Social work jobs?

I have always wanted to go into social work. I've started my college search and have started narrowing it down, but my mom isn't very happy about this choice for one reason: she thinks that it will be next to impossible to get a job in that field. I have read that the demand for social workers is starting to increase so I just wanted your opinion. Are jobs in social work REALLY that hard to come by?

Social work jobs?
This is absolutely not true. The BSW will give you good entry into many different human service fields either at the entry level and often as a team leader. You will usually start at a higher salary than other related degrees (BA in psych or sociology). Also the BSW opens up the possibility to apply for advanced standing in MSW programs. The MSW is the most versatile graduate degree in the human services. Average starting salary for the BSW is 25-30K with a much larger range. The last poster clearly does not know what s/he is talking about - it is far more difficult to get a job as a school counselor and increasingly impossible to do so without a MA or significant time as a teacher in a school. DA
Reply:I agree with Dr. Adven. A BSW is a good start. There are a variety of jobs you can get as a social worker. Try to specialize in one or two areas like clinical social work, addiction counseling, counseling in general. Take a diverse array of practicums. Every practicum I completed offered me a job, and that was before I had my BSW.





Roger Baugus, MSW, MBA
Reply:paying jobs in social work are very hard to come by. many jobs are only casual and on a 'need' basis.


If you are passionate about helping people and in particular teens, then maybe a school counsellor is another option? That would be a more steady 9-5 job, and you could always work as a social worker at a charity/drop in centre outside those hours

dds