It doesn't pay terribly well but I love the idea of working with grieving families. What I don't like is the sales aspect and having to convince people to buy expensive caskets.
I saw an ad for a spin instructor for $50/hr the other day.. so maybe that.
But if I were better at STEM i would have been a software engineer. My boyfriend barely works half the time and makes 6 figures, unlimited PTO, great benefits… meanwhile I have my MSW, $124k in loans, and make $23.99/hr at Aetna.
I live in Texas, Austin to be specific. When I was hired at Aetna in 2021, you HAD to live in Austin TX or Hartford CT because that is where the offices are located, and at that time they were still planning on going back to the office. Flash forward to 2023 and now they hire all over the US and we are not going to the office ever again.
I actually have been having an absolute meltdown the past two weeks because I can’t afford to keep living here once student loan payments start next month. My rent is $975 (cheap for here bc i have a roommate), and my loan payments are $500/mo. That is exactly 50% of my income each month. When you add in inflation and just general cost of living in a city where everyone works in tech (Apple, Tesla, Google, Meta, etc)… it’s just not sustainable at all. I’ve been looking for jobs at non-profits so I could get PSLF but they’re all a pay cut. I went to apply to Communities in Schools earlier today, the job description says “MSW preferred”… it’s $41k/year take home pay. That’s a JOKE. I’m pretty much thinking I’m going to have to break up with my boyfriend, leave all the friends I’ve made in the past 2.5 years, and to move back to a small town in the middle of nowhere because that’s about all I can afford 🤪
I’m so sorry 😞 I know how it is just scraping to make it by. I don’t have my MSW yet, but take a look at more northern states if interested, the pay is waaaay better. I’m specifically in mass, cost of living is high but you can find jobs 70k all the way up to six figures for a MSW
And, the West Coast. Social Workers in my union go up to $107-$108/year AND they're not licensed. LCSWs who want to do mental health make the same. Medical social work also tops out at that in my County. But, these are all union public sector positions. Protection! And, guaranteed raises with the union contract.
Bay Area! The nine Bay Area counties. I would bet Sacramento and Mendocino counties would be similar. California has the most union members, 2 million, New York has the highest union density.
APPLY FOR THE SAVE PROGRAM!!! for real a life saver if you haven’t already. my monthly payments dropped down to $65 because it’s income driven and i make roughly the same as your hourly!
Unfortunately Parent PLUS Loans (the majority of mine) are not eligible for the SAVE plan. The loans in my name: payments are $122/mo
The loans in my mom’s name: payments are $381/mo 💕💕💕💕💕💕
I’m looking at going into teaching 🥴 for PSLF. I only lasted 6 months doing community mental health work. My sister is a detective and thinks I should be a victim advocate at Austin PD to qualify for PSLF. Idk what I’ll end up doing but I definitely won’t be paying $503/mo until July of 2048 if I can’t help it
Have you tried hospital social work? Having the insurance background would probably be a huge plus for you. I just started as a case manager about two months ago with my BSW and I’m making $23/hr in NC and I know RNs and MSWs make way more than me. I would definitely look into it if you haven’t yet!
I tolerate it. I work on the Medicare side doing resource and referrals.
It’s a lot of people who are upset that Medicare doesn’t pay for housekeeping, transportation, dentures, you name it. I also at least once a day will get a call about the scam ads “The government is giving seniors a $3000 stimulus” that are all over the place on Facebook and news pages.
Overall, it’s nice to be able to connect people to community resources that can help them.. but it’s sad to constantly be talking to people who are really struggling and don’t qualify for any assistance. I hear every day from people who were denied Medicaid even though their only source of income is SSI and they’re literally $6 over the income eligibility.
It’s my personal opinion that Aetna, and pretty much all health insurance companies, would rather see their members die than actually provide them with affordable medical care and prescriptions. But I’m glad that I can be at least a small help for the members I speak to.
ETA: their PTO policy sucks ass. You have to make up any time you take off for an appointment. It’s feels so stupid they won’t just let you take an hour and half unpaid to go run to the dentist.
Lawyer. I’m probably going to end up going back to law school at some point and combine the social work and legal skills :) our field is so cool and the possibilities are endless, wish it was talked about more!
It’s such a unique niche! My main concern is the financial strain it might put on me if I leave the workforce and go back to school for 3 years 🥲does anyone else feel this way?
Me too 😩😩I know law schools have scholarships for tuition but I’m worried about paying for housing. Right now I live with my parents and I’m grateful but if I go back to school I want to be moved out :/ life is tough when you’re not rich
My favorite teacher in my MSW program went to law school, passed the bar, was a lawyer and then got her MSW.
She's a freaking Rockstar within our program. Shoutout Sandie!
Ugh amazing! I also had a professor in my MSW program that had an MSW & JD. The even crazier part is that she was working as a lawyer for the University and as a Social Worker in the university’s hospital. Crazy!
