NASW's Social Work Career Center Website has been redesigned and expanded to better assist those looking for information about the profession and ways to improve their vocations.
People who visit the site careers.socialworkers.org will find a central location for everything related to social work as a career, whether they are students thinking of entering the field or well-established professionals interested in finding a better job, said NASW Executive Director Elizabeth J. Clark. "The new site is the place to go for social workers looking for resources to develop their careers," she said. "Whatever your next step may be, the Social Work Career Center has the tools available to assist you."
At the main Web page, visitors are able to choose from among four major categories or tabs: Find A Job; Explore the Social Work Profession; Professional Development and Training; and Employers.
Jobs. The Find A Job tab can help people go from student to employed professional or from frontline worker to manager. This is the place to find the popular NASW JobLink where, in addition to job listings, NASW members can post their resumes free of charge. There are also links to social work salary information, tips on building a resume, as well as advice on how best to handle a job interview and other resources.
Explore. The Explore the Social Work Profession tab has a listing of resources that details the many facets of the profession as well as education requirements and a link to the NASW Center for Workforce Studies. There is also a link to the NASW Student Starter Kit.
Professional training. The Professional Development and Training tab has a link to the Continuing Education Resource Center. There, visitors can utilize the continuing education Web portal and online courses, including NASW Web education courses and NASW Lunchtime Teleconference series offerings. Sections members can also find the NASW Specialty Practice Sections Teleconferences on this Web page. The continuing education series allow social workers an opportunity to earn CE units at their convenience or to register for a live teleconference.
The professional development tab also posts topics about professional networking, how to research and write for the profession, advocacy, licensing issues, as well as social work ethics and best practices. At this tab, visitors can find information about NASW credentials and certifications, which can help a social worker gain recognition as meeting national standards for higher levels of specialized knowledge, skills, and experience.
"We're working with schools of social work to post some of their resources for these different areas," said Susan Rubin, director of marketing at NASW.
Employers. By clicking on the Employers tab, visitors will be able to learn about ways they can take advantage of the most targeted and cost-effective marketing tools for their social work positions or continuing education program. Employers can use the link to reach qualified social workers and promote their organizations. Employers can also post positions, find information on exhibiting at NASW chapter events, and more details about NASW credential verification and NASW membership. Social work merchandise is also highlighted in this section.
Rubin said visitors should routinely visit the Social Work Career Center Website because it will be adding new content and features on a continuing basis.