing elderly population and the aging baby boom generation will create greater demand for health and social services, resulting in rapid job growth among gerontology social workers. Employment of social workers in private social service agencies also will increase. However, agencies increasingly will restructure services and hire more social and human service assistants, who are paid less, instead of social workers. Employment in State and local government agencies may grow somewhat in response to growing needs for public welfare, family services, and child protective services, but many of these services will be contracted out to private agencies. Employment levels in public and private social services agencies may fluctuate, depending on need and government funding levels.

Employment

Social workers held about 595,000 jobs in 2006. About 5 out of 10 jobs were in health care and social assistance industries and 3 out of 10 are employed by State and local government agencies, primarily in departments of health and human services. Although most social workers are employed in cities or suburbs, some work in rural areas. Employment by type of social worker in 2006, follows:

Child, family, and school social workers 282,000
Medical and public health social workers 124,000
Mental health and substance abuse social workers 122,000
Social workers, all other 66,000

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for entry into the occupation, but many positions require an advanced degree. All States and the District of Columbia have some licensure, certification, or registration requirement, but the regulations vary.

Education and training. A bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) is the most common minimum requirement to qualify for a job as a social worker; however, majors in psychology, sociology, and related fields may qualify for some entry-level jobs, especially in small community agencies. Although a bachelor’s degree is sufficient for entry into the field, an advanced degree has become the standard for many positions. A master’s degree in social work (MSW) is typically required for positions in health settings and is required for clinical work as well. Some jobs in public and private agencies also may require an advanced degree, such as a master’s degree in social services policy or administration. Supervisory, administrative, and staff training positions usually require an advanced degree. College and university teaching positions and most research appointments normally require a doctorate in social work (DSW or Ph.D.).

Nature of the Work

* Employment is projected to grow much faster than average.
* About 5 out of 10 jobs were in health care and social assistance industries and 3 in 10 work for State and local government agencies.
* While a bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement, a master’s degree in social work or a related field has become the standard for many positions.
* Competition for jobs is expected in cities, but opportunities should be good in rural areas.

Welcome, social work students and professionals! Read articles from the Winter 2009 edition of The New Social Worker magazine, now in its 16th year! While you're here--we have job listings, a lively discussion forum , our Calendar of Events, and more for you and your social work career!

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Publisher's Thoughts
Publisher's Thoughts & Table of Contents, Winter 2009 Edition
Dear Reader, Happy New Year! We have a lot in store at The New Social Worker for 2009. So let’s get started! Starting with this issue, I am happy to introduce our n...

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