A Reidly Beginning: Advice for just starting working

4.07.2012 at 12:14:00 PM | By: Morgan

Advice for just starting working

National Association of Social Workers

Friday Question: What advice do you have for 2012 social work grads about starting their careers? Please note what state you're in for context.

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20 people like this.
- Mon Ica can anyone provide some career direction in terms of a human services degree? i was really hoping to find a gov job but it seems impossible at the moment...
  Yesterday at 11:04am · · 2
- Shoshi Berger Get your lcsw in a state that allows you to take the aswb test first then get hours while you can retain the information fresh - wa
  Yesterday at 11:05am · · 3
- Shoshi Berger is not one of them
  Yesterday at 11:06am ·
- Adana Burke Hooten Love every part of the experience. We work with a lot of different people who will touch your lives in more ways than you can imagine - PA
  11 hours ago · · 2
- Marc Espieg i live in delaware where you a msw neeeds two years of supervision before taking the lcsw exam!
  11 hours ago ·
- Kelly Lynn Muth Pennsylvania- if you have your bachelors, go for your masters, if you have your masters, get your license. This will open up the job market for you.
  11 hours ago · · 10
- Justin Linksz My advice is....Stay the course, its a marathon, not a sprint, and you will always learn something from every job you do, big or small
  11 hours ago · · 12
- Sarah Jo Tomlin Oregon requires 75 hours of supervision prior to taking the exam, I am taking it this summer if anyone has advice.
  11 hours ago ·
- Joan Lohnes Get a firm hold on Addiction counseling and PTSD issues..MI and CBT..I am from New York and many social workers are augmenting their practice by becoming CASACs also. I teach in such a 350 hr program At Outreach Training Institute. Contact me for more info.
  11 hours ago · · 6
- Anna Le Comte I am graduating with my MSW from USC and finding that most jobs require a license. Wondering how I can get hours towards my LCSW if there are few jobs that hire if you're not an LCSW? Catch 22...thanks for all the advice!
  11 hours ago · · 6
- Mohammed Elkawaga I tell them. "
  Life is full of hope, for your career unmatched, customer Mark's friends, were previously to others, development and innovation and mastering work, is the best weapons" .
  11 hours ago · · 1
- Ellen Hayes Listen, listen, listen!
  11 hours ago · · 2
- Kristina Champe From SC: know that you have to get your Master's to even think about getting a job here. I've been here almost a year and because I cannot afford Grad School right now I've been forced to look for jobs that do not have anything to do with my degree (fast-food, Cashier, etc.). Good Luck.
  11 hours ago · · 1
- Danielle Sturkie For non-clinical work, does it matter if you get your MSW first or is it ok to take a year off and do relevant work/intern/volunteer experience?
  11 hours ago ·
- Ely De La Cruz I live in NY; Get your LMSW as soon as you graduate, particularly if you will be working in the Mental Health spectrum. It will pretty much be a requirement next year
  11 hours ago · · 2
- Aisha Antoinette Picott Thanks! I graduate next month with my MSW in NYC thank goodness we can take the test right out of school. Thanks Joan for mentioning CASAC I heard it's good to get that as well!
  11 hours ago · · 1
- David Fritz New York (as you might be able to guess from my profile pic). Let's go, Rangers! Welcome to a great profession! Given the times, here's my advice--keep your bags packed, and travel light(ly).
  11 hours ago · · 2
- Vanessa Brown Hearing lots of acronyms! I know many of them but what is CASAC?
  11 hours ago · · 1
- Plain Kionte don't allow peoples attitudes to offend you. Some people become intimidated when new people come in if their not doing the job top notch ask your supervisor for tips so their bad habits or lack of work ethic don't become yours
  11 hours ago · · 1
- Sarah Jane Balla i'm a social worker in a child caring agency here in the philippines..i just wondering,if i am also able to practice my profession on your state..if any, do i have to take another hours of studying before taking the prof.practice?
  11 hours ago ·
- Jessica Jackson Danielle, you will get intern experience in the MSW program so don't take a year off. You don't want to lose the routine of being in school. And when u graduate take the license exam as soon as possible even if u think u don't want a clinical job now u may want one in the future and it's best to take the exam while the material is fresh and a lot of jobs require it.
  11 hours ago · · 3
- Toria Pettway AL. - If your approaching graduating with ur bsw or msw, get your license immediately after graduation. You're still in study mode and not influenced to confuse what goes on in reality with what goes on in regards to the licensure. Also, if you have your bsw, PLEASE get your license. It is very difficult to find a job in the field that you will qualify for that pays well enough for you to survive.
  11 hours ago · · 2
- Jennifer Darling all families have a strength, simply because someone doesn't live the way you do, doesn't make it wrong.
  12 hours ago · · 10
- ABA Opening Doors/LGBTQ Youth in Foster Care We represent FL, MD and DC - our advice, try not to know anything for sure. Openness is the key to understanding diverse needs and persepctives.
  11 hours ago · · 7
- Ashley Haspel I am graduating with my MSW this May from Maryland and moving to Charleston, SC upon graduation. I am taking the LMSW exam at the end of this month and looking for a medical social worker position.
  11 hours ago ·
