Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
A degree in social work is similar to putting a cat in a bath: The outcome is predictable. While the latter is disastrous, the degree part isn't. Nabbing this college degree means you're almost definitely going to be going into the social work career field. The type of work varies quite a bit. You can be with kids, adults, the disabled, or just about any other group of people that need some sort of help.
We aren't saying you'll be the head of some major corporation that helps people. You'll probably need to have some sizable morsels of experience on your resume before you can get there. However, you will be given lots of great opportunities to truly help people. Unfortunately, the unemployment rate is a bit high for social workers right now, but don't let that discourage you. Relatively speaking, it's not a big deal.
Common Career Fields
Adoption Services: This is one of the many noble career paths you can take with a social work degree. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with a cape, but you will get to see smiling faces staring back at you as you help complete families. From families who can't have their own children to others who are looking to take someone in, there are many out there that need help getting hooked up with a family.
Children's Services: Childhood is arguably the most important time of our lives in terms of development. If a kid's life starts out rough, it will profoundly affect them—be it in a good way or a bad way. People who work in child support services try and prevent these situations. Many children need an extra hand to help them live normal or productive lives. Placing them with mentors, promoting after school activities, and just talking to them are all part of the job.
Crisis Counseling: Bad stuff happens. We know this isn't breaking news, but it's a fact of life. Different stressors affect people differently, so whether it's your wife leaving you or the fact the Cubs haven't won a world series in over a century, you might need some help coping. This is precisely what counselors are there for. They can help you come to terms with the negative aspects of life, even if they can't fix them (sorry, Cubs).
Halfway Houses: Living in a halfway house isn't easy. The temptation to fall into old patterns and behaviors is ever-present, and having someone to ease you back into recovery is invaluable. You'll need to have a more stern personality if you want to pull off working in a halfway house because if you let people walk all over you, you'll be pretty awful at setting boundaries for people who desperately need them.
Legal Counseling: Working in a legal office can be rewarding beyond belief. For people who don't have access to the highest-quality lawyers, these offices can be lifesavers. For example, not everybody knows how to deal with getting robbed, and if the victim of a robbery gets upset and swings a tire iron at the offender, somebody's got to hold 'em back, literally and figuratively. Yep, no matter how guilty someone is, offenders still have basic human rights.
Mental Health Services: Social workers often serve as the middleman for people to get the vital care they need. When people are having some mental health issues, they often seek out psychologists, psychiatrists, and any other mental health professionals that could help. Working in this field means seeing people walk in with demons and being willing to help so they can walk out demon-free. Things don't always come out perfectly, but this field is full of people looking to help out.
Volunteer Services: Coordinating a large group of volunteers is no easy feat. Plus, coordinating them comes after you've recruited them, which is even tougher. With that in mind, volunteers provide a massive workforce for different organizations, from feeding the homeless to providing for our veterans. These professionals work hard with little to no monetary compensation, but leave work with a sense of accomplishment.
Current unemployment of the major
6.4%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
43%Stats obtained from this source.