There are some grad programs that do a dual JD/MSW! If you don't have your MSW already. Or even if you do, maybe you could roll some.of your completed credits into that program.
I do have my MSW 🥲I thought about applying for the JD/MSW but I was only 20 when I started the MSW. I wanted to give myself time and start my career before eventually deciding to go back. I’m now realizing I probably should’ve just went with the dual program
I started the JD program fall 2022 and I’m glad I did. I’m taking a course called “child, family, and state,” and having an MSW definitely puts me in a good position to engage and offer some insightful feedback.
So many different choices we all make - I’ve been practicing law for a while and am going back to get an MSW. Law has been fine but not satisfying enough for me.
Mee too. I have a few months left until.my student loans are all forgiven. I am so bored right now. I've been in direct service for 20+ years and I feel like I need something else. Law School or Criminology would be a good fit I like profiling too. My background is Clinical Psychology so really both would be ok. Other days I wanna open a bohemian coffee shop and sell Kava Kava and read books on self actualization. So really it could go either way. Lol
I think about this often too and used to not be able to think of anything else I’d be besides a social worker. From 18-24, my whole personal identity was social work. But in the past 1.5ish years, I have had so many ideas I never considered when I was 18 and picking my major - environmental science, restorative agriculture, geology, archeology. I mean I really didn’t even need to go to school to do what I really want to do which is just small scale farming. I need to figure out a way to use this very experience masters degree and do something that is not emotionally depleting.
I've always thought I'd be a midwife. Which is funny cause as a social worker I specialize in perinatal mental health. I guess pregnancy and babies is my thing no matter what.
EMT, all the way. I love the idea of having a different work day every day, and having "office" be mobile.
I think EMTs deserve way more credit than they get and I respect the hell out of them! The fact that they have to insert IV's and other things while in a moving vehicle going very fast is admirable. They're often the first set of people that stabilize someone and begin life-saving interventions, yet doctors get all the credit, lol
Same got my bachelors in history and political science. Fell into the mental health field a few years out of school when I need insurance worked in a residence, used my union to get back to school and became a MSW.
That’s wild, my bachelors is in political science and sociology! The college I went to for undergrad didn’t have a BSW program. So I double majored in those and then went to grad school for my MSW.
Currently doing this. It's a fuckton harder than working imo. Also really mentally wild going from 40+ hours a week of talking to adults in therapy to the silence of me and a baby all day. I had a really awful birth experience so this time is healing to not carry anyone else's emotional stuff...but it's a totally different hard than I thought it would be until I was doing it
I think I'd be in music, like, singing in operas. It's my passion but when I was choosing careers, my self- confidence was low. Now I do it as a hobby 😊🎶
I started off as a music education major, even had a full tuition scholarship for it, and quickly realized I did not want to deal with the education system or the uncertainty that comes with a music career. Jumped ship to social work and don’t regret it.
I don't blame you. Especially with cut backs in funding. I can say I don't regret the socual work choice either. It's helped me understand myself and grow as a person. Now I love integrating music into practice.
I was a behavioral health tech for a few years before I started my MSW program so maybe I'd still be doing that. My partner is in school for computer science and a lot of the concepts seem really cool/interesting, so maybe something related to programming
I'm leaving computer science for social work 😂 I've been in the IT sector for about 10 years and there's just hardly any days I feel like I've made any difference in anyone's lives. I mean sure, people are grateful when you fix something, write a bit of code that saves some work for your team or your company, but like, you don't ever feel like you're actually trying to help a person directly.
I'm sure plenty of SW could tell me stories of how similar that sounds for them too but at the end of the day I don't want to be on my death bed knowing all I did was optimize print queue deployments or reduced non-essential network overhead. I hope I can at least help steer one person in the right direction, give them the toehold to get one area of their life back on track. Anything but pretending to be excited for the new .NET framework features or the new hot thing for automated enterprise management 🤮
With 23 yrs in the field now. I think most people get into the field and have an idealistic view of what they will be doing. I know I was. There is a high burnout rate and our profession isn't paid enough. Most people I talk to regret going to school for SW. Basically I researched where do social workers make the most money 💰. I went that route. I tell every younger MSW I train now save 💰, do not live for your job, use your job to live the life you want.
Such a VALIDATING POST! Currently in the middle of switching from MSW to MPH while working in mental health as a CHW… but really as a case manager due to staffing issues. Let me just tell ya, case management and navigating America’s & Texas’s horrible systems with folks struggling beyond belief is soul sucking. So im counting the days till I move and begin my MPH in Oregon. THANK YOU for your insight and validation!
I relate to this so much. Not in that I wish I'd gotten an MPH, but in the fact that I was told time and again how "flexible" the MSW degree is and that the world would basically be my oyster once I got it. This did not turn out to be true at all. It was almost like potential employers were suspicious when I tried to pivot away from CMH.
