Hi Dear Readers,
I can't believe how quickly summer has passed by. And now winter feels firmly around the corner!
The topic for this month is especially relevant in a turbulent economy. You may have been let go from a mid or senior level social work position and are now forced to take a job that you would have had earlier in your career. Or perhaps you are transitioning from one area of social work to another and have to start again at the bottom to gain experience. Then there is the group who moved into management but miss the front line or just in general want a less stressful social work job. However, I would argue that all social work jobs carry with them some form of pressure. Nonetheless, you are at a fork in the road in your career, you know what direction you want to go in but you don't know how to get there.
My first piece of advice is to use your network and online job banks to learn about any social work jobs that may be of interest. Then research as much as you can about the role, both officially through the job ad and unofficially from people who work for that agency or do the same job elsewhere. If you believe it meets your requirements then it's time to do some hardcore work on your cover letter or resume. You may have to take off higher level degrees, remove some of your first jobs which shows a longer work history, or downplay the responsibilities you've had in your recent positions. From the human resources advice I have read online, many recommend stating in your cover letter why you are applying for a job which you are clearly overqualified for (i.e. because you want greater work-life balance). However, there could be some resistance from friends, family or potential hiring managers since traditional careers involve moving up the ladder, not down. But if this is something you've decided on then don't let others dissuade you (unless of course you need a higher paying social work job to pay all your bills!).
As an experienced Social Worker my guess is you know by now what roles are not a good fit for you. So if you feel stuck in a higher paying position you don't like I suggest taking a leap outside your comfort zone by trying a social work job which may offer you less financially but will give you more personal satisfaction. And for those of you who feel forced to take a lower qualified social work job due to circumstances outside your control, I'm sorry that your career path has not been able to match your aspirations and goals.
As Always,
Patti
