Reasons for Becoming a Social Worker

Social workers help people solve problems in their lives. They may help those with disabilities or life-threatening illness. They may work with children or the elderly. They may help the poor, victims of abuse or those facing other challenges in life. They work in a variety of settings, including schools, residential care facilities, mental health and substance abuse treatment centers, clinics, hospitals, hospices, homeless shelters, women's shelters, prisons, nursing homes and child protection agencies.

Ability to Help Others

Perhaps the primary reason people become social workers is a desire to help others. Social workers do difficult work, often with challenging clients, but they provide much-needed services and can make a real difference in the lives of those they serve. Some social workers have been on the receiving end of social services at some point in their lives and want to give something back to the community.

Variety

Because social workers work with a varied clientele, their days on the job are rarely the same. Each day brings new challenges. In addition, social workers can find jobs in a variety of settings involving a large variety of tasks. The job should never be boring!

Salary

You won't become rich as a social worker but you certainly can support yourself on the average salary. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in May 2008, the median salary for social workers in a health care setting was $46,650. Social workers in other areas earned somewhat less. For instance, those working in the mental health field earned a median salary of $37,210 and those working for agencies involved with emergency assistance such as food and housing services only earned a median salary of 31,890. Still, the earning potential for social workers is fairly good; the top 10 percent of social workers earned $69,090 in 2008.

Good Job Prospects

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for social workers are expected to grow faster than the average for other occupations, especially for social workers that work with elderly people or in rural areas. Job growth is also expected to be good for social workers dealing with mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Sources:

Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm. Social Workers.

Education Portal. http://education-portal.com/how_to_become_a_social_worker.html. How to Become a Social Worker.