Social work is a dynamic profession that requires a variety of technical, emotional, psychological, and career skills. The skills that make up a good social worker are both learned and inherent. If you want to begin a career in this rewarding profession you must have certain social worker qualifications to be effective in the field.
1. Communication
Communication is the exchange of information from one person(s) to another. This is one of the most important tools a social worker possesses. Effective communication, both verbal and written, is the most frequently used skill in social work.
Social workers have to be clear and concise when they are assisting their clients and communicating with colleagues. Written reports are another form of communication often required by supervisors and third-party organizations, so the ability to effectively summarize and synthesize information in a written format is essential.
2. Active Listening
Beyond basic communication skills, active listening is king among interpersonal skills in social work. This skill requires the social work professional to reflect on what the client is saying while still being actively engaged in the conversation and assessing its progress as the conversation goes along.
Clients are likely to be most confident and trustworthy in your abilities as a social worker if the expectation of active listening on your part is established early in the helping process. This skill also allows clients who are otherwise unheard, marginalized, or vulnerable to feel important, seen, and valued. Active listening is the driving force for communication between social workers and clients.
3. Empathy
If there’s one thing that can dramatically affect the outcome of the helping process, it’s the use of empathy in social work. For social workers, empathy isn’t just being able to understand a client’s feelings or emotions. It’s also the way you express to your clients that you understand and can relate to them in their challenges.
As a social worker, this skill demonstrates that you are supportive and on the side of your client. While being empathetic comes naturally to some, it is a skill that can also be nurtured and developed with time, practice, and intentionality.
4. Critical Thinking
As a social worker, you will work with many different clients, each with their own unique and complex experiences. To find the most effective intervention for a client, you must first learn about the client, their pain points, their needs, and what will work best for them personally. To do this you’ll need one of the most important social work skills: critical thinking.
Critical thinking relies on a social worker’s ability to combine their training and their assessment of their client’s unique situation to create the best plan of action. Sometimes split-second decisions must be made during the helping process and using critical and creative thinking leads to an effective outcome for the client.
5. Self-Awareness
Seeking client feedback, as well as feedback from colleagues and supervisors, is a common practice for social workers. While feedback from others is helpful, it’s equally as important to self evaluate. Self-awareness includes identifying your sensations, thoughts, feelings, emotions, and intentions and evaluating your reasoning and motive behind each.
When you have great self-awareness, you are able to serve your clients better by practicing and making it second nature to place your client’s true needs at the center of your care. By tuning into yourself and practicing mindful self-care throughout your time as a social worker, you can also ensure that your own needs are met.
These are just a few of the basic helping skills in social work. If you are interested in learning more about what it takes to be a successful social worker, and answering the question — what do social workers do? — we invite you to reach out to us and request more information. You can also subscribe to our blog, Advocacy in Action, for weekly tips, stories, and insights from social work professionals. Best of luck with your social work journey!
