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Social Worker Career Interview
Susan Engel has worked at her own social work private practice in Avon, Connecticut for over 8 years, and has been in the field even longer than that. She also knows a thing or two about changing career choices midstream.
Social Worker Career Path
“I always wanted to help people, and I was originally interested in doing it through therapy,” says Susan.
However, her career started off down a completely different path; Susan worked as a chef before going to school for psychology.
Susan continues, “When I was able to go back to graduate school, I explored social work and psychology. Social work offered more flexibility to fulfill my goals.”
Social Worker Experiences
Susan earned her undergraduate in psychology from the University of Hartford and her Master’s of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work.
She began her career by working in adult substance abuse providing individual and group therapy, including people with mental health issues. She worked with adolescents in crisis stabilization programs and also with families that needed foster care for their children and families that wanted to become foster families.
In a rarer case for social workers, Susan also spent time in “in-home” programs, where she provided help to families at their houses.
“I helped to prevent children from being hospitalized or taken into foster care,” she explains. “This is typically a short-term job for those who pursue it because it can be very stressful. I worked in that field for more than four years, and I’ve found it to be very creative and rewarding.”
Eight years ago, Susan opened a private practice and has been working at that ever since.
Social Worker Degree Programs
“Usually, you need a master’s degree in social work,” says Susan. “Most people in the clinical side of social work (as opposed to administrative or policy planning) work two full years at an agency or community program and receive two years as weekly supervision, and finally a license test. This is the requirement for most states.
“Many people also get a Ph.D.,” she continues, “before they develop more expertise and become professors.”
Social Worker Job Description
Since opening her private practice in Avon, Connecticut, Susan just works (socially) all of the time.
“I receive referrals from physicians and pediatricians,” she says. “I work with children and adolescents primarily.”
After learning so much in all of her social work pursuits, including working at both an agency and her private practice, Susan has been exposed to multiple mental health issues in her patients and can work collaboratively with other health care professionals, which isn’t always the case for social workers.
Social Worker Daily Routine
The responsibilities of social workers depend on the setting of employment; they can either work at an agency or in a private practice.
“New social workers typically work in an agency,” Susan explains. “You should expect a heavy case load right off the bat and have to keep up with a great deal of documentation.”
At an agency, you also have to answer to a number of different authorities – courts, state departments, hospitals – when working with the patient. You have to learn how to do face to face work and how to document everything.
“These additional authorities can put stress on the clients because they have to deal with more than just their problems,” says Susan.
In a private practice, however, social workers have more of a freedom, losing the requirement of additional paperwork for higher authorities.
“You are also able to get help clients get comfortable with themselves instead of them answering to authorities,” Susan adds. “It is very manageable and equally rewarding.”
Social Worker: Steps to Success
An effective social worker needs a lot of different skills to help the client; it’s not just about working with them and being social.
“You need an understanding that people go through their own experiences and have their own perspective,” Susan advises. “You need to have a respect for individualism and a keen ability to understand insight and layers of people’s experience.
She continues, “Sometimes on the surface, it could seem that the main problem is not having a job or not being able to pay their bills, but when you explore the problem with the client, you might find that there are layers of self-doubt or low self-esteem or depression or anxiety that are barriers for their development. You have to look at what’s underneath the surface and help the clients understand how to do the same thing.”
Social workers also need a sense of responsibility because no matter what “higher authorities” or your own prejudices might try to slow you down, you must always keep the client as the priority.
“It’s not always what we think is best for the client and if we like them or not,” Susan says. “We have an obligation to be responsible for helping the client achieve their goals.”
A social worker also needs to be flexible, creative, and have effective writing skills.
Social Worker Job Opportunities
Because of the rising number of people who recognize that they have social issues, social workers aren’t going anywhere.
“It is a very welcoming field,” Susan explains. “There will always be a demand for social workers. There is so much variety within the profession. The demand will always be great.”
Social Worker Favorite Aspect
“The experience of fulfillment that I get working with clientss and knowing that I am providing a true service for them to carry throughout their lives,” says Susan. “We give them insight that can never be taken away from them. When an individual benefits from social work support, it has exponential benefits to the community and society at large.”
Social Worker’s Future Ambitions
In addition to continuing her private practice, Susan would like to see the career as a whole prosper.
“I hope to see an improved efficiency in community agencies and statewide agencies,” she says. “There is sometimes a distraction that our field needs to always look good on paper, and this detracts from focusing on providing top-notch services for people in the community.”
Advice for Prospective Social Workers
“It can seem overwhelming because of the caseload and field placement in college,” Susan warns. “My advice is to stay alert and keep your priorities straight. Really soak up what you can, and balance out your life by taking care of yourself but also get the most out of your education so that you can excel in the career.”
She adds, “There is a ton of variety within the profession. It’s a great career choice.”