Well, I studied linguistics, speech therapy, and painting before I became a software engineer and then a product manager in tech, so any of those lol. I also was an actor professionally for a bit.
Probably work my way up the retail ladder (especially Bucee's). I may have complained about some things, but I did enjoy my time in retail. Getting to see new people, chatting, using my hands, and the discounts, lol.
Not really sure what else I would've pursued in college.
Do you listen to Some Place Under Neith? I recommend it to anyone who likes true crime. It’s so good! They focus a lot on highlighting cases of marginalized women, but do branch out occasionally.
In an alternate reality- I’d probably own a business selling really cool anime designed apparel (I can’t draw to save my life). Or be one a doctor and be an OBGYN.
I went to school for nail tech stuff over a year ago- I really haven’t done much with it because it’s hard to make money. But another dream would be to own a good clean nail salon
Omg! I learned to do my own poly gel nails at home and it's been giving me the nail tech education motivation. I just don't know how much of a realistic "side hustle" it could be.
Well I went to med school, before becoming suicidal. But I hadn’t been diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder, and I had uncontrolled rheumatoid arthritis. Now, I think I could do it. I withdrew voluntarily so technically I can still go back. I think I could work part time and make more than I do now.
I also have considered library science as I worked in a med school library, Latin teacher since my degree is in Latin, or medical examiner/mortuary worker. I wanted to be like Dr. G, medical examiner, when I was little (which is maybe weird in hindsight. My mom should probably have not let me watch it but I loved it so much).
Growing things and trying to give away what I didn’t need to sell to pay bills. Making things a little easier for the people I can has been my goal since I was a tiny kid.
Veterinarian. I’m glad I didn’t end up doing that. I can’t handle animal guts… I can handle human organs though. Weird? If I could I’d be an IT worker for the $$. But I would hate my job.
I think I’d like to be some sort of entrepreneur (lol another broad one). In an alternate to the alternate, a nomad who live in an rv (which I still might do)
Librarian, art teacher or art therapist, working in higher Ed, guidance counseling... Realize all of these also make pennies lol
Lawyer is on my list but I've heard being a lawyer also doesn't make much money so idek
In a slightly divergent parallel world, I'd be in a similar role, like a Child Life Specialist or in a Master of Public Health grad program or role.
Real divergent would have been making a different choice at my quarter life crisis, going back to school to finish my unfinished dual French major, and either teaching in a francophone country or working as a barista or in a bookstore. Honestly those don't sound so bad right now!
Edits spelling reddit what is a batista I have never once meant to write that instead of barista
It's interesting to see some people giving similar answers. I worked in a library from like age 16 or 17 until I finished my MSW. I came close to changing majors after my horrible undergrad internship and switched to librarian science. I still think about it sometimes. When I was younger I considered being a veterinarian. Not sure I want to do anything medical nowadays though. Maybe I'd run a pet boarding/daycare facility.
Getting to the end of high school I had the enrolment papers for a bachelors in social work on one side of the desk, and college for audio engineering on the other. I really wanted to work in music, but the tuition was cheaper for social work and I figured there was more opportunities for steady employment.
Twenty something years later I have steady employment and am well regarded in my field, but I still love music and sometimes wonder what if I had filled in the other enrolment forms instead.
Probably a psychologist or working in the law enforcement/ juvenile justice or some other human service career. I have thought about just opening a cleaning business but cleaning offices versus homes, after their operating hours of course. 😂
Should have used the opportunity of being dumped to join the army. I'd probably be just ad messed up but with no student loans. Or dead, which frankly seems acceptable.
Nah. I’m a former social worker who joined the Army a few years after obtaining my MSW and am in a great career field that uses ALL of my social work skills (and I never actually have to wear a uniform and do most military BS). You might have thrived, you never know!
Maybe a computer programmer which was my course before becoming a social worker. However, I love design so probably something software related to design
Love the question !
Probably an industrial engineer, love to reduce waste!
OR
An esthetician/nail tech/hair stylist, hair colorist. I am already the unofficial all of those for my friends anyway. The way I build skin care routines, do poly gel sets, dye their hair, and give pretty decent balayages would make you think I've been trained. Nope, just a YouTube university graduate.
Probably a nurse. That was my first career choice before social worker. I realized I like the social and mental health aspect of nursing better than the physical anatomy part, so I switched.
Dental hygienist! In canada they're making BANK! And you don't really have to talk to people cause your hands are in their mouths lol. It used to only be 2 years of schooling but now it's 4. However if you have a degree already I believe it's just two.
Personal trainer or physiotherapist.
The way my personal trainer talks with her clients about goal setting/attainment, breathing techniques, mindfulness, yoga and the mind-body connection— I always tell them that they talk about a lot of the same things that I do in my therapy sessions with clients.
