15 Pros and Cons of Being a Social Worker

Since social work was founded in 1898, these professionals have been working to address social and psychological problems for communities, families, and individuals, helping to bring awareness to the needs of underprivileged populations.

Today, with the extensive modern challenges impacting mental health, the expansion of the global population and underserved, and social issues, social work is more important than ever.

Social workers perform a range of tasks, including checking on those with substance abuse disorders, helping people apply for community resources, and investigating potentially abusive homes.

The primary goal of the social work profession is to help others.

If this sounds like a career you are interested in pursuing, then keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of being a social worker.

Pros of Being a Social Worker

Several of the best aspects of being a social worker include:

1. Can Earn a Degree Online

One major advantage of entering the social work field is that you can earn your entire education online.

There are countless benefits to online education, including potentially getting a degree faster, working at home, eliminating the cost and time of commuting, and having the flexibility to work or spend time with family.

Online programs tend to be flexible with various learning techniques, times, and deadlines.

Earning a degree online allows for a better work-life balance, but it does require strong organization and discipline.

2. Can Work in Any Location

Another major advantage is that you can work anywhere in the United States.

Each state has an agency or department of social services that you can work with, not to mention the multitude of locations within that state or city.

Furthermore, you can lend your expertise overseas since this profession is in demand globally.

Some social workers who wish to serve abroad join the Peace Corps, which can help place them in locations lacking social workers.

3. Diversity of Tasks

Most social workers have varying daily schedules due to the diversity of tasks.

This helps eliminate boredom and monotony and makes each day interesting.

Some days, you may have a first consultation with a new client or work with a family to track their progress.

On other days, you could help a patient begin the transition to hospice or supervise a parental visit.

Social workers also visit clients in homes, hospitals, and schools, but also may stay in the office to conduct administrative work.

4. Excellent Advancement Opportunities

Most social workers have plenty of opportunities to further their careers by earning a Master of Social Work degree, which meets national requirements to diagnose a patient for behavioral or mental health issues and create treatment plans.

Those who earn their license are certified to host counseling services to families, groups, and individuals.

After gaining enough experience, those with an entrepreneurial spirit open a practice to provide these services.

Some professionals take a different route and remain on their current path, advancing to become directors, administrators, or managers.

5. High Job Satisfaction

Since most social workers are in the profession to help others, they have a high level of job satisfaction.

They help individuals in difficult situations by working closely together to develop management strategies.

For instance, social workers help families and individuals gain access to essential resources and services, like government assistance and healthcare.

Their ability to make a positive impact on others provides endless fulfillment and a strong sense of accomplishment.

6. Respectable Salary

With an average annual salary of over $55,000, social workers are well-compensated compared to many other professions.

This salary varies greatly based on education, employer, geographic location, and experience.

Like in all careers, as you gain experience, you also earn a higher salary.

Most work in full-time positions and also receive an excellent benefits package, including paid time off, retirement savings options, and healthcare coverage.

These benefits further contribute to the overall compensation of the position.

7. Strong Job Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the social work field is expected to grow by 7 percent between 2023 and 2033, which is a faster rate than the general workforce.

This means that around 67,000 social worker job openings will be available over the next decade.

Given the demand for social workers, more specialized social workers are in high demand, specifically in mental health.

As mental health awareness becomes more visible to society, more individuals will seek diagnosis and treatment for mental disorders and illnesses.

8. Various Employment Opportunities

Given that social workers are needed across numerous industries and fields, there are an endless number of employment opportunities.

Social workers can find jobs with private practices, nonprofit organizations, schools, community centers, government agencies, nursing homes, and hospitals.

Best of all, you can pursue various specialties within the field, including addiction, mental health, and pediatrics, which will help drive your career.

The different employment options help social workers find their passion and employment during their careers.

If a social worker becomes tired of a specific area, they can earn credentials to move into a different niche.

Cons of Being a Social Worker

Like with any professor, there are drawbacks, including:

1. Can Face the Worst of Humanity

In some situations, social workers work with some of the worst of humanity, such as violent offenders, child abusers, and sex offenders.

In these situations, it can be difficult to find enjoyment when dealing with hardened criminals.

When dealing with these individuals, it is important to have coping mechanisms so that the job doesn’t change you as a person or strip your passion for helping others.

2. Extensive Educational Requirements

Entry-level positions within the social work field require candidates to hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, which takes four years to complete.

Some employers prefer those with a Master of Social Work degree, which takes an additional two years on top of the bachelor’s degree.

A graduate degree is a requirement to become licensed and be able to diagnose and treat patients with behavioral or mental health issues.

Although education can be viewed as an investment, it’s important to consider the time and money before jumping into the field.

3. Face Challenging Situations

Although social workers have positive interactions with their clients, like helping children find parents by navigating the adoption legal process, there will also be challenging situations.

This may include speaking to those who have been victims of abuse or helping patients transition from a hospital to hospice for end-of-life care.

Many work with families who cannot have a child, and are also not able to adopt.

Each of these situations can take a tremendous mental health toll on you, so finding ways to manage mental health while helping others is paramount.

4. High Stress at Times

Many of these challenging situations will lead to high stress.

Since social workers deeply care about their clients, it can be frustrating when they cannot legally help them or when there are limited resources to assist.

These experts work with clients who may be upset or angry about specific situations and try to take it out on them.

Social workers are trained to use specific de-escalation techniques to effectively calm clients.

To ensure a long, healthy, and sustainable career, social workers must find ways to mitigate work-related stress.

5. High Workload

It is common for fully trained social workers to have a high caseload of 15 to 20 patients that must be managed simultaneously.

When social work divisions and agencies are understaffed, these professionals are left with more responsibilities and a high workload of over 20 cases.

Every case requires attention to detail and time so that they can effectively assist clients with their issues.

Having excellent time management and organizational skills will help you determine priorities, scheduling, and proper caseload management.

6. Long Hours

Although most social workers are full-time employees, they work outside of standard hours due to the varying schedules of their clients.

This means potentially working on the weekends, holidays, or in the evenings.

Some social workers must be on call to respond to emergencies, which could occur around the clock.

To ensure you maintain a work-life balance, time management of professional and personal activities is essential.

7. Potential Safety Risks

Although rare, there are situations where social workers could experience safety risks.

Those who work with violent offenders in prisons or in child welfare cases where families are resistant to them could face safety issues.

When social workers are concerned for their safety, they typically request law enforcement personnel to be present.

For instance, a social worker could ask a police officer to visit the home of an argumentative or unwelcoming family.

Law enforcement professionals work to keep the social workers themselves and individuals safe in these heated situations.

Pros and Cons of Being a Social Worker – Summary Table

Should You Become a Social Worker?

To understand if social work is the right career path for you, it’s important to consider your values, interests, and skills.

The first step is to determine if you have a strong desire to help others and a fervent sense of empathy.

Social work has countless opportunities across the world to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families, but it is a highly demanding profession with a potential for burning out.

While this decision can be difficult, it’s important to understand and digest the above pros and cons before deciding!