I’m not taking it anymore!
What is IT? IT is any Social Work license exam. Last year I said to my friends, family, and colleagues that this year I would take the exam to earn my LGSW credential. Well, changed my mind…BACK! I knew when I entered college in pursuit of a social work degree over 20 years ago that I did not want to become a therapist or clinician. I have not wavered. The declaration to take the exam last year wasn’t based on financial gain, a new career path, or confidence building. It wasn’t even based on years of nudging from professionals. (I get asked routinely why I don’t have a license and when I will sit for the exam.) I nonchalantly asked myself “why not” and answered “no reason” and made the announcement. There was no passion or purpose behind it.
I am an excellent manager and I have had a very successful career in social work. I have always been told that I have “good clinical instincts” and been encouraged to go into counseling. My closest colleagues try to persuade me with “you’re doing it anyway”. Let me digress and address “you’re doing it anyway”. It is no more than a joke amongst friends who believe I can be a good clinician. I have taken clinical courses, completed a clinical internship with a very experienced supervisor, worked with and learned from awesome licensed therapists, and taken professional development courses, however, I do not practice therapy. I offer advice and make suggestions but I do not diagnose or give clinical instructions. I have no desire to do so. I don’t have test anxiety nor am I concerned about the amount of time it will take to prepare for the exam or the cost of the test I just have no desire to do it. (In fact I believe wholeheartedly that I can pass the test.) When I look back over my career, I have followed a very focused path. I don’t need the credential for what I have done and will continue to do. It’s true that even some non-clinical jobs require a license. That hasn’t stopped me from advancing in the field. I haven’t been lucky, I’ve been strategic. I’ve never even applied for positions that ask for the license.
Boston University School of Social Work defines my career field this way “Macro social work practice focuses on changing larger systems, such as communities and organizations. It encompasses a broad spectrum of practice, including planning, program development, community organizing, policy analysis, legislative advocacy, program evaluation, task-oriented group work, community education, and human services management. The macro practice concentration prepares students for careers in multiple arenas with a wide range of populations and social problems.” Doesn’t that just have “Nicki” written all over it?
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Nicki Sanders, Chief Visionary Officer of Packaged For Success, helps both youth and adults discover their personal power, dream big, and achieve success on their own terms. Ms. Sanders is an experienced trainer, group facilitator, and program manager who holds a Master’s degree in Social Work. Ms. Sanders has over fifteen years of direct experience with diverse populations in residential, school-based, and community based agencies.
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