1. Networking is not about being selfish. The word “network” may initially sound like a synonym for selfishness, but don’t view it like that. Rather, consider it relationship building. If you’re afraid of being pushy or self-serving, then just don’t be pushy or self-serving. Social work in particular is built around community, relationships, and empathy, which is how you should approach networking as well. As written on Forbes, “true networking occurs when there’s an understanding that everyone in the room has equal value.”
2. Don’t be someone you’re not. Ok, so perhaps you’re still feeling iffy with the idea of networking. The good news: you don’t have to be a schmoozer to be good at it. While the field of social work is naturally a social position, that doesn’t mean introverts need to fear being left behind. Essentially, it’s better to be shy and genuine, than outgoing and insincere. Consider your personality and if you would network better as a farmer or a hunter.
3. Know your strengths.  You should have a good idea of how to promote your strengths, but also not let your weaknesses limit you. If you’re closer towards the end of your college career, you probably know what concentration of social work you’ll be going into. If you’re just starting out though, keep your options open. Fortunately, the field of social work in general is growing, with the highest rate of job prospects being in health care, mental health and substance abuse. While you should explore the field that works best for you, these are good statistics to keep in mind.
4. Start online. Social media is key. Stay connected with your school’s alumni network, whether its Facebook or LinkedIn, or however else you prefer. Learn what other actual networks and organizations you can be a part of. Consider joining the National Association of Social Workers or the American Counseling Association as a way to show your commitment to the field.
5. Attend conferences. This is probably the most “duh” item on here, but it is important! Nothing beats facetime with other professionals in the field. Prepare ahead of time knowing how to introduce and present yourself. Consider how to stand out from everyone else in the field. It’s a competitive environment, and while you might not feel comfortable being a shark, consider the aspects of your personality that do make you stand out.
6. Volunteer. Another easy way to get that facetime in, to meet people, and to get some personal experience on that resume. A lot of your networking might begin online, but the best way to gain more substantial as opposed to fleeting contacts is to create a physical presence. Let people know you’re not just a robot that posts on Facebook all day. The best networkers will combine the best of old-school methods with new technology.
7. Diversify. This may seem contradictory to point #3 but it’s not a bad idea to know people in other related social work fields. This can include professors and other students you’ve developed a relationship with; you never know what connections exist between multiple networks and how that could help you in the long run.
8. Constant contact.Once you get one foot in the door, don’t risk letting it slam you in the face. Ivan Misner, a networking expert, suggests the multiple ways you can keep yourself in touch with your new contacts. “Sending a thank-you note, making a phone call, arranging a meeting, sending an article of interest to someone, displaying someone else’s goods in your store, putting someone else’s link up on your Facebook… all of these count as networking, and you should be doing these as often as you can.”
9. Don’t fear rejection. Even if you feel like you’ve done everything in your power, it just doesn’t work out sometimes. Instead of getting down on it though, view the opportunity as a learning experience. Maybe you can do something different in your next encounter. Either way, it wasn’t meant to be, and if it didn’t work out, it’s probably for the best.
10. Avoid parasites: Remember, just because you are taking the sincere approach, doesn’t mean that everyone is. Networking is a two way street: don’t allow yourself to be taken advantage of.

Lastly, never ever ever EVER flat out ask for a job. Networking is a process and you shouldn’t expect immediate results. When discouraged, never get desperate. Tomorrow is a new day, and you never know what opportunities are waiting for you around the corner.

So how can you recognize this sort of creeping burnout and intervene before it ruins your productivity, alters your personality and compromises your physical and emotional health? To get you started, we’ve put together this list most common burnout symptoms.