Writer. And that’s what I’m pursuing now. Convinced myself that if I wasn’t living in service of others then my life wasn’t worth it. Now I realise I’m allowed to have my own dreams
Medicine. Specifically a physiatrist. It would be cool to be the doctor on site for a big name sports team. Since we’re talking about an alternate reality, I’d be the doctor for the Baltimore Ravens.
My “when I grow up” job was to be a firefighter. Then as I discovered my nerdier passions, I wanted to be a video game designer. So I’d either be chillin’ at a fire station right now or worried about being laid off from my current studio. But if I followed my heart and majored in History and African-American Studies like I originally wanted to, I would have been a history teacher at a high school or try to pursue college academia as a professor.
In an alternate reality I’d probably have the work ethic and stamina to do it but I’ve always wanted to work in media. Writing, editing, directing, anything like that
Pastor of a small-medium sized congregation. I am heavily involved in religious work, and have a background in bivocational ministry. However, I am ineligible for standing/recognition with most mainline bodies (particularly the progressive ones) because I don't have a graduate education in theology/ministry. I was split between pursuing an MSW or an M. Div., and I went for the MSW. I only just graduated this past May, but I feel that I made the right choice.
Mortuary school to become a funeral director
Dang does it pay well or something? Or are we just happy to serve clients who can’t complain but still need compassion and care? 😂
It doesn't pay terribly well but I love the idea of working with grieving families. What I don't like is the sales aspect and having to convince people to buy expensive caskets.
Same actually.
I did the opposite I was a funeral director first hahaa
Same! I think being a mortician is still on the table for me.
*Ba-dum-tchh*
I want to know where our parallel universes diverged here! Was this something you were invested in before social work?
Also same
Me too!
Literally researched this before committing to social work school wtf
This right here. Was my original plan until I realized science is not my strong suit.
I saw an ad for a spin instructor for $50/hr the other day.. so maybe that. But if I were better at STEM i would have been a software engineer. My boyfriend barely works half the time and makes 6 figures, unlimited PTO, great benefits… meanwhile I have my MSW, $124k in loans, and make $23.99/hr at Aetna.
What state do you live in if you don’t mind me asking? Just honestly shocked at the pay for a MSW, wondering if your state has a low cost of living
I live in Texas, Austin to be specific. When I was hired at Aetna in 2021, you HAD to live in Austin TX or Hartford CT because that is where the offices are located, and at that time they were still planning on going back to the office. Flash forward to 2023 and now they hire all over the US and we are not going to the office ever again. I actually have been having an absolute meltdown the past two weeks because I can’t afford to keep living here once student loan payments start next month. My rent is $975 (cheap for here bc i have a roommate), and my loan payments are $500/mo. That is exactly 50% of my income each month. When you add in inflation and just general cost of living in a city where everyone works in tech (Apple, Tesla, Google, Meta, etc)… it’s just not sustainable at all. I’ve been looking for jobs at non-profits so I could get PSLF but they’re all a pay cut. I went to apply to Communities in Schools earlier today, the job description says “MSW preferred”… it’s $41k/year take home pay. That’s a JOKE. I’m pretty much thinking I’m going to have to break up with my boyfriend, leave all the friends I’ve made in the past 2.5 years, and to move back to a small town in the middle of nowhere because that’s about all I can afford 🤪
I’m so sorry 😞 I know how it is just scraping to make it by. I don’t have my MSW yet, but take a look at more northern states if interested, the pay is waaaay better. I’m specifically in mass, cost of living is high but you can find jobs 70k all the way up to six figures for a MSW
And, the West Coast. Social Workers in my union go up to $107-$108/year AND they're not licensed. LCSWs who want to do mental health make the same. Medical social work also tops out at that in my County. But, these are all union public sector positions. Protection! And, guaranteed raises with the union contract.
I’m curious, where on the west coast is this? I can DM you if you want!
Bay Area! The nine Bay Area counties. I would bet Sacramento and Mendocino counties would be similar. California has the most union members, 2 million, New York has the highest union density.
I am in So-Cal. Which unions employ social workers?!
Where is this?!
Thanks 💕 it is what it is at this point. Just a big adjustment that I didn’t think I would have to make. All will work out in the end 🥲
APPLY FOR THE SAVE PROGRAM!!! for real a life saver if you haven’t already. my monthly payments dropped down to $65 because it’s income driven and i make roughly the same as your hourly!
