What Do Social Workers Do?

Jobs for BSWs

Computer Work

A lot of times, when "Social Worker" is in a job title, the employer is looking for someone with an MSW. So where can people with their BSW look to find a job that pays well and uses their social work skills? 

Social Work Roles: In their own words

Children working

So recently I went to Reddit to ask social workers what job in social work they hold, and what their favorite part of that role is. I want to highlight the diverse and rewarding possibilities in a social work career. Some of the respondents also talked about the downsides, or compared various fields of social work. Here are some of the social workers' answers. I've attempted to subdivide the fields of social work into larger categories, though there is some overlap. 

A Day in the Life ... Child Welfare Dependency Case Manager

Heidi and colleagues

Heidi Hanson earned her BSW online from Indiana Wesleyan University, and her MSW online from Florida State University. Social work positions that Heidi has held include working for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Public Housing, and for a federally-qualified healthcare center. She has worked to assist people with navigating the bureaucracy behind obtaining food stamps, Medicaid, and Medicare.

A Day in the Life ... Private Practice Clinical Social Worker

Nancy Klein

Meet Nancy Klein, a clinical social worker (LCSW, MSSW) with a private practice in Palm Bay, Florida. Nancy talks about what a day in the life of a private practice clinical social worker looks like, discusses her previous social work positions, and explains the versatility and benefits of the M.S.W. degree.

A Look at Military Social Workers

Soldier

Watch some YouTube videos highlighting serving military social workers, and learn about the path to becoming a social worker in the military.

A Day in the Life ... Combat Social Work

Combat Social Work by Figley, Yarvis, and Thyer

In a riveting book chronicling the journeys of 11 veterans, readers experience the joys, struggles, and day-to-day experiences of what it means to be a combat social worker. This book goes much deeper than "a day in the life" of an active-duty social worker.

What Do Social Workers Do?

Social Worker in School

Watch some videos that will help you understand what it means to be a social worker. In an inspiring TEDx Talk, Anna Scheyett explains why social workers are superheroes. A National Association of Social Workers video gives a quick overview of the field of social work. A Florida State University College of Social Work video explains why FSU CSW might be the best school for you.