7 Social Work Skills to Further Your Career

Social work is a rewarding career for individuals who want to impact their communities, and professionals with the right skills can pursue positions in the field with more responsibility, higher salaries, and stronger demand.

A Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program can help provide students with the social work skills and knowledge they need to work in various roles in the social service, legal, and mental health sectors.

Key Social Work Skills

The skills required to work in a given role can vary, but the seven below stand out as vitally important.

1. Advocacy

Social workers are on the front line of social justice, making advocacy one of the most important social work skills of all. These professionals represent individuals, families, and communities as they advocate for resources, funding, and better policies.

2. Empathy and Compassion

Empathy, compassion, and emotional intelligence are important for understanding clients’ ways of life and communication styles. These skills also help social workers better understand the impacts of programs or policies on their clients and communities.

3. Communication

Those involved in social work meet with clients, mental health providers, doctors, and many others. The ability to communicate effectively ensures a closer relationship with clients, enables greater empathy, and provides a conduit for more effective advocacy.

4. Critical Thinking

The ability to evaluate clients and the facts of their cases depends heavily on well-developed critical thinking skills. From finding the right solution to a specific problem to determining which resources can be most helpful, critical thinking is essential for building and executing strategies.

5. Cultural Competence

Cultural competence describes knowledge of and respect for various cultures. By better understanding the background of an individual, a family, or a community — for example, their religion, customs, or traditions — those in social work can provide better experiences and outcomes for their clients.

6. Leadership

Leadership is an important social work skill, especially for individuals who are interested in promoting change through policy reform. Leadership skills help individuals take charge of complicated situations, prioritize clients’ needs, and balance heavy caseloads.

7. Professionalism

Professionalism involves developing a set of values and ethics and continuing to hone them throughout one’s career. Hands-on learning, additional courses, and workshops help individuals in social work better apply their knowledge in aiding people and communities who need it most.

Exploring Other Careers and Roles in Social Work

Social workers and others in humanities careers play vital roles in their communities. While positions for social workers are projected to grow by about 7% between 2023 and 2033, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), individuals with the right social work skills can also pursue several other careers.

Social and Community Service Manager

Social and community service managers are responsible for creating and overseeing programs supporting public well-being. Their analytical, communication, managerial, and problem-solving skills allow them to suggest improvements and create programs designed to improve their local communities.

Social and community service managers earned a median annual salary of $78,240 as of May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and positions are projected to grow 8% between 2023 and 2033.

Counselor

Individuals with the right social work skills are well suited to become counselors, whether they opt to work in substance abuse and mental health, as career or education counselors, or as therapists. These professionals help individuals navigate the complexities of family disputes, discover careers that best suit their interests, or overcome substance abuse or mental health issues.

Skills such as empathy, compassion, and patience are vital to this role, as are interpersonal, communication, and listening skills. Licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) — who have earned an MSW, undertaken a set number of supervised counseling hours, and passed the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) licensing exam — are legally allowed to operate their own counseling and therapy practices independently.

According to the BLS, counselors’ pay can vary significantly based on the type of counseling they provide. While social workers earn a median annual salary of $61,330 as of 2024, substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors earned a median annual salary of $59,190, with positions expected to increase 19% between 2023 and 2033. School and career counselors and advisors earned a median of $65,140 in 2024, with 4% growth projected between 2023 and 2033, and therapists earned a median of $63,650 in 2023.

Probation Officer

Probation officers use their social work skills to oversee offenders who are on probation. They use decision-making, critical thinking, and communication skills to carry out their responsibilities, which may include evaluating individuals to determine the right course of rehabilitation, writing reports for case files, and interviewing individuals to assess progress and potential areas of improvement.

The BLS reports that probation officers and correctional treatment specialists earned a median annual salary of $64,520 as of 2024, with the top 10% earning more than $106,290. Employment is projected to grow by about 4% between 2023 and 2033, about as fast as average across all occupations.

Gain Valuable Social Work Skills With an MSW

Developing important social work skills is an ongoing, career-long process. One of the best ways to improve these skills involves earning an MSW degree. The online Master of Social Work degree program at California State University, Northridge, Tseng College prepares students to work with vulnerable and at-risk populations while developing a range of field-ready skills.

We are a top talent provider in the Los Angeles area in both public sector and social services roles, and our online program delivery allows working professionals to earn their degrees while balancing other responsibilities.

Learn more about how you can gain the social work skills you need to make a difference with an MSW degree from CSUN Tseng College.