Mark Social Work for You
From manager, to analyst, to advocate, there’s a job for you.
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Many students make the mistake of assuming that a career in social work is not profitable.
In some cases, this is true, and you must really do what you do for love instead of money. There are some jobs, however, that bring in a nice paycheck and, yes, you’ll still be doing social work. Keep in mind, “social” is all-inclusive, not just the needy, and you can enter into any of these four rewarding careers after you’ve earned your Master’s degree in social work.
Diversity and Inclusion Manager
Building a diverse and all-inclusive workforce is critical for every business because it’s the law. Ensuring a company remains in compliance with the ADA helps keep the business’ doors open and the managers out of the courtroom.
A diversity and inclusion manager is one who takes a look at the current workforce and re-allocates staff to maximize the use of talent. The manager also looks outward to bring in staff to improve team efficiency. In all cases, the manager works with local, state, and federal government regulations to ensure that the company is diverse in its hiring and promoting practices.
Education Policy Analyst
This job will pull you out of the corporate world and into the education, government, nonprofit or publishing sector. An education policy analyst is one who looks at curriculum and the studies surrounding the effectiveness of this curriculum.
You will be involved in determining how well students benefit from the current status quo and what improvements need to be made to boost that status quo. The ability to analyze reports from educational research firms and lobby for change are required to succeed in this position. A passion for education will also help you.
Human Resources Manager
You might not think of human resources as social work, but when you consider the elements of a human resources manager’s job, it makes sense.
The HR manager is responsible for hiring and firing all personnel, and as discussed in the diversity and inclusion manager’s job description, the HR manager must comply with the ADA and other fair-hiring acts. Another crucial element of an HR manager’s job is conflict resolution, which can be broken down into six key steps as explained by ACU.
Public Policy Advocate
This last installation bears the most resemblance to social work as most understand it. A public policy advocate is a lobbyist, basically, who goes to bat for what he or she believes in. Whether you want no-kill animal shelters in your county or you’re taking on Congress for stronger environmental legislation, a master’s in social work will help you understand how to persuade those who can make a difference to make a difference. Case Western offers an online degree in social work to get you started.
These careers are not only rewarding because they make a difference, they’re also more rewarding salary-wise than you might think. The average salary for any of the above ranges from $64,000 to nearly $100,000 annually, and as you grow within your career, you can make a six-figure income when you begin working with major corporations or in the higher echelons of lobbying. In any of these positions, social work can be rewarding and profitable.