- Rachel Meriwether Be conscious of accepting a position that will qualify you for loan forgiveness and also try to seek out an agency who will pay a percentage of your loans (i.e. $30,000/yr after two years, etc...)
  11 hours ago · · 1
- Tyeisha Crimbley Bradley Sarah are you sure Oregon only requires 75...the site says 100
  11 hours ago · · 1
- Tyeisha Crimbley Bradley Rachel do you know of any specific agencies?
  11 hours ago ·
- Gianna Markaki Any advice for the Greek graduates?!
  11 hours ago ·
- Georgianna Gaitán Guerrero apply for a state job! They are desperate for people. las vegas nv
  11 hours ago ·
- Amy Lynn Chapman Here in Michigan when you come out of your Master's program you will have a specialized area (mine was schools). You will need your MSW to do anything above $10/hr. and you will need to be licensed for most jobs. I was able to get my licensing hours "on the job" at my first school job (an alternative setting)---maybe I was lucky? Agency wise, some agencies prefer you to have your CADC but not all of them. I also work at a clinic and was not required to have that to counsel clients with SA issues.
  11 hours ago · · 2
- Amy Lynn Chapman Sarah Jane Balla- I'm guessing whatever state you are looking at practicing in will need to look at the courses you took and see if they meet the requirements for practicing in that state.
  11 hours ago ·
- Sarah Jane Balla its not holistic approach?does it require license for every clientele system?does it mean specialization for every field?
  11 hours ago ·
- Timothy Michael Duffy Shop around for clinical supervisors. Some are better than others. If you have 30 years of experience and all 30 the supervisor was a poor clinician- they will be experts in teaching you how to be a poor clinician. (NJ)
  11 hours ago ·
- Kristin Reuschlein Scheeler WI - if you don't have your MSW yet, apply to school to get it; you will be able to get a better paying job and be more highly sought after outside of Madison/Milwaukee and will NEED it to get a decent job in Madison/Milwaukee. Get your license or certification ASAP. Take whatever you can get within your area of interest right out of school to get your experience...in a year or two, apply for your "dream job" within social work. Best of luck!! :)
  11 hours ago · · 2
- Michelle Bradford Don't Pidgeon hole yourself into mental health. The medical field is among the fastest growing for SWs. Look at Nursing homes for BSWs and hospitals and home healths fir MSWs. Start small, the brass ring comes later, steady us the course. This IS a marathon, not a sprint.
  11 hours ago · · 3
- Toria Pettway Nonprofit !!!!! Do not be afraid to work at a nonprofit agency. You qualify for loan forgiveness in a nonprofit in AL. I also encourage people to look into their state's organ donation agency. They have roles for social workers, the job pays well, and it is very rewarding!!!
  11 hours ago · · 1
- Darleen Mahoney Nebraska here. I recommend if you are going to work in the foster care sector, you need to know all you can about addition, PTSD, and RAD.
  11 hours ago · · 3
- Paul Guckian Many years ago when got my professional qualification in social work in Ireland we we told in grad school we now had a licence to study more!
  11 hours ago · · 1
- Raymond Batista I'm a May '12 graduate and the job search is the biggie. I've applied to several agencies with the response of "yeah, call us back when you're licensed kid!". My questions were:
  1. What were the best gateways you found for finding a job? How did you land your first SW job? (job ads, job fairs, talking to professors, staying at your internship).
  2. Are you stuck in post-graduation jobless limbo until you get your license paperwork processed (weeks? months?)? I did my MSW full-time, so I will be losing my current job (on campus work study) once I graduate.
  11 hours ago ·
- Sarah Jane Balla Amy Lynn Chapman- thanks..i guess i need a little hour of taking courses from your state,maybe NY or SF..maybe i need a specialization..
  11 hours ago ·
- Heather Renee I received my MSW in Michigan and moved to Florida... turns out Florida does not recognize my concentration in Management or my advance standing status. I found this out after obtaining a job and finding out that I could not get my limited license here. I had to start over. I am thinking of leaving Florida, I am currently not able to get licensed here, I am working as a Social Worker but at an organization that does not require a MSW. I would love to use my skills I've worked so hard to obtain and move forward, but I have to decide carefully on my next move so I don't end up in this situation again... too bad for us MSW's.. our State's are not so United in terms of employment and licensing. Best of Luck!
  11 hours ago ·
- Nichole Modglin Anyone have any info for California? I am in the middle of my BSHS and will then go for my MSW. I am trying to find a human service job in Sacramento. Any help would be awesome. I also have a passion for working with children. Thanks
  11 hours ago ·
- Murphy Milburn ‎"Just pay off your financial debt anyway you can... ASAP... before you do anything else."
  11 hours ago ·
- Kay Elaine Please get your license....can you imagine going to any other professional who was not licensed? Every time I sit at the hair salon and look at my beautician's license it upsets me that social workers can actually practice without a license. Lets Advocate to Make changes in this!
  11 hours ago · · 1
- Shannon Crotts Everywhere - be open mined about the area of SW that you are willing to work. The job market still is not one that you can afford to be picky and you might be surprised at what you end up liking! I turned down a trauma unit job when I graduated and 5 years later picked up some hours in one and in a few months went to it full time because I loved it so much!
  