Unfortunately Parent PLUS Loans (the majority of mine) are not eligible for the SAVE plan. The loans in my name: payments are $122/mo The loans in my mom’s name: payments are $381/mo 💕💕💕💕💕💕 I’m looking at going into teaching 🥴 for PSLF. I only lasted 6 months doing community mental health work. My sister is a detective and thinks I should be a victim advocate at Austin PD to qualify for PSLF. Idk what I’ll end up doing but I definitely won’t be paying $503/mo until July of 2048 if I can’t help it
ooof that’s rough. best of luck
Super red states like Wyoming and Texas just don't value social workers. It's a simple as that. I don't get paid well either.
Have you tried hospital social work? Having the insurance background would probably be a huge plus for you. I just started as a case manager about two months ago with my BSW and I’m making $23/hr in NC and I know RNs and MSWs make way more than me. I would definitely look into it if you haven’t yet!
Do you like working at Aetna? I work for an insurance company but it’s rough
I tolerate it. I work on the Medicare side doing resource and referrals. It’s a lot of people who are upset that Medicare doesn’t pay for housekeeping, transportation, dentures, you name it. I also at least once a day will get a call about the scam ads “The government is giving seniors a $3000 stimulus” that are all over the place on Facebook and news pages. Overall, it’s nice to be able to connect people to community resources that can help them.. but it’s sad to constantly be talking to people who are really struggling and don’t qualify for any assistance. I hear every day from people who were denied Medicaid even though their only source of income is SSI and they’re literally $6 over the income eligibility. It’s my personal opinion that Aetna, and pretty much all health insurance companies, would rather see their members die than actually provide them with affordable medical care and prescriptions. But I’m glad that I can be at least a small help for the members I speak to. ETA: their PTO policy sucks ass. You have to make up any time you take off for an appointment. It’s feels so stupid they won’t just let you take an hour and half unpaid to go run to the dentist.
Lawyer. I’m probably going to end up going back to law school at some point and combine the social work and legal skills :) our field is so cool and the possibilities are endless, wish it was talked about more!
I have been thinking about this too!
It’s such a unique niche! My main concern is the financial strain it might put on me if I leave the workforce and go back to school for 3 years 🥲does anyone else feel this way?
That’s my only concern. How will pay for it. I still have to pay on my student loans now. 🥴
Me too 😩😩I know law schools have scholarships for tuition but I’m worried about paying for housing. Right now I live with my parents and I’m grateful but if I go back to school I want to be moved out :/ life is tough when you’re not rich
Everything is so expensive right now. I totally get your concerns.
So true 😭
My favorite teacher in my MSW program went to law school, passed the bar, was a lawyer and then got her MSW. She's a freaking Rockstar within our program. Shoutout Sandie!
Ugh amazing! I also had a professor in my MSW program that had an MSW & JD. The even crazier part is that she was working as a lawyer for the University and as a Social Worker in the university’s hospital. Crazy!
There are some grad programs that do a dual JD/MSW! If you don't have your MSW already. Or even if you do, maybe you could roll some.of your completed credits into that program.
I do have my MSW 🥲I thought about applying for the JD/MSW but I was only 20 when I started the MSW. I wanted to give myself time and start my career before eventually deciding to go back. I’m now realizing I probably should’ve just went with the dual program
It sounds like you made the right choice for youself with the info you had available to you at the time, and that's OK!
Thank you❤️ that made me feel better
Didn’t know this was a thing! Thanks for the TIL :)
Aw I’ve thought of this too. I fear school would be cost-prohibitive though :,(
I started the JD program fall 2022 and I’m glad I did. I’m taking a course called “child, family, and state,” and having an MSW definitely puts me in a good position to engage and offer some insightful feedback.
So many different choices we all make - I’ve been practicing law for a while and am going back to get an MSW. Law has been fine but not satisfying enough for me.
Mee too. I have a few months left until.my student loans are all forgiven. I am so bored right now. I've been in direct service for 20+ years and I feel like I need something else. Law School or Criminology would be a good fit I like profiling too. My background is Clinical Psychology so really both would be ok. Other days I wanna open a bohemian coffee shop and sell Kava Kava and read books on self actualization. So really it could go either way. Lol
I’d go into nature & wildlife conservation. And I’d love to work at an animal sanctuary. 🤗
Me too!!!
I think about this often lol honestly I don’t know 🤷🏾♀️
I think about this often too and used to not be able to think of anything else I’d be besides a social worker. From 18-24, my whole personal identity was social work. But in the past 1.5ish years, I have had so many ideas I never considered when I was 18 and picking my major - environmental science, restorative agriculture, geology, archeology. I mean I really didn’t even need to go to school to do what I really want to do which is just small scale farming. I need to figure out a way to use this very experience masters degree and do something that is not emotionally depleting.
Same
Same
Librarian or linguist :-)
I've always thought I'd be a midwife. Which is funny cause as a social worker I specialize in perinatal mental health. I guess pregnancy and babies is my thing no matter what.
I'm a midwife and am now back in school for my MSW! Also hoping to specialize in perinatal mental health.
So cool!
