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People also ask
What makes a good social worker?
How do social workers work 'professionally'?
Why do people need social workers?
What does it mean to be a professional social worker?
What does a social worker do?
What skills do social workers need?
- editor@careeraddict.com
- Communication. In social work, communication is your primary task day in and day out. One of the key requirements for any social worker is having the ability to communicate effectively, regularly and in various ways — verbally and in writing.
- Active listening. Active listening is a key skill in much of a social worker’s daily role. By engaging with the other person, reflecting on what they say and following along the conversation are elements of active listening.
- Leadership. As a social worker, you’re advocating for your clients, a pursuit that requires leadership skills. As a leader, you’re obtaining the necessary resources for clients, getting services that communities require and exacting change to empower your clients’ lives, whether they’re on social assistance or suffering from postpartum depression following the birth of their twins.
- Emotional intelligence. Many people talk of having a high IQ, but have you heard of having a high EQ — otherwise known as emotional intelligence? This is something that a lot of social workers inherently have, which is often the reason why they want to enter this field.
We have identified certain key areas of skill that we consider to be important for autonomous professional practice across all social work roles: self-management; communication; risk and safeguarding; and leadership. These four areas are best thought of as ‘organising themes’ for thinking in a holistic way about professional skills.
- Overview
- What is social work?
- 15 skills and characteristics to succeed in social work
- How to improve social work skills
- How to highlight social work skills
- 15 other careers that use social work-related skills
Video: Becoming a Social WorkerIn this video, we discuss the average salary and break down the skills and education needed to land a job as a social worker!
Social work can be a demanding industry that requires working with people with diverse needs. Individuals in this field must develop a unique skill set to excel in the workplace. Learning about these required skills can help you determine your social work abilities and areas that need improvement.In this article, we describe what skills are required for social work, how to improve them and how to highlight them during the hiring process.Read more: A Day in the Life of a Social Worker (With Job Duties and Skills)
Social work is a profession committed to helping individuals and communities work through challenges they encounter in everyday life. Social workers are employed in various settings to advocate for and improve lives. They may work with general populations or specialize in areas, such as mental health, children or veterans. Their roles can be very b...
1. Active listening
A large part of a social worker’s duties involves actively listening to their clients. This skill helps you determine the client’s exact concerns to better help them. Active listening helps build trust, establish a good relationship and convey respect. It also allows you to understand instructions from managers, psychologists and other professionals. Related: Passive vs. Active Listening: What’s the Difference?
2. Advocacy
Social work promotes social justice and empowers clients and communities through advocacy. You verbally represent your clients to connect them with the services, resources and opportunities with supportive organizations. This is especially true with clients who don’t know how to advocate for themselves. You help individuals, families and communities by advocating for them specifically, but also for social justice through the advocacy of new programs, revision of outdated policies and expansions of underserving programs.Read more: Working in Social Justice: Why 90% of People Would Sacrifice Money for Meaning (With Example Career Paths)
3. Boundary setting
Social work can be a demanding, stressful field. Most experienced social workers suggest setting boundaries to establish a work-life balance. Setting boundaries based on your availability and resources with clients and other professionals is important to prevent burnout and maintain positive relationships.For example, you could set a schedule to leave work no later than 7 p.m. In social work, your schedule can fluctuate based on need, but having a rough start and finish time will help define boundaries and help you avoid burnout.Related: Interpersonal Skills: Definitions and Examples
1. Make a list of your current skill set
Evaluate your current skills to learn more about how comfortable you feel, and to identify abilities you want to develop. Take notes or list how you work and what skills you might need to improve.Related: 12 Must-Have Skills for Clinical Social Workers
2. Ask for feedback
Ask trusted friends, colleagues and managers for feedback about your current skills. They should be able to provide a different perspective that can help you determine where you excel and where you can improve.
3. Practice
You can improve many skills, such as organization and time management, with practice. Take every opportunity to practice, and continue asking for feedback periodically to measure your progress.
In your interview
Employers want to know what motivates you and verify your commitment to the job of a social worker. They also want to assess your interests and commitment to helping certain clients. Be honest with your answers and remember to emphasize your skills and what you can bring to the role.Related: 9 Social Work Interview Questions (With Example Answers)
In your cover letter
Writing a great social worker cover letter is an important step in your job search journey. When writing a cover letter, be sure to reference the requirements listed in the job description. In your letter, reference your most relevant or exceptional qualifications to help employers see why you’re a great fit for the role. To avoid a generic cover letter, you should conduct in-depth research on the company and the role you seek before writing your cover letter.Related: Social Worker Cover Letter Examples and Templates
On your resume
There are many opportunities to highlight social work skills on your resume. In the skills section of your resume, add your best abilities toward the top of the list. Review the job description for the positions you’re applying for to see if there are any specific skills the employer wants. If you have any of the skills, list them on your resume as well.Show how you’ve used specific skills in your work experience section. For example, a job responsibility that shows communication could be:“Met with four clients per day on average to determine specific needs and deliver updates.”Related: 23 Social Work Skills To Highlight on Your Resume (With Examples)
Social workers may expand their career options by pursuing positions that use their social work-related seeks. Options include:
1.Adoption consultant
2.Career educator
3.Community health manager
4.Crisis response specialist
5.Employee assistance program supervisor
- You will make a positive impact on your community. As a Social Worker you will be enhancing the quality of life for people of different ages and backgrounds, empowering them, protecting their human rights and improving their health, safety and wellbeing.
- Every community needs social workers. The issues social workers deal with are often rooted in social and emotional disadvantage, which means that wherever you go in the world, social workers will always be needed.
- It’s a dynamic job. When people think of social workers, they often picture a person sitting behind a desk piled high with case files, but this is an old Hollywood stereotype that could not be further from the truth.
- You can turn your passion for social justice into a career. If you are passionate about social justice issues and are committed to working towards ending inequities, human rights abuses and discrimination, social work is a career that enables you to act, make a difference and work on the ground both with those who are affected and those who have the power to change policy.
Learn how to become a social worker in the UK, including the qualifications and skills needed and the salary you can earn as a social worker.
Social workers aim to improve people’s lives by helping with social and interpersonal difficulties, promoting human rights and wellbeing. Social workers protect children and adults with support needs from harm.
Our professional standards are specialist to the social work profession and apply to registered social workers in all roles and settings. The standards are the threshold standards necessary for safe and effective practice.
