Updated June 05, 2023
A social worker is someone who works with individuals, families, and groups to help them navigate small and large life challenges. Their clientele is often dealing with issues of abuse, domestic violence, mental health, neglect, and substance abuse. Clinical social workers are allowed to treat behavioral, emotional, and mental issues.
Salary (Median Pay)
For accountants and auditors:
- Salary: $51,760/yr
- Hourly Rate: $24.88/hr
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Duties and Responsibilities
- Advocate for clients in legal matters;
- Assist clients by phone and in-person;
- Counsel clients;
- Develop treatment plans for clients;
- Investigate complaints and concerns involving clients;
- Maintain accurate client records;
- Manage client referrals to agencies, resources, and services;
- Organize support groups;
- Prepare reports about clients; and
- Provide crisis intervention.
Qualifications
- Ability to maintain composure in stressful and/or dangerous situations;
- Active listening;
- Bachelor’s degree in social work or a related field;
- Computer literate;
- Critical thinking skills;
- Decisive;
- Intimate knowledge of crisis intervention;
- Service-oriented; and
- Social perceptiveness.
How to Become a Social Worker (3 Steps)
- Bachelor’s degree (4 years) in social work or a related field.
- Master’s degree (1-2 years) in social work is required to become a clinical social worker.
- Get licensed. Each state has different licensing requirements for social workers. A license requires 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience.
Popular Social Work Positions
- Clinics;
- Government;
- Jails and prisons;
- Mental health clinics;
- Military bases;
- Nursing homes;
- Schools; and
- Substance abuse clinics.