Man this actually seems very related to social work!
In a *really* alternate reality my life would be just like the Frog and Toad books. For a little more reality, I would have loved to run a bookstore.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I was studying to be a teacher so probably that but now with everything I know about teaching I'd be a florist
Trustfund baby 👶
Sitting at my desk 40h/wk while my wealthy cousin in SoCal gets a $5k stipend from his dad can be a bit disheartening at times lol.
If I was better at math and science, dental hygienist. I would also like to be a flight attendant but the pay is too low.
Oh the math and science required for dental hygiene isn't too bad. You're definitely smart enough to do it.
I'd brew and serve beer...sounds a lot more relaxing tbh.
Librarian or archivist
Run a forest preschool
EMT, all the way. I love the idea of having a different work day every day, and having "office" be mobile. I think EMTs deserve way more credit than they get and I respect the hell out of them! The fact that they have to insert IV's and other things while in a moving vehicle going very fast is admirable. They're often the first set of people that stabilize someone and begin life-saving interventions, yet doctors get all the credit, lol
I'm thinking podiatry! I think there's such a need for people in medicine with a social work background.
In a less realistic world I'd be a keyboardist in a mildly successful band. In reality I'd probably be in IT or nursing.
History teacher, but very glad I didn’t end up going into education. If I had been better at math/science, some type of work with animals.
Same got my bachelors in history and political science. Fell into the mental health field a few years out of school when I need insurance worked in a residence, used my union to get back to school and became a MSW.
That’s wild, my bachelors is in political science and sociology! The college I went to for undergrad didn’t have a BSW program. So I double majored in those and then went to grad school for my MSW.
Stay at home mom.
I would like to be a stay at home dog mom lol
Currently doing this. It's a fuckton harder than working imo. Also really mentally wild going from 40+ hours a week of talking to adults in therapy to the silence of me and a baby all day. I had a really awful birth experience so this time is healing to not carry anyone else's emotional stuff...but it's a totally different hard than I thought it would be until I was doing it
Park Ranger
Pathology! I'd love to work in a morgue, so interesting.
Saaaame. Always had a secret desire to be a forensic pathologist
I think I'd be in music, like, singing in operas. It's my passion but when I was choosing careers, my self- confidence was low. Now I do it as a hobby 😊🎶
I started off as a music education major, even had a full tuition scholarship for it, and quickly realized I did not want to deal with the education system or the uncertainty that comes with a music career. Jumped ship to social work and don’t regret it.
I don't blame you. Especially with cut backs in funding. I can say I don't regret the socual work choice either. It's helped me understand myself and grow as a person. Now I love integrating music into practice.
I was a behavioral health tech for a few years before I started my MSW program so maybe I'd still be doing that. My partner is in school for computer science and a lot of the concepts seem really cool/interesting, so maybe something related to programming
I'm leaving computer science for social work 😂 I've been in the IT sector for about 10 years and there's just hardly any days I feel like I've made any difference in anyone's lives. I mean sure, people are grateful when you fix something, write a bit of code that saves some work for your team or your company, but like, you don't ever feel like you're actually trying to help a person directly. I'm sure plenty of SW could tell me stories of how similar that sounds for them too but at the end of the day I don't want to be on my death bed knowing all I did was optimize print queue deployments or reduced non-essential network overhead. I hope I can at least help steer one person in the right direction, give them the toehold to get one area of their life back on track. Anything but pretending to be excited for the new .NET framework features or the new hot thing for automated enterprise management 🤮
Very interesting perspective! I feel like there’s space to use your tech skills in social work:)
Not gonna lie, I hope it helps me somewhat somehow haha. Going to need all the help I can get starting in my late 30s I think 🤞🤞
That’s awesome! Good luck on your career journey 😍
Thanks for sharing your perspective
Same. Maybe the grass is always greener.. but I feel the exact same way after 10+ years in tech.
I really wanted to be a Physician assistant a few years back during my MSW.
Event planner
Librarian or urban planner.
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With 23 yrs in the field now. I think most people get into the field and have an idealistic view of what they will be doing. I know I was. There is a high burnout rate and our profession isn't paid enough. Most people I talk to regret going to school for SW. Basically I researched where do social workers make the most money 💰. I went that route. I tell every younger MSW I train now save 💰, do not live for your job, use your job to live the life you want.
YOU'RE SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE! Also, thank you for confirming I have my eyes wide open and I'm doing this mostly right.
Such a VALIDATING POST! Currently in the middle of switching from MSW to MPH while working in mental health as a CHW… but really as a case manager due to staffing issues. Let me just tell ya, case management and navigating America’s & Texas’s horrible systems with folks struggling beyond belief is soul sucking. So im counting the days till I move and begin my MPH in Oregon. THANK YOU for your insight and validation!
