How to Get into Social Work as a Second Career
Are you seeking a new career that aligns with your empathy and dedication to making a difference? Clinical social work is vital to the well-being of individuals and communities. As a clinical social worker, you can directly impact people’s lives by helping them overcome complex challenges through mental health care, emotional support and coordinated resources.
This blog post explores how to get into social work for those who already have a career and a bachelor’s degree. You will learn what to expect from a career in social work and why pursuing a Master of Social Work is the ideal pathway for aspiring clinical social workers.
Why Start a Career in Social Work?
You can fulfill your purpose to serve others while building a professionally rewarding career as a social worker. Social workers provide individuals, families and communities with essential support and resources, address systemic inequalities and advocate for vulnerable populations.
The current demand for social workers is high. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects the employment of social workers to grow almost twice as fast as average between 2023 and 2033, equating to about 67,300 job openings each year.
Today, more social workers are especially needed to support the growing population of aging adults and those seeking treatment for mental illness and substance use disorders. Social workers help these individuals adjust to new treatments, medications and lifestyles, enabling them to thrive.
When you start your second career in social work, you can help improve the lives of people from all walks of life and contribute to societal health and well-being.
Who Is Social Work Right For?
A career in social work is ideal for people dedicated to fostering positive change in others' lives. Understanding and addressing unique, often complex, client challenges requires strong interpersonal and practical skills.
Here are some of the most important qualities of social workers, according to the BLS:
- Communication: To provide adequate support, social workers must be able to actively listen to clients’ needs, advocate for them and engage with them in a respectful and culturally sensitive manner.
- Compassion: Social workers are compassionate, caring individuals who demonstrate genuine concern for clients and societal challenges.
- Collaboration: Social workers serve people from all backgrounds and collaborate with interdisciplinary professionals, so cooperation is crucial to fostering healthy and productive relationships.
- Organization: Organizational skills are needed to manage multiple cases simultaneously, coordinate diverse resources and navigate complex systems.
- Problem-Solving: Social workers must develop practical solutions to multifaceted issues, including navigating intricate systems to identify and secure necessary resources.
Social work provides a meaningful career path for those driven to make a difference.
What Do Social Workers Do?
Social workers help individuals, groups, families and communities prevent and navigate problems in their everyday lives—from life-threatening illnesses to relationship challenges and inadequate housing. Many social workers practice directly with clients, while others focus on community organizing, advocacy, research, policy or planning.
Social workers are employed throughout communities, including private practices, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. Local and state governments are the largest employers of social workers, where they practice in settings such as child protective services, public health departments and correctional facilities.
The various settings in which social workers practice reflect the diverse opportunities for specialization in the field. Many social workers cater to a specific client population or setting.
These are a few of the many types of social work:
- Clinical Social Work: Clinical social workers, also known as licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), provide direct mental health services to help prevent and treat mental illness and emotional and other behavioral disturbances.
- Substance Use Social Work: Substance use social workers help clients find ways to recover from substance use disorders, which can involve case management, counseling, advocacy or community resource development.
- Health Care Social Work: Health care social workers provide direct services to patients or focus on planning, administration and policy. They help people cope with the many factors affecting their health and wellness.
- Child Welfare: Social workers can specialize in supporting children and youths experiencing abuse or neglect to ensure they live in safe, nurturing environments.
- Justice and Corrections: Social workers practice in courts, police departments, jails and other judicial and correctional settings to assist victims and inmates.
Social workers play a vital role in improving people’s lives in many settings, reflecting the breadth of their impact.
Which Degree in Social Work Is Right for Me?
You can start your second career with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work. The degree you choose depends on your educational background and career aspirations.
Bachelor of Social Work
Most entry-level social work roles require at least a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), the foundational degree in social work. BSW programs prepare candidates to practice generalist social work, such as case management or community outreach, under the supervision of experienced professionals. If you don’t already have a bachelor’s degree, earning a BSW is a good option for starting your social work career. You can earn one in four years of full-time study.
Master of Social Work
If you do have a bachelor’s degree in another field, you may want to consider earning a Master of Social Work (MSW), which will prepare you for advanced practice, including licensed clinical social work. MSW careers allow social workers to expand their impact through specialized practice and influencing systemic change. Candidates study advanced coursework and acquire supervised experience in various settings, including clinical settings. You can earn an MSW in two years of full-time study if you have a bachelor's degree in another field and if you have a bachelor’s degree in social work there is a possibility of earning MSW sooner than 2 years.
Social work licensure requirements vary by state. While a BSW may be sufficient for entry-level social work, many states require social workers to hold an MSW for licensure, including for clinical social work.
How Do I Become a Social Worker with a Previous Bachelor’s Degree?
If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you can get into social work by earning an MSW. An MSW is also the ideal route if you want to become an LCSW (clinical license). While the exact requirements vary, all states require LCSWs to obtain an MSW, supervised clinical experience, a passing score on the national board examination and licensure.
Master of Social Work
LCSWs in every state must have a master’s degree from an accredited social work program. So, the first step in becoming an LCSW is to earn an MSW.
The U.S. has over 300 accredited MSW programs, including over 100 with a speciality in clinical or direct practice. One is Marymount University’s Online MSW Traditional program, designed for individuals with a bachelor’s degree outside the social work discipline who want to become clinical social workers and expand their influence on social change. The program prepares candidates to pursue clinical licensure in three years of part-time study through 100% online coursework and hands-on experience near their communities.
Supervised Clinical Experience
After obtaining an MSW, the next step is to obtain supervised clinical experience through entry-level social work employment. It ensures that aspiring LCSWs are prepared for independent practice.
LCSWs need at least two years or 3,000 hours (this varies state to state and it could range from 1000 hours to 3000 hours) of practice experience in a supervised setting; the hours vary based on the state where they intend to practice. This involves providing clinical social work services, such as assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning, meeting with your supervisor to discuss cases, receiving performance feedback and developing clinical skills.
State Licensure and Examination
All clinical social workers must be licensed by the state where they practice. You can apply for licensure after meeting the state requirement for supervised clinical experience.
If your licensure application meets state requirements, you will be approved for the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) examination. The exam will assess your readiness to practice social work safely, competently and ethically.
When you pass the exam, you can obtain state clinical social work licensure. You will need to maintain licensure throughout your career in social work, typically through continuing education.
Earn Your Online MSW at Marymount and Set Yourself Up for Success in Social Work
Whether you’re looking to start a new career or take your passion for helping people to the next level, a career in social work will allow you to transform lives and leave a lasting impact. With an MSW, you’ll have the expertise and real-world experience to tackle the most complex challenges.
Marymount’s Online MSW Traditional program will prepare you to become a clinical social worker ready to impact individuals, communities and the nation. As a student, you will:
- Be a Catalyst for Social Change - Become an ethical practitioner advocating for others.
- Ignite Your Curiosity - Learn from expert faculty who are passionate, experienced licensed social workers.
- Build a National Network - Take advantage of our proximity to the nation’s capital as you strengthen your knowledge of policy and expand your network.
Marymount’s Online MSW Traditional program features 100% online coursework and in-person practicum hours (location of your choice), with integrated practicum placement support.
Set yourself up for success in the social work profession with the Online MSW at Marymount University.