I love social work. March is National Social Work Month and I get to celebrate all month long. Let me begin with a basic breakdown of the profession and my career path.
The social work field can be divided into three areas: micro, mezzo, and macro.
- Micro (social work) is the most well-known area and includes direct work with individuals and families.
- Mezzo (social work) supports small to medium sized groups like neighborhoods, school, and local agencies.
- Macro (social work) focuses on larger systemic or institutional interventions and can include lobbying or policy change.
I knew when I decided to pursue social work during my senior year in high school that I would not become a counselor or therapist. Clinical social work is not for me. There is an eleven year period between my earning a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and earning my Masters of Social Work degree from University of Maryland, Baltimore with a concentration in Management and Community Organization and a specialization in Social Action and Community Development. I entered graduate school knowing that I wanted to work with communities and systems and also that my ultimate goal was to become a Manager/Supervisor. My favorite courses included Human Resources Management, Program Management, and Community Organizing.
A social work degree can prepare a person for a job as a Lobbyist, Researcher, Employment Specialist, Grant Writer, or Substance Abuse Counselor. Although most people have no idea what my academic concentration or specialization mean, I have applied my classroom knowledge in the real world much too many times to name. I have held the positions of Case Manager, Site Coordinator, Assistant Director, Program Director, and Adjunct Professor. My work has included hiring, training, group facilitation, program development, and supervision.
WHAT DO I DO NOW? I am a social entrepreneur who provides college success coaching, career coaching, and community relations consulting.
Now, wasn’t that easy to understand?
Nicki Sanders is an experienced trainer, group facilitator, and program manager. She has packaged her Masters of Social Work degree and over 15 years of work experience into Packaged For Success, a training and professional development company. Packaged For Success provides career coaching to college students, entry-level job hunters, and experienced employees seeking a promotion. Packaged For Success also offers communication and productivity improvement training for employees and supervisors and provides consultation on building sustainable, impactful, socially responsible community programs.
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