Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t completely disagree with that statement. Hear me out. When people learn that I’m a social worker, they tend to lump me in a box —often relying on narrow schemas to describe the field of social work.
In my experience, people have shown me pity (yes, pity!) for “choosing a low-paying profession.” The worst are the snarky comments about removing children from their homes. These comments use to bother me, but I no longer allow others to disrupt my peace.
Let’s unpack those two statements.
Low salary. Social workers can be found in a multitude of settings, hence a diverse range of salaries. Different industries pay different salaries, point-blank-period. A great example of this is comparing salaries at any nonprofit and a for-profit organization. And don’t play yourself; not all nonprofits are created equally; some have more funding and resources, which may translate into higher salaries.
Honestly, your salary should not be the end all be all. Your salary should not define you or your worth. I personally think if you make smart(er) career moves, money will follow. Sometimes you have to be willing to make unconventional moves to get ahead –that might mean taking a pay cut or making a lateral move. Building your skillset and knowing your why is much more important as it will keep you focused on your overall career goals and objectives.
Here is a tip! Negotiate your salary to avoid stagnating your income.
Removing children from their homes. You better believe that these types of decisions are not made whimsically or lightly. There is a process, and decisions are made with the child’s best interest in mind. And no, I can’t speak for each and every time a child is removed from the home, but ideally, it’s handled with the utmost care and should not be discussed haphazardly.
And let’s clear something up, social workers are often present during the removal process because they work directly with the families. Having a social worker on-site allows the child to feel comfortable and lessen any traumas associated with removal.
Although dealing with a narrow perception of social work can be exhausting, it’s not enough to take me away from social work. I fell in love with social work because its the perfect blend of:
- Psychology. Human development from birth to adulthood.
- Sociology. The study of society and human behaviors.
- Counseling. Working with individuals or groups to resolve personal and psychological challenges.
I would advise anyone looking into social work to do their due diligence. Before I decided to commit to a master’s degree in social work, I worked within the field of social services to get an idea of the good, the bad, and the ugly. I personally like social work for its vastness. My goal is to have a richness to my career, one that I won’t reconsider in 7-10 years. I plan to bounce between program planning, coaching, and mental health counseling.