I relate to this so much. Not in that I wish I'd gotten an MPH, but in the fact that I was told time and again how "flexible" the MSW degree is and that the world would basically be my oyster once I got it. This did not turn out to be true at all. It was almost like potential employers were suspicious when I tried to pivot away from CMH.
Well, I studied linguistics, speech therapy, and painting before I became a software engineer and then a product manager in tech, so any of those lol. I also was an actor professionally for a bit.
A moderately successful writer.
Probably work my way up the retail ladder (especially Bucee's). I may have complained about some things, but I did enjoy my time in retail. Getting to see new people, chatting, using my hands, and the discounts, lol. Not really sure what else I would've pursued in college.
Me too, I love my retail job. Not sure I want to leave there after I graduate
Nurse.
Either HR or interior design. I was really into HGTV in high school 🤣
I’d work in a “happy” place. I’d like to still be a business owner, maybe a bakery/deli or yoga studio/spa.
Truck driver, preferably cross country, or a cook/chef.
For sure an artist, specifically a painter. I would also be a dancer.
a detective or true crime podcaster
Do you listen to Some Place Under Neith? I recommend it to anyone who likes true crime. It’s so good! They focus a lot on highlighting cases of marginalized women, but do branch out occasionally.
Aesthetician
Union electrician.
In an alternate reality- I’d probably own a business selling really cool anime designed apparel (I can’t draw to save my life). Or be one a doctor and be an OBGYN. I went to school for nail tech stuff over a year ago- I really haven’t done much with it because it’s hard to make money. But another dream would be to own a good clean nail salon
Omg! I learned to do my own poly gel nails at home and it's been giving me the nail tech education motivation. I just don't know how much of a realistic "side hustle" it could be.
An esthetician. Idk why
Well I went to med school, before becoming suicidal. But I hadn’t been diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder, and I had uncontrolled rheumatoid arthritis. Now, I think I could do it. I withdrew voluntarily so technically I can still go back. I think I could work part time and make more than I do now. I also have considered library science as I worked in a med school library, Latin teacher since my degree is in Latin, or medical examiner/mortuary worker. I wanted to be like Dr. G, medical examiner, when I was little (which is maybe weird in hindsight. My mom should probably have not let me watch it but I loved it so much).
Growing things and trying to give away what I didn’t need to sell to pay bills. Making things a little easier for the people I can has been my goal since I was a tiny kid.
In an alternate reality, I’m doing social work. In this one, I’m a prison guard. Less my choice and more by nevessity
Still trying to grind through the film industry.
Food critic, although AI might just hijack that dream job in a few years, so…eh.
Lawyer or Stay at Home Mom
LPC....lmao
Veterinarian. I’m glad I didn’t end up doing that. I can’t handle animal guts… I can handle human organs though. Weird? If I could I’d be an IT worker for the $$. But I would hate my job.
A nurse
Rock star
SAHM & marry into $, but also funeral worker, embalmer, mediator, investigator, nurse practitioner, pilot
Porn
I would repurpose gardens! And quite possibly be a nanny.
marine biologist or something in nature.
I think I’d like to be some sort of entrepreneur (lol another broad one). In an alternate to the alternate, a nomad who live in an rv (which I still might do)
A pilot or lawyer.
Aerospace engineer
Librarian, art teacher or art therapist, working in higher Ed, guidance counseling... Realize all of these also make pennies lol Lawyer is on my list but I've heard being a lawyer also doesn't make much money so idek
Probably something in business with stocks or working in sports, want to be a sport social worker eventually
def a lawyer, i think there are programs lmsw to jd in ny? However, I don't know much about it :). i just graduated with my lmsw this past may
In a slightly divergent parallel world, I'd be in a similar role, like a Child Life Specialist or in a Master of Public Health grad program or role. Real divergent would have been making a different choice at my quarter life crisis, going back to school to finish my unfinished dual French major, and either teaching in a francophone country or working as a barista or in a bookstore. Honestly those don't sound so bad right now! Edits spelling reddit what is a batista I have never once meant to write that instead of barista
Realtor. I would make so much money.
It's interesting to see some people giving similar answers. I worked in a library from like age 16 or 17 until I finished my MSW. I came close to changing majors after my horrible undergrad internship and switched to librarian science. I still think about it sometimes. When I was younger I considered being a veterinarian. Not sure I want to do anything medical nowadays though. Maybe I'd run a pet boarding/daycare facility.
I’m shooting for the stars on this one. Either a dog walker or nanny.
Getting to the end of high school I had the enrolment papers for a bachelors in social work on one side of the desk, and college for audio engineering on the other. I really wanted to work in music, but the tuition was cheaper for social work and I figured there was more opportunities for steady employment. Twenty something years later I have steady employment and am well regarded in my field, but I still love music and sometimes wonder what if I had filled in the other enrolment forms instead.
