Hi Readers,
Being underqualified is a tough hurdle to overcome, and it effects not only newly minted social workers but seasoned ones as well. You may only have experience in a particular area and you are looking to branch out. Social workers use many of the same skills despite the different fields we occupy but having a perspective employer recognize that can be a challenge.
While pursing your social work education, volunteering and/or having a part time job in your area of interest can be a great way of getting a foot in the door. Your employer may keep you in mind when a future posting comes up because they already know your personality and work ethic. The exposure to social work you gained through your practicum is also an advantage that should be highlighted on your resume.
However, for those of us in mid-career, we face our own particular obstacles when it comes to finding a new social work job. Our years of experience can work against us - especially if we have only worked for a couple of agencies or have held the same position for several years. We feel like it's time to move on but to what? Many job descriptions request experience in specific areas that we don't have, or require certification in treatment methods that we have never obtained because it wasn't applicable in our line of work. So what do we do next?
I wish there was an easy answer I could give, but as you can already guess, it's complicated. I would say to first start doing some soul searching to decide what you want your ultimate career goal to be. Then you need to plan out the incremental steps to get there. It may result in having to take additional schooling, a pay cut or you might have to move. Are you prepared for that? How much is your dream job worth? Plus, if you are already feeling very frustrated at your current job then I'm guessing the only thought you're having right now is I NEED TO GET OUT! That's the exhaustion and burnout talking. But be careful when taking a new job as you don't want to move into an even worse situation. On the other hand (and I hate to say this), to get to a job you're underqualified for now, you might have to take other jobs you don't like in order to gain the experience you need. It sounds counterproductive, I know, but I am quickly learning how much sacrifice it takes for a person to move beyond their current situation.
Careers paths are not always easy as it takes time to get where you want to be. You may look at others who seem so happy and successful, but I assure you, there is something they are struggling with in their position. Maybe they don't like the responsibility of being a supervisor but they don't know how to move down the ladder, or they have been in their current job so long that they don't feel they can learn something new, or they are in a lower level position and want to move up but there are no mid-level positions at their agency. The challenges can seem endless and it can be painful when you keep trying to reach your dream job, which for some reason or another it keeps falling through your grasp.
I don't know what I can say to make you feel better because each situation is unique. However, at least you have a goal and are trying to improve your work situation. Some people just end up giving in in the end. And we have all met people like that - who are no fun to be around! I'd say talk to close family members and friends if you feel they can give you useful advice. There are also career specialists who can give you unbiased information. Whatever your case, I would stay start thinking now about what you want your future job to look like since it will take a lot of soul searching, researching and hard work to get there. However, if you are the type that just goes with the flow and is happy wherever they end up, consider yourself lucky that you don't get to experience the career angst that many of us go through!
As Always,
Patti