• Exhaustion: This is probably the most obvious of the symptoms.  People affected feel drained and exhausted, overloaded, tired and low, and do not have enough energy. Physical exhaustion symptoms, however, can even include pain or problems with the stomach or bowel. Additionally, when you suffer from chronic stress, your body’s immune system is actually weakened and you’ll become more vulnerable to infections, colds, flus, and other immune system disorders. This often leads to individuals calling in sick because they don’t feel well. Workers suffering from burnout are often late for work, frequently call in sick and procrastinate on the job.
• Inability to concentrate: Ongoing physical and mental exhaustion can lead to various cognitive problems, such as an inability to concentrate, hold attention, and remember things. You’ll find that it’s harder to get things done and you simply can’t keep up the way you used to.
• Frequent mood changes: Burnout may cause emotional exhaustion and a loss of a sense of personal accomplishment, and therefore lead to depersonalization, alienation and depression. With this, you might notice that you feel more generally pessimistic than you used to. While everybody experiences some negative emotions from time to time, it’s important to know when these are becoming unusual for you.
• Lack of motivation: When you don’t feel enthusiastic about anything anymore or you no longer have that internal motivation for your work, there’s a good chance you’re experiencing burnout; it can be harder to get going in the morning and more difficult to drag yourself into work every day. You may also feel like you have too much on your plate and cannot get it all done.
• Social isolation: The depression and mood changes often associated with burnout can lead individuals to isolate themselves from others which leads to yet more depression; this can create a vicious cycle. When individuals feel they are not accomplishing all that they should, they start feeling ashamed and guilty about the poor job they’re doing. This leads to not wanting to let others down and individuals often decrease the number of social interactions they’re involved in. Moreover, this often causes people to entirely detach themselves from the world around them and makes them become totally isolated, further worsening the problem.
• Unhealthy coping habits: When suffering from burnout, some people engage in unhealthy coping strategies like drinking too much, smoking, being too sedentary, eating too much junk food, not eating enough or not getting enough sleep. Self-medication is another issue and could include relying on sleeping pills to sleep, drinking more alcohol at the end of the day to de-stress or even drinking more coffee to summon up the energy to drag yourself into work in the morning.

Well now you’re probably saying, “Okay. That’s great. But how do I fix this problem?” Well we’ve got that taken care of too! Here are some great tips for you to follow:

• Relax: Many find relaxation through meditation, yoga, or exercise to be the perfect anecdote to a stressful day. When your workday is done, you need to leave the stresses of it and the rest of your life behind, even if only for fifteen minutes. Relaxation and meditation can rejuvenate the body and the spirit. Right now you can begin by just closing your eyes and telling each of your body parts to relax as you sink further into your seat. Then focus on your breathing. If you only did this for five minutes each day, you would see a big difference in your own stress levels.
• Exercise: Human bodies have not evolved thousands of years to spend ten hours a day hunched over a keyboard staring at a screen or pouring over class books.  To stave off burnout, do something physical that makes you sweat, and do it at least three times a week. Regular physical activity, like walking or biking, can help you to better deal with stress. It can also help get your mind off work and focus on something else.
• Eat healthy foods: Eat more. We don’t mean donuts and pizza, though. We mean low-calorie green food that you eat throughout the entire day. Adding food with lots of antioxidants, water, fiber, and other nutrients can calm you and help your body relax.
• Learn when to say “no”: You’re busy – really busy, and everyone wants a little bit of your time.  If you don’t learn how to say no to people you are only going to do more damage. Saying “no” is something you need to be able to do to accomplish what you want to in life.
• Adjust your attitude: If you’ve become cynical at school or work, consider ways to improve your outlook. Rediscover enjoyable aspects of what you do. Recognize the valuable contributions your peers make or congratulate them on a job well done. Take short breaks throughout the day. Spend time away from stressful work to do the things you enjoy.
• Seek support: Whether you reach out to co-workers, classmates, friends, loved ones or others, support and collaboration may help you cope with job stress and feelings of burnout. If you have access to a health center at your school or near your work, take advantage of the available services.  Here are some of our favorite resources to help:

1. MindTools has created a neat, 15-question burnout self-test to score and evaluate exactly how worn out you are
2. MayoClinic – Job burnout: How to spot it and take action
3. Forbes Article – 12 Ways To Eliminate Stress At Work
4. National Institute of Health‘s Stress page
5. Stress Management Society – stress tips and how to manage stress in the workplace
6. American Institute of Stress – information on stress reduction, stress in the workplace, effects of stress and various other stress related topics

(NOTE: If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional. Do not self-diagnose.)