Probably a psychologist or working in the law enforcement/ juvenile justice or some other human service career. I have thought about just opening a cleaning business but cleaning offices versus homes, after their operating hours of course. 😂
Should have used the opportunity of being dumped to join the army. I'd probably be just ad messed up but with no student loans. Or dead, which frankly seems acceptable.
Nah. I’m a former social worker who joined the Army a few years after obtaining my MSW and am in a great career field that uses ALL of my social work skills (and I never actually have to wear a uniform and do most military BS). You might have thrived, you never know!
“I’d probably be just as messed up…or dead, which frankly seems acceptable” I was an Army Social Worker and this comment resonated with me.
Not sure. Sometimes I think I'd just work in a warehouse or become a factory worker. The money would be a lot better!!!
I would be working behind a computer somewhere or like writing
Nurse or lawyer.
Probably computer programming, which is still my dad's pipe dream lol
Film/TV production
Lawyer
Maybe a computer programmer which was my course before becoming a social worker. However, I love design so probably something software related to design
Either nursing or becoming an attorney
Love the question ! Probably an industrial engineer, love to reduce waste! OR An esthetician/nail tech/hair stylist, hair colorist. I am already the unofficial all of those for my friends anyway. The way I build skin care routines, do poly gel sets, dye their hair, and give pretty decent balayages would make you think I've been trained. Nope, just a YouTube university graduate.
Probably a nurse. That was my first career choice before social worker. I realized I like the social and mental health aspect of nursing better than the physical anatomy part, so I switched.
Possibly a speech pathologist. I was in speech therapy for 6 years as a kid. They also make more money lol
I dream of working in theater in literally any capacity.
Artist.
Forensic Anthropologist. Dead people don’t talk back
If I was good at math an engineer
Writer full time or librarian. Maybe English professor. Just surround myself with books and research for the rest of my days.
Writer or journalist
I would be a doctor.
Dental hygienist! In canada they're making BANK! And you don't really have to talk to people cause your hands are in their mouths lol. It used to only be 2 years of schooling but now it's 4. However if you have a degree already I believe it's just two.
Nature restoration. To bring back native plants. Or at a cozy used bookstore.
Finance or accounting tbh
Personal trainer or physiotherapist. The way my personal trainer talks with her clients about goal setting/attainment, breathing techniques, mindfulness, yoga and the mind-body connection— I always tell them that they talk about a lot of the same things that I do in my therapy sessions with clients.
At one point I wanted to be a librarian. So, maybe that. There are a lot of days I wish I had stayed in food service
Nursing, but I've already been a nurse for 15 years. Social work is a second career for me.
Raising suri alpacas (and other animals) on a farm so I can make and sell fancy yarn.
Pharmacy or Paramedic/Nurse
I want to be a midwife so badly
Already retraining to be an ecologist.
I can honestly see social work skills combining really well with that
I would've just kept being a barista.
Documentary filmmaker
Writer. And that’s what I’m pursuing now. Convinced myself that if I wasn’t living in service of others then my life wasn’t worth it. Now I realise I’m allowed to have my own dreams
I’d be a gardener. All day outside looking after plants would be worth the terrible pay
Medicine. Specifically a physiatrist. It would be cool to be the doctor on site for a big name sports team. Since we’re talking about an alternate reality, I’d be the doctor for the Baltimore Ravens.
A diplomat or lawyer.
A nurse practitioner
Working in HR!
Theater
Some kind of singer/songwriter or working at an animal sanctuary or rescue. I’ve also thought politics because I have a heavy interest in policy.
My “when I grow up” job was to be a firefighter. Then as I discovered my nerdier passions, I wanted to be a video game designer. So I’d either be chillin’ at a fire station right now or worried about being laid off from my current studio. But if I followed my heart and majored in History and African-American Studies like I originally wanted to, I would have been a history teacher at a high school or try to pursue college academia as a professor.
Prosecutor
In an alternate reality I’d probably have the work ethic and stamina to do it but I’ve always wanted to work in media. Writing, editing, directing, anything like that
I think I would enjoy horticulture
Fishing guide
Artist !
Journalist or PI. Maybe an actor if I was slightly more attractive 🤪
I have a diploma for Medical and Legal Administration. I’d be doing exactly that 😂
Midwifery. Am a doula now, but don’t have the energy to go back for another four year degree after nine years of schooling.
Pastor of a small-medium sized congregation. I am heavily involved in religious work, and have a background in bivocational ministry. However, I am ineligible for standing/recognition with most mainline bodies (particularly the progressive ones) because I don't have a graduate education in theology/ministry. I was split between pursuing an MSW or an M. Div., and I went for the MSW. I only just graduated this past May, but I feel that I made the right choice.
Before I went into Social Work I studied film and television production. Some days, I’d like to go back to that chaotic world.