Social workers are one of the most important careers, occupations and roles in today’s world. Social workers range from working at schools to universities to hospices to government positions and the list goes on. There is no shortage of where a social worker is needed because there is always a deep need for somebody who works with the individual and the individual’s improvement and advancement in mind.
Becoming a social worker, although a very fulfilling career, also comes with some educational and regulatory practices and processes that you need to bear in mind. Unfortunately, it’s not as quick as just snapping your fingers and becoming a social worker. There are a few steps involved that you need to accurately follow to establish yourself as a licensed social worker and go out into the world and do not only ‘good’ but great.
Ensure You Earn Your License
One of the most important things to becoming a social worker is to become licensed. Although this might sound like something that you only need to worry about at the end of your education, it’s actually something that you need to bear in mind right from the start.
It is crucial that you only sign up for the college that offers you their social worker course in a manner that allows you to become licensed. There are unfortunately quite a few different colleges out there that offer the social worker course but these are not up to scratch or up to par with the regulatory board. You need to make sure that you complete your course with a reputable and authoritative college so that when you do apply for your social worker license, there are no hitches.
The New Jersey social work license typically involves a completed application form, including where you study, why you study, how long you’ve been in the industry and other information like this. Additionally, in New Jersey, you do have to have a certification authorization form from a criminal history background check. Then, naturally, you need to ensure that you have successfully completed your master’s degree in social work which is administered by the Association of Social Work Boards. If you do not complete your master’s degree level through this board, then you will not be able to obtain your licensed and legal social working status. Additionally, you need to have a transcript from your master’s degree that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and then lastly, you need to have the application fee ready to go.
Work and Study Life Balance
A lot of individuals who are looking to become a social worker typically already have a career that they’re pursuing in social work, however, not yet as licensed social workers. This could be a guidance counselor or any other related field.
One thing that you need to bear in mind when you do become a licensed social worker is the fact that it requires you to get your master’s degree. In general, a lot of people, after receiving their bachelor of education or bachelor of arts, typically immediately start working. They then work in a field for a few years and then realize that they want to expand upon their knowledge and earn their master’s degree, for example, in social work. Now, if this is you, then you need to make sure that you’re able to find a course that allows you to balance your work and your studies.
You must prioritize your work, as you need to manage your household responsibilities but it’s equally important you prioritize your studies so that you’re not only learning something but you actually remembering the things that you’ve learned so that you can apply them in practice.
Creating time management schedules, having a buddy system with fellow students, speaking to your current workplace about the new study opportunity that you have and essentially just organizing your life and your daily structure in a way that allows for balance, are crucial.
Prepare Yourself for the Emotional Toll and the Rewarding Interactions
The thing about becoming a social worker, especially a licensed one, is that you’re going to spend up to 40 hours a week engaging with individuals who require a social worker. This can honestly have an emotional toll. This means that you need to prepare yourself for this. You won’t be able to prepare yourself for every situation that you find yourself in, however, it is important that you surround yourself with people who understand the profession and can in understand and empathize with what you’re going through. Also, it’s not uncommon for a social worker to have a weekly check-in with their own private psychologist, just to ensure that all mental health checks are being regulated and kept in mind.
On the flip side, becoming a social worker is also a massively rewarding experience. There are so many rewarding interactions that you have with those who need your help and your guidance and this is something that you need to bear in mind when going down this career path. You have to be able to balance the stresses that come with the work and also the great and fantastic moments that come with it.
Well, there you have it, these are some of the most important things that you need to bear in mind when it comes to licensing yourself as a social worker.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.