Consider these online resources as being supplemental to your BSW or MSW courses. You may be able take what you learn from these and apply them to your education, and vice versa:

• Social Work Helper: Social Work Helper is a social work magazine that provides news and updates to current social worker issues and social justice matters. It is a newer publication, but serves social workers all over the world are finding local, political, and mental health news from this site.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: A great resource for social workers who work primarily in the mental health or substance abuse field. Excellent articles, statistics, and other resources are found here.
• Clinical Social Work Association: This association attempts to serve as the “voice” of clinical social workers. There is a job board, a listing of recent news and legislation that affects social workers, and other membership benefits.
• Social Work Institute: The articles found here help social workers address how to serve multiple people and their needs. Through research and collaboration with partnering groups, this site continues to help bring about policy, change, and jobs.
• Social Work Podcast: A collection of podcasts by clinical practitioners and social workers in other fields. Topics range from practice and organization, education, and a variety of social work issues such as drug abuse and adoption.
• Grant Writing Tips: An excellent source for those who work with donations and grants from organizations.
• Nonprofit Career Network: A large directory of nonprofit jobs, including many social work positions.
• Child Welfare League of America: A source for any social workers who work with children. Here social workers can find jobs, read research, and find educational and training conferences.
• International Federation of Social Work: IFSW works on a global scale, linking social workers with organizations that work for social justice and development.

Being a social worker can be a difficult career; it can also be rewarding and worthwhile. With a supportive network of resources, it can be a long and fulfilling journey.

That said, the Dalhousie Department of Social Work and the Health Sciences Students Association (DalHSSA), has produced a wonderful video that attempts to answer a tough question…”What is Social Work?”

Social work is a challenging, rewarding, and dynamic field. But it’s also a demanding profession, requiring emotional and personal maturity. Employers look for candidates who possess workplace readiness skills that include much more than a desire to help others.

Below you’ll find a list of the top eight characteristics that comprise a model social worker in today’s complex health and human services system.

1. Training and Knowledge

First and foremost! Obtaining the right education is an essential part of your career development. Degree programs in social work are available at all education levels from an associate degree to a Ph.D. These programs provide the necessary training and skills required to work in social systems, large and small.

2. Courage

Being a social worker takes courage, no doubt about it. Social work often takes place in high-stress, complex environments so guts and will-power are must-have characteristics.

3. Empathy

Empathy is what social work is all about. Compassion for others is without a doubt, an essential attribute of a successful social worker.

4. Organization

Social workers handle some serious paperwork. From case files to medical records, you’ll need to keep your ducks in a row by staying on top of your work in a neat and organized fashion.

5. Respect for Diversity

Given the breadth of their profession, social workers often work with clients from all walks of life so it’s imperative to keep an open mind and an open heart.

6. Flexibility

In addition to odd hours, even on-call duty, social workers MUST be flexible, in all situations. Being able to adapt to new demands is essential, if not mandatory. Keep this in mind if other commitments will prevent you from working a not-so traditional schedule.

7. Ethical and Responsible

Social workers often handle ethical and sometimes legal issues that require careful thought and research. You’ll need to practice due diligence when it comes to handling client-service provider relationships.

8. Continuing Education

Employers look for candidates who are active in their field through professional associations, volunteering, or internship work. Do whatever you can to get as much experience and exposure in your field as possible.

If you are considering getting an MSW, take a look at what you need to know about MSW programs and possible future careers.

]]> https://mswonlineprograms.org/2012/top-eight-characteristics-of-a-successful-social-worker/feed/ 0 https://mswonlineprograms.org/2012/20-best-online-journals-and-forums-for-social-workers/ https://mswonlineprograms.org/2012/20-best-online-journals-and-forums-for-social-workers/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:00:15 +0000 https://mswonlineprograms.org/?p=24 Read more
]]> One way to become successful as a social worker student or on the job is to find other social workers to network with. Much of that networking needs to be local, so you have resources available to help you help others. But staying on top of trends in the industry is important too. As a student especially, learning about new legislation, theories, or insights can help generate discussion and put you at the top of the class. Online journals and forums designed specifically for social workers can provide those resources you need to be the best in your field. The following twenty online journals, forums, and social media outlets offer information to help you attain your goals.

