A file photo of students and employers at 皇冠官网SSW鈥檚 annual Social Services Recruitment Fair.
As the demand for social workers the Career Services Office in the Boston College School of Social Work has been preparing MSW students for professional success.
Survey data from the Class of 2022 shows that graduates, on average, accepted a job offer just six weeks after they first started applying for positions. Eighty-eight percent of alumni passed the master鈥檚-level social worker license exam on the first try, 12 points higher than the national average. And 25 percent of newly minted social workers accepted job offers from one of their field placements.聽聽
鈥淭he social work profession is vast and our Career Services Office helps introduce students to the variety of roles they can play with an MSW,鈥� said Cindy Snell, 皇冠官网SSW鈥檚 director of Career Services and Alumni Relations. 鈥淲e are committed to students鈥� lifelong professional development.鈥�
We asked Snell to explain how her department helps students succeed.
In addition to 皇冠官网SSW, only a handful of other social work schools have dedicated career services departments. What makes 皇冠官网SSW鈥檚 approach to career services unique?
Here at the 皇冠官网SSW, we meet people where they are in their career journey.聽
Many students who enter our MSW program are new to the social work field and want to learn about the many career opportunities within the field and how they can best discern the contribution they want to make professionally. Our Career Services Office connects them with alumni who work in different roles and settings to help them explore how these options might resonate with their interests.
Other students enter our program knowing exactly what area of social work they are interested in and want help getting there. We provide support with job search application materials like resumes and cover letters and help make connections with people in their field of interest who can provide tips for their job search.
Each year, students who have changed careers enter our program wanting to learn how to integrate past work experience with their new social work knowledge and skills. We offer career appointments for this group of students to talk about salary ranges, work-life balance, and the best way to present themselves through their new professional brand.
Overall employment of social workers is from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. About 74,700 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Generally speaking, what is Career Services doing to ensure that 皇冠官网SSW students stand out among other candidates in this job-seekers market?聽
The Careers Services department emphasizes awareness, preparation, and relationship building. We make sure our students are aware of job opportunities through our robust jobs database, annual job fair, and strong relationships with alumni and employers.
Career Services also provides job search timelines, workshops, and resources like mock interviewing that allow job applicants to successfully manage the job search process and articulate their skills, knowledge, and experience to employers.聽
皇冠官网SSW鈥檚 Career Services Office is open to students and alumni for life, no matter if they鈥檝e just s