11 Tips When Making the Switch to Corporate Social Work
If you’re thinking about making the switch to Corporate Social Work, this post is for you. We need all kinds of social work jobs. And while the traditional jobs of caseworkers and therapists are essential, social work skills are highly desired in all companies and organizations. For-profit companies need us too! Businesses are filled with people who bring their whole selves to work, problems and all. We bring a fresh perspective that is highly valued in the workplace.
As we expand the field of Social Work into business-related roles, there are some definite perks, like being able to dismantle historically problematic corporate practices and embed a more empathetic approach to business.
Here are some of our best tips for making the switch:
Update your resume by adding metrics to your “clinical” experience. Instead of using very clinical heavy jargon, try stating: “Oversaw the treatment of x # of clients with a % discharge rate.” If you brand yourself as a clinical social worker, it may be hard for recruiters and hiring managers to consider you for non-traditional options. Instead, try operationalizing your experience in a way that business-oriented people can understand.
Get a LinkedIn profile, if you don’t already have one. Add a headline that highlights your experience and what roles you’re searching for. For example, Jane Doe: Corporate Social Worker/ Experienced advocate/ Seeking program manager roles. LinkedIn is where your future business connections, recruiters, and relevant communities are!
Highlight the programmatic and macro work you’ve been involved with along the way. Many of our social work skills are transferable -- whether it was your field placement, volunteer work, or a school project -- all of your accomplishments can be quantified.
Grow your network with people who have the jobs you want. Don’t be afraid to cold message people whose careers you admire on LinkedIn. Introduce yourself, explain why you’re messaging them (highlight one to two things from their page) and ask them for a time to connect so that you can learn more. You can also add your name to our networking doc and schedule some informational interviews with members of the CSW Collective!
Familiarize yourself with the common language of social work and business.
Read business-related articles and books like Dare to Lead by Dr. Brené Brown and Harvard Business Review, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and listen to podcasts like WorkLife by Adam Grant.
Consider taking a class or getting a certification in your field of interest. LinkedIn Learning has a variety of free courses and certifications you can take.
Research and decide which companies and areas you want to apply for (see the list below). Look at the company's social media presence to see if they have ever mentioned roles or skills relating to social work. Take a look at their career page and review their values or DEI statements to see if their values align with your own. If so, that could mean you have an opportunity to highlight your transferable skills and they may be more open to hiring social workers.
Apply for a bunch of roles that look interesting to you. Use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) scanner to prepare your resume to match keywords in the job description. After you apply, find employees from that company on LinkedIn and message them. Don’t hold back. If they are open to connecting with you and talking to you, then you can ask for a recommendation that can help your application to stand out even more.
Say yes to as many interviews as you can. It’s good practice. Use the STAR format to help you formulate your responses in a structured way.
Interview the interviewer! Ask them what stood out on your resume, and what makes the ideal candidate for the job. Ask them if they’ve hired a social worker before -- if they haven’t, use this as an opportunity to leverage your transferable skills!
Keywords to Use When Searching for Roles:
Human Resources (or People Department)
Employee Engagement
Employee Experience
Leadership Development
Career or Professional Development
Learning and Development
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
DEI Manager
DEI Program Coordinator
DEI Director
Change Management
Organizational Design
Internal / External Communications and Marketing (with a people-centric customer base)
Corporate Social Responsibility
Customer Success
Wherever you are in your career journey, the Corporate Social Work Collective is here for you. Join our event, Leaders in Corporate Social Work, on September 28th to hear from business executives with MSW degrees to hear about how and why they made the switch.
