Career Resources
Prepare for a meaningful and impactful career helping individuals, families and communities. We aim to support MSW students and alumni as they explore opportunities, refine professional skills and launch fulfilling careers in social work.
On this page:
Through coursework and practicum education, social work students develop a wide range of clinical, professional and systems-level skills that prepare them to work effectively with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities across diverse practice settings. Some of these skills are:
- Practice and clinical skills
- Professional documentation and communication
- Ethical and professional practice
- Cultural responsiveness and equity skills
- Critical thinking and problem solving
- Collaboration and interprofessional skills
- Advocacy and systems-level skills
- Supervision and professional growth skills
- Research-informed and evidence-based practice
- Self-awareness, wellness and professional sustainability
- Career and workplace readiness skills
These resources are designed to help you translate your training into practice, prepare for employment and navigate your early career successfully.
Professional relationships play an important role in career development in social work. Start building your network while you are still a student.
- Identify professional contacts through practicum, classes and community partners
- Prepare a brief professional introduction that clearly describes your interests and goals
- Follow up professionally after meetings, events and interviews
- Use informational interviews, connect with UB alumni, join the UBSSW Alumni Mentor Program or meet with employers to explore different career paths and organizations
- Activity: learn how to find your people
Your practicum experience is one of your strongest assets. You should be able to confidently:
- Describe your practicum responsibilities using professional, employer-focused language
- Identify transferable skills gained in practicum settings (assessment, documentation, advocacy, collaboration, crisis response and case management)
- Prepare examples from practicum for interviews and applications
- Connect practicum learning objectives to job qualifications
More than 90 percent of employers review online profiles such as those on Bullseye powered by Handshake and LinkedIn when evaluating candidates. Maintaining a strong online presence also helps you shape your professional brand, connect with others in the field, explore job and practicum opportunities and learn more about the career paths of social work professionals.
- Create a professional profile that reflects your social work identity and values
- Highlight practicum experience, skills and professional interests appropriately
- Manage privacy settings and personal content responsibly
- Use professional platforms to support networking and job searching
- Don't know where to start? Learn more about what to put on your online profiles from the Career Design Center.
Before applying for positions, make sure you are prepared:
- Resume or CV reflects current practicum and competencies
- Professional references are confirmed and prepared
- Interview examples are drawn from coursework and practicum experience
- Licensure pathway and next steps are clearly understood
- Career goals and preferred practice settings are identified
Find templates, guides and tools to help you build strong application materials, prepare for interviews and navigate your job search.
Explore national job market stats, career options, salary, employment trends and skills employers are seeking with this Job Market Stats provided by the Career Design Center.
Whether you are exploring practicum placements, part-time employment, or full-time opportunities after graduation, the resources below offer a strong starting point for your search.
Have questions about careers or job resources?
The Career Design Center helps you explore options, build practical skills and take action on your goals. Whether you are just starting to think about what comes next or actively preparing for jobs or graduate school, you will find clear guidance and real opportunities to move forward.
What you can do at the Career Design Center:
- Meet one-on-one with a career design consultant
- Get support with job and internship searches
- Use online tools for resumes, interviews, networking and exploring real-world challenges
- Attend job + Internship fairs, skillshops and networking events
- Gain access to thousands of jobs + internship postings on Bullseye powered by Handshake.
- Explore the Career Design Studio any time to discover tools, resources and ideas that help you plan your path.