“How much choice do you have with work assignments?”

As a social worker in various settings, you basically have zero choice in work assignments within your specialty. If you work as a substance counselor, you will get anyone who comes into the clinic, office, or hospital with substance abuse issues. If you work with children, you will get any case involving abuse or neglect of children. If you work with rape victims, you will work with anyone who has ever been a victim even if they are also a perpetrator.

Most of the agencies that I have worked for, you are just assigned cases and don't have much choice. In private practice, I have been able to better pick and choose the types of clients I want to see.

I am a psychotherapist and self employed. Therefore I have a great deal of choice over which patients to accept. My agreement with Medicare and Medicaid and some insurance companies is that I accept everyone that makes an appointment to see me, and I also need make referrals on an emergency basis to ensure treatment. Once accepted, I cannot refuse to give a patient ongoing care without referring him or her to an alternative counselor.

Hello and thank you for your question. It is awesome you are considering a career in social work. Social Work is a broad field with three main dimensions from which to practice: micro, mezzo or macro. That said, most types of social work may have some level of each. However, carrying a caseload is really based on the environment in which you work and responsibilities are based on what the position requires. I believe what may be beneficial is to talk with social workers who are employed in diverse settings or have been employed in various roles who could give you insight into the life and responsibilities of a SW. You may even consider shadowing different SWs in different for a week so you can observe and ask question In the context of which it is occurring. Best of Luck to you. Warm Regards.