Jumpstart your career as a social work student or NQSW
Now that you’re coming to the end of your professional social work training, it’s time to start thinking about making your first career move as a newly qualified social worker (NQSW). It’s an exciting time, and by following our useful tips you’ll be off to a great start.
Social Work Student
‘It’s not just what you know, it’s who you know’.
Whilst you’re a social work student, make the most of every placement opportunity.
Make yourself known to employers and take the opportunity to shine whenever you can
Build on essential statutory experience and document this as part of your learning
Demonstrate your skills through practical experience and show how you’re able to work effectively with partner agencies
Gain references from all employers ahead of time. It’s much harder to request a reference a year or so later
Remember, you’ll be competing against other qualified social workers. Our advice would be to make use of any breaks outside of term-time by volunteering in a relevant organisation or shadowing a social worker. Any additional experience you can gain will improve your understanding and experience, setting your CV apart from other applicants.
Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSW)
As a NQSW, a carefully selected permanent role at a local authority will give you the support and training you need when starting out, and increase your chance of gaining a locum position further down the line, if this is something that interests you.
In order to remain on the Social Work England register, you’ll need to keep up-to-date with current Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements by keeping a record of your CPD activities. If you wish to take a break from social work by going travelling, you should keep hold of travel/flight details as they might be needed as evidence of a career break.
Ways into social work employment
Network and build relationships with managers, recruiters, and other social workers
Attend career fairs and join online networking sites and forums to hear of new opportunities
Obtain references from placement experiences
Let your placement manager know that you have enjoyed working in the authority/team and would be keen on a permanent post once qualified
Look at support worker jobs to get your foot in the door (this helps to prevent gaps in your social work employment)
As one of the biggest health and social care recruiters in the UK, we place social workers into permanent and locum roles throughout their career. Registering with us is simple – you can even do so before you’ve qualified so that we’re aware of when you’ll be ready to have that all important conversation.
