According to the US Bureau of Labor statistics, the overall employment of healthcare social workers is expected to rise by 20 percent by the year 2026, which is much faster than the average increase for most other occupations. As the population of the United States grows and life expectancy increases there will always be a strong demand for social workers and other healthcare professionals. These employees are already present in many workplaces such as schools, hospitals, in people’s homes, and other areas.
People who enter the fields of social work, healthcare, psychology, counseling, or other similar career clusters want to make a lasting impact on the lives of others by providing constant care and improving their patients’ mental and physical well-being. A lot of time these types of professions are not 9 to 5 jobs, but rather require on-call hours at all times of the day and night. Because of the variety of patient needs no day is the same for these workers. It can be tricky to gain work experience in healthcare social work fields early on in your studies. Working certain types of part-time or temporary jobs however, offer opportunities to acquire skills that will be transferable to full-time positions and other experiences. Summer Camp Counselor Working with kids for an extended period of time is exactly the challenge that can build soft skills needed for higher level social work positions. As this New York Times article noted, summer camp counselors have to be good communicators with kids of all different ages and stages of development. Camp counselors give their kids the confidence to try new things and provide assistance in crisis situations such as when members of the group they supervise suffer from separation anxiety and peer pressure or suffer a physical injury. This role also requires earning the trust of parents, guardians, and other family members who might be concerned about handing over their supervisory responsibilities for an extended period of time. Retail Associate Working in a retail environment also offers strong preparation for human services positions. With many traditional retail outlets suffering in the age of Amazon, most retail companies have rebranded themselves with an increased focus on customer service. Putting the customer first teaches you how to handle complaints and requests in a timely matter and gives you practice with interpersonal communication skills. Retail workers are learning how to work under pressure and remain positive in stressful situations, both of which are applicable in the often unpredictable social work and healthcare environments. When I worked as a customer service representative at Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace, a specialty Italian and grocery store, I often had to deal with customers who were angry about something that went wrong with their food order. I had to empathize with customers and resolve their complaints quickly while maintaining a positive attitude throughout my interaction. Learn to Serve The hospitality and food service industries, particularly the waiter/waitress or host/hostess roles, are increasingly reliant on outstanding customer service. These front facing positions require more motivation than other jobs in the field because employees work to earn tips from their clients in addition to their base salary. In the fast-paced environments of restaurants, for example, everyone must pay attention to detail to maintain overall cleanliness. The wait staff has to be attentive to the needs of their customers, such as food allergies that they might have, and be able to cater to their needs effectively. Customer service that goes above and beyond expectations will create positive experiences and help build the strong customer loyalty that keeps a business thriving. Social workers must be able to do the same while building rapport with their patients. Care is Everything The need to provide physical and emotional care to people in distress will always exist in the workforce. Jobs in the fields of counseling and psychology are some of the fastest growing in the nation. These positions involve being able to learn your clients’ needs and be able to adapt quickly to them. Social workers also need to emotionally connect with their patients in order to best communicate with them and motivate them. The traits and skills required for these challenging roles can be developed in a variety of ways by working positions that might be easily available to you this summer or during your school year.
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