Journals

1. Child & Family Social Work: With a focus on children and families, this journal provides social workers with current issues and archives of the most recent issues. They also offer an online availability for “call for papers.”
2. Clinical Social Work Journal: This journal publishes leading, peer-reviewed original articles relevant to contemporary clinical practice with individuals, couples, families, and groups. It also presents innovations in theoretical, practice, evidence-based clinical research, and interdisciplinary approaches. You can find downloads of articles online, as well as the opportunity to submit work.
3. International Social Work: This is a scholarly peer reviewed journal designed to extend knowledge and promote communication in the fields of social development, social welfare, and human services. You can find the current issue and forthcoming articles published ahead of print at this site.
4. Journal of Social Work: This is an international peer reviewed forum for the publication, dissemination and debate of key ideas and research in social work. You can find online articles here that promote, debate and analyze current themes and issues in social work theory, research, policy and practice, sometimes before they’re published in print.
5. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics: This journal examines the ethical and values issues that impact and are interwoven with social work practice, research, and theory development. The current edition is available online, as well as an archive, and a way to submit manuscripts.
6. Qualitative Social Work: This journal provides a forum for those interested in qualitative research and evaluation and in qualitative approaches to practice. Look for the current issue online, as well as forthcoming articles published ahead of print.
7. Social Work & Society: Social Work and Society (SW&S) is an international network of social scientists and political activists in the fields of social work and social policy. You can find current issues and archives available at their site. They have an “open access” policy.
8. Social Work Today: This journal tackles topics such as addictions, mental health, children and family, aging, healthcare, and professional practice. They hold current issues and article archives online as well as a “Digital Edition” section.
9. The British Journal of Social Work: Published for the British Association of Social Workers, this is the leading academic social work journal in the UK. It covers every aspect of social work, with papers reporting research, discussing practice, and examining principles and theories. This journal offers online access to the current issue as well as archives.
10. The New Social Worker: This online magazine has been in operation for almost two decades. They carry job listings, a forum, and articles that keep social workers updated with their careers.

Forums

Beyond this list, take look at university and college websites for social work or social worker forums. Many higher-education institutions that maintain social work programs also provide forums for students to talk about social work issues across the spectrum. You often need to be a student in a given program to gain access to those resources.

1. Socialworkhelper.com: This is a professional online magazine  where users can engage listen to podcasts, share information, comment on news stories, view archived twitter chats, and much more.
2. CareSpace Social Work Forums: Learn more about the social work profession, children’s and adult services, the practice, careers, and residential care, among other topics at this forum.
3. Council on Social Work Education Discussion Forums: This is an electronic mailing list community that requires registration to join in the conversations. You also can join as a Council on Social Work member.
4. Social Worker Jobs Forum: This job site provides a way to communicate about social work jobs from around the country and the world. Topics include PhD degrees, new graduate stress, career change, and other issues.
5. The GradCafe Social Work Forum: You must register before you can comment, but feel free to browse topics such as information about various college programs, college woes, and field placement interviews, and more.

Social Media

As forums are becoming more and more a thing of the past, most people are connecting and interacting with social media now. While there are many outlets you can follow on Facebook and Twitter, here are a few key sites that can be a stepping stone toward developing your online identity. As always, be aware of what you post publicly online and consider the ethical implications of what you post.

1. LinkedIn Networking and Discussion Forum for Social Workers: Connect with other social workers in this professional social media format. You can also promote your business and skills by posting articles, questions, and answers. You must be a LinkedIn member to participate.
2. This Twitter list of social workers: Twitter is great tool for real-time interaction, even if on a microlevel. This list of over 300 social workers and institutions is filled with a variety of people you can add to your following list.
3. Twitter chats: Another way to talk in real-time about specific issues at a predetermined time. Social Worker Helper does a great job of organizing these chats, and archiving them as well.
4. Reddit: Essentially the modern online forum, the social worker subreddit goes more in depth than twitter’s character limit allows. Many questions you probably have about MSW programs and social work in general will be asked and hopefully answered here.
5. The National Association of Social Workers Facebook: It’s always a good idea to stay up-to-date with the NASW. They post frequently on Facebook, as well as longer posts and an archive on their blog.
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