Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It is a place to ask for advice, share your frustrations, receive support, and anything else you want related to social work. Some charities pay 6 figure salaries to upper management, which is plenty for FI. Yes, very much so. I was convinced. As evident as this may seem, helping to change lives is one of … There wasn't much I could do, because I was just a volunteer. It's drastically different than what I was doing before, and I don't think I would have found my way to it without my SW field placements. This is what the person asking wants to hear because it validates their impression of social workers and social work. P.S. I've gotten called out for thinking I'm better than everyone for being a social worker (?????) Press J to jump to the feed. My social workers were talented, committed, and hard working. To me over the years you know yourself you can contribute better to your community if you … By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. She had become very vulnerable, very suddenly, and like many older people she just didn't know where to start. As I became older, my interest in social work grew. Social workers become closely involved with the challenges of their clients, and there is a growing need for social workers in the U.S. to apply their skills to our aging population. Disclaimer: This work has been submitted by a university student. Teaching undergrad. It doesn't matter what your career is. I recovered and had a decent job in a lab, but I always loved the patient/provider connection. That is when I finally decided to become a social worker… She asked why I didn’t just become a social worker. I could help them find what they needed and wanted. I was very excited at the fact that I, an 18 year old freshman, did not have to choose what I wanted to do for the rest of my life at that time. Call it accident, luck, strategic planning, or whatever you like. I was taking every civil service test I could to get out of my job. I can relate to your story in many ways. Now I work with older people. CPS called me first. We don’t get paid well for the amount of work … I do have more practical experience than many of my classmates, but the knowledge about theory, ethics, and policy work has been fascinating to pick up. We've had these degrees paid for either by the school districts we work for or the university I work for part time. Ask a social worker for the reason they chose the social work profession and the standard answer is “I want to help people.” I think this is the expected answer. I was working in residential psych with kids and teens for a long time, and I realized I wanted to do more than I could as line staff with my BA. This is a question I get so many times, and for good reason. We're made up of more than our brain chemistry and structure. Hi, LCSW here, graduated with my MSW in 2009. I think she owns 8 units at this point, including a commercial space. There will probably always be new people wanting to be a social worker, so maybe retiring a bit early will allow them a shot at it, too. She couldn't even run the vacuum herself. However, it is helpful to keep in mind that s ome Social Workers have huge case loads and little time for each person. Best Answers for "Why Did You Choose This Career?" New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the financialindependence community, Continue browsing in r/financialindependence. There will probably always be new people wanting to be a social worker… Social workers contribute at all levels of society. This is a place for people who are or want to become Financially Independent (FI), which means not having to work for money. When you’re ready to take the next step and get closer to becoming a social worker, consider what the online Master of Social Work (MSW) from Our Lady of the Lake University can do for you. However, after hitting the field, I loved the work I was doing, and the second half of my program was all about analyzing our field experience, which was awesome. Beautiful story. Look into firms that land lucrative government and corporate contracts. Social Work Career If you are an individual who seeks to promote human well-being and have an intense desire to help others, you might consider pursuing a career in social work. We make difficult decisions during difficult situations. We have earned a couple advanced degrees each which has dramatically increased our income. It's a sacrifice but I would totally continue helping others after I achieve FI too! For instance, you may have needed a social worker in the past, you may be interested in protecting children, you may have a desire to make the world a better place, and so on. My reasons for wanting to become a Social worker are quite varied, the main one being to assist people in realising their potential and helping them reach their goals, and at this stage of my life I believe the … I was a Meals-on-Wheels volunteer for several years, and I really enjoyed visiting my clients. The shockingly simple math behind early retirement. You just have the warm social work look about you" LOL. I loved how inclusive social work … If you start with $0 of assets and $0 of debt, and you save 30% of your salary (partly pretax, probably in a 401k or 403b plan), then you can be FI in 28 years. Her self-awareness didn’t surprise me—after all, she does possess a masters’ degree in social work, and she did cope in an incredibly stressful environment for a period of time—but I still found it refreshing. I started looking to change my major. When you train to be a social worker, you are trained in all aspects of the profession, from mental health to child protection. … Single/ M/31. My undergraduate is in neuroscience, and I was set up for medical school until a major injury changed my life (I'm kinda like Dr. You’ll never be bored – Social work keeps you on your toes and every day you’ll face new challenges, working with different people and dealing with unexpected situations. I think I've always been the type of person who walks to the beat of their own drum, and knew from high school age I wanted to do something that was helping people. I found my way to medical social work in an Emergency Department, and I love it. What barrier are you facing, financial or ethical/philosophical? Thus I wanted to get into clinical work as soon as possible, which is what my master's advertised. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I teach a class for a local university and put all the money into an amazing 457b plan. The shockingly simple math behind early retirement. Or you … Really appreciate it! I spend a good amount of time with the residents in my program, even though I COULD remove myself from them and allow the front line staff to hold down the fort. While most social workers choose to specialise in one area once … I have a great job that is totally fulfilling but doesn't pay as well as I would like. I was happy to learn from a faculty with not only theoretical knowledge, but practical knowledge as well. By strengthening my social work skills, I feel like I am able to make a greater difference in their lives. with multiple ideas and examples you can use to give a great answer that gets you hired. I had no idea what I wanted to study when I went to college. I also work for an amazing, well-known and respected program that is one of a kind as well as for one of the best employers in my area that most people are dying to get into. Why I Want To Be a Social Worker. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. I miss that type of work sometimes, except when it got bad, then it was awful. What the heck you stole my why I got into social work story!! I also absolutely adore direct care. I have worked in various places, one among which was an organisation dealing with youth offending that cooperates closely with social workers … I almost quit and went into nursing. If you want to stay in the field, your best bet is consulting. Advocating women’s rights at the Women’s March. The person in environment model fits with my personal philosophy. We are not a therapeutic program, but we often have youth with mental health needs and it can be difficult to navigate, at times. 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