What are the pros and cons of being a social worker?

• Rewarding Work. Social work involves helping people get out of dangerous or unsafe conditions. Seeing success in this can be incredibly rewarding. Many social workers report feeling satisfied when a job is completed.

• Job Security. There are many different aspects of social work. There is also always consistent work which means that you will always have a job. The career is consistently growing and it is projected that there will be a large amount of growth in the coming decade.

• Different work environments. If you are someone that prefers a working environment where things change daily, social work could be a great fit for you. You will be in the office sometimes, doing visits at other moments, and in court at other times.

Cons

• Emotionally Draining. Dealing with people who are living in dangerous situations can be extremely difficult emotionally. Oftentimes, you may even have people who refuse help, even when they truly need it. This can be extremely frustrating and difficult for social workers to process.

• Potentially Unsafe. Social workers may find themselves in unsafe situations at times. For instance, if you are working with addicts on the street, the chance that you could get attacked or robbed is much higher than if you were working in an office setting.

• Bureaucracy. One aspect of social work that social workers cite as being difficult is the standards and protocols you must follow. Sometimes, you may see someone in need, but not be able to help before other steps are taken first, and that can be frustrating.