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In addition to BCSSW, only a handful of other social work schools have dedicated career services departments. What makes BCSSW鈥檚 approach to career services unique?

Here at the BCSSW, 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 BCSSW 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

BCSSW鈥檚 Career Services Office is open to students and alumni for life, no matter if they鈥檝e just stepped foot on campus or graduated 20 years ago. What are some other ways that you and your staff support them on their journey to career success?

Starting at orientation, I encourage students to schedule an appointment to meet with Career Services during their first year to talk about how they can use the resources, curriculum, and their field education experience to start to define the role they want to play within the social work field.聽聽

For final year students, we host a series of workshops related to the job search that can help them feel confident in their ability to craft application materials, network, and interview successfully.

I encourage graduates to participate in our Alumni Mentoring program, which enables newly minted social workers to learn from seasoned professionals. And I encourage our more seasoned alumni to share their expertise and advance their careers through opportunities to teach, lecture, advise, and supervise the next generation of social workers.聽

Career Services also responds to needs of students through specialized programming. For example, a final-year student relayed that they didn鈥檛 know much about benefits and would benefit from a workshop on what a typical job offer provides. We called an alumnus who is the vice president of a large local human services agency and put together an online workshop that walked participants through typical benefits, discussed salary negotiations, and outlined career opportunities at that agency, including opportunities for international students.

In addition, students have online access to a comprehensive set of resources to refer to for every aspect of career development, from self-assessment through salary negotiation. Topics covered include licensure, loan forgiveness, resume writing, and networking.

Career Services hosts an annual recruitment fair, where students and alumni can connect with dozens of potential employers with a national presence. Aside from the recruitment fair, what other events does the office host?聽

Throughout the year, students have many opportunities to interact with and learn from our alumni. These learning opportunities often present themselves through class presentations, workshops, or our annual Networking events with graduates.聽聽聽

Career Day is offered annually in January to graduating MSW students, with a panel of recent alumni offering their experience and advice on transitioning from a student to a newly-minted social worker. This half-day event helps students create a job search plan of action by providing timelines, articulating steps, and sharing resources for a successful job search.

Mock interviewing for graduating MSW students is an opportunity for those on the job market to practice before it counts. They are paired with alumni volunteers who simulate 20-minute interviews in a virtual setting and then provide 20 minutes of feedback.

We also host Career exploration panels, which provide opportunities for students to hear from alumni in a wide variety of roles. These events allow students to learn about the many career opportunities available to MSWs, make professional connections, and hear advice on how to get where they want to go.聽

Many of these programs are held online in the evening, allowing alumni across the country to participate and accommodating students鈥� busy schedules. Our in-person, on-campus events provide the benefit of face-to-face interactions in a smaller group with plenty of time for Q&As.