Any career in social work is rewarding. You get the opportunity to have an impact on the lives of many people from all different backgrounds. When you are pursuing a career in social work, you have to follow the correct process. If you do not have an action plan already, then it is time to start creating one. An action plan will include (and cover) the following areas:
Decide What Is Driving and Motivating You
The first area you are going to want to look at is motivation and drive. What is motivating and driving you to pursue social work? Have you seen the impact it has had on people you know, have you been interested in this area of work for a while, or would you like to give more back to your local community? When you know what is driving you, you can start looking at what you need to put in place to bring that dream into reality.
Get a Degree in Social Work
Now that you know why you want to be a social worker, you must ensure you have the correct qualifications. One thing that you will need is a relevant degree. You can find a social worker online degree that can be flexible and easy to fit into your current lifestyle/way of life. You can also find that it allows you to study as and when you feel it is convenient and suitable. When you are looking at degrees in social work, always reach out to providers and make contact with them. See how their program stands out from other providers.
Start Building Your Skillset
To work as a social worker you will need to start developing the skillset that you hold. For instance, you will have to improve your listening skills, and you will have to improve how you communicate and disseminate information at all levels. When you can improve and build the current skillset that you have, you can transform yourself and your behavior, and this is important for any new and practicing social worker.
Focus on Building Experience
When you are pursuing a new career, it is important to focus on building experience where you can. Even if this experience is not in social work, it can be relevant to future positions. Building experience and gaining valuable life experience will help prepare you for what the role entails. When it comes to searching for suitable opportunities, you may find it beneficial to reach out to the university or college you study with (or studied with). You may also find it worthwhile to start networking (both online and offline).
Create a Career Plan
Once you know what direction you want your career to go in, it is then time to start creating a career plan. To get the career you want, you must have an actionable plan to work towards. A career plan will outline what you want to achieve and what you hope to achieve over the coming months and years.