A career is something I would love to do even when I’m having a bad day, it is something I want to feel passionate about which gives my life meaning. Mental health is something I feel passionate about, which is why I want to become a licensed clinical social worker. Clinical social workers normally work in a hospital setting and help patients with issues ranging from behavioral health to substance abuse. This type of social worker also helps with planning to discharge the patient, meaning they come up with a safety plan for when the patient leaves and then provides resources to help outside of the hospital after being discharged. Social workers do all this to make sure the patient is safe and has a good support system in case of an emergency. Overall social workers make the world a better and safer place and I would love to be involved in that despite how much hard work and dedication it takes.
Social workers are there to make people feel safe. One of the most important parts of their job is the ability to empathize with their patients, this helps the patients feel like their voice is being heard instead of being judged. When this happens, it allows them to feel comfortable enough to express their emotions. For my Myers-Briggs test, I got the result of Mediator. This means I am openminded and a good listener which fits perfectly for my career choice. In the section for career paths one of the things mine stated was, “Some Mediators will prefer a still more personal touch, being able to work face-to-face with clients, seeing that their personal effort really impacts another’s quality of life” (Myersbriggs 2015). In my opinion there is nothing more rewarding than helping someone and making their day better, therefore I feel becoming a clinical social worker is right up my ally and the perfect career choice for me.
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The road to becoming a clinical social worker is not an easy one, it takes years and lots of studying. An example of this would be “To be eligible for the clinical social worker license exam, professionals must have a minimum of two years of supervised clinical work experience after graduating from a master’s program. Licensing requirements vary by state” (Becoming a Clinical Social Worker). I plan on getting my master’s degree so I can become licensed and work in hospitals instead of stopping at a bachelor’s degree. Despite some places do accept just a bachelor’s degree, it is much easier finding a job with a master’s degree. I would have more job opportunities in better facilities if I go the extra mile and finish with a master’s degree, plus I would make more money which is always a positive! I feel this is the most logical solution for my career choice. Social workers become higher in demand every year as people realize mental health is a serious issue, so jobs will be waiting for me no matter how long I take on furthering my education.
The human mind is much more advanced than people realize. Isn’t it strange how people will see a doctor for something as small as a pulled muscle but won’t for mental illness? The brain is the most complex part of the body, yet it gets very little attention if any. This is beginning to change because “the percentage of jobs from 2018-2028 should increase 11% nationwide (Much quicker than normal) they expect 81,200 new jobs for people going to the field of social work” (Bureau of Labor Statistics). The more awareness people raise for mental health, the more job opportunities it creates. People don’t realize it yet, but social work is a very beneficial field to work in.
In the process of helping other people feel better I can also make a good amount of money out of it. “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for all social workers in the U.S. as of May 2017 was $47,980, while the average among the top 10 percent was $79,740” (Human Services Edu). That’s so much more money than what I would make working a minimum wage job. Not only could I make all that, but I would also get the reward of saving lives! The schooling and hard work slowly become worth it when looking at the end results. I could pay off my college loans quickly if I managed to get in the top ten percent and even at the median salary, I wouldn’t have a very hard time doing so.
Despite all the positives every job has cons and downfalls as well, because of these downfalls, clinical social workers need certain skills to manage being in this kind of field. Being emotionally prepared is a necessity for this line of work. Dealing with all the stressors of other people’s emotions can be exhausting and stressful for clinical social workers considering they do it daily, so it is necessary to pace themselves. An example of this would be “Social work students and social workers are being encouraged to become more resistant to stress. Sense of coherence, challenge appraisals, self-efficacy and sense of control are important psychological concepts that are of significance in helping social workers and social work students become more resilient in their approach” (Collins 85). There is so much pressure that goes along with helping people manage their feelings all day. A more descriptive definition of what they do would be “Social Workers are trained in helping people deal with their problems. This may take the form of practical support, such as providing information on what services are available, giving advice on the benefits you may be entitled to, or arranging for a home help to visit you” (Crompton). I am very good under pressure with people so I feel despite the stress and cons the pros that go with the job outweigh it all.
In general, social workers are completely underrated. With the amount of occupations opening and the better than average compensation, there are more opportunities to this field of work. The advantages of helping individuals will urge me to get out of bed and become motivated to go to work every day. Awareness is raising constantly, and people are slowly understanding that there’s nothing to be ashamed of with having a mental illness. Getting treatment saves lives and the more who know that the better. I am ready to go and help make the world a better place as well with my future career choice.
Work Cited
- “Become a Clinical Social Worker: Wake Forest University.” WFU Online Counseling, 19 Sept. 2019, https://counseling.online.wfu.edu/blog/how-to-become-a-clinical-social-worker/.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Social Workers, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm
- Collins, S. “Alternative Psychological Approaches for Social Workers and Social Work Students Dealing with Stress in the UK: Sense of Coherence, Challenge Appraisals, Self-Efficacy and Sense of Control.” The British Journal of Social Work, vol. 45, no. 1, Jan. 2015, pp. 69–85. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.lib.apsu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=swh&AN=87933&site=ehost-live&scope=site
- Crompton, Simon. “Social Workers.” The Careers Guide, 1994, pp. 25–25, https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.apsu.edu/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-1-349-13869-2_16.pdf
- 'Expected Social Work Salaries By Degree Level.' Human Services Education | Humanservicesedu.org, www.humanservicesedu.org/social-work-salaries.html.
- “Mediator Personality.” 16Personalities, www.16personalities.com/infp-careers.
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