  CA -MSW grads register for your ACSW as soon as you have your transcripts - you want to start earning hours as soon as possible once you get a job.
  11 hours ago ·
- Shannon Crotts Nichole - do whatever you can to pay the bills while you get your MSW!
  11 hours ago ·
- Beth Mcmillan Michigan- I am Graduating in May with my MSW. I will also have my certificate to work in the schools. My question is when is the best time to apply for a school job? I won't be able to get my LL until June. Will that me too late?
  11 hours ago ·
- PA RJ Kain Moving to NY this May, post MSW graduation Any advice??
  11 hours ago ·
- Betsy Watson Started in MN...got my MSW...a must have....moved to CA...for a livable income you must have your masters...working towards my LCSW now...I work for a county but they are non-existent now...the job market is tight but don't give up! Be flexible and get work experience....there are lots of options in social work..
  11 hours ago ·
- Samara Saykin I'm graduating with a MSW in may. If I take the LCSW in MA and I move to NYC will I also need to take the LMSW?
  11 hours ago ·
- Kayla Robertson I'll graduate in December and appreciate all the tips. Living in Illinois but not opposed to moving after graduation. I'll be getting my LSW as soon as I can!
  11 hours ago ·
- Derry Hutter samara - i'm pretty sure that NY doesn't have reciprocity with any other states, or that any of them do. you're probably going to have to take the LMSW and then after more supervision with an LCSW you can take that test.
  11 hours ago ·

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