Every day in March for Social Work Month 2024, I shared one social work career empowerment tip. These are more than tips. What I shared was a part of my career coaching framework, my professional declarations, and lessons learned while developing a social work career that I love. I have spoken and lived by these assertions for years and will continue to share them so that you can use them to guide your personal and professional advancement.
April is a very special month for me. April is the first full month of spring and my new year as it is also my birthday month. April is National Internship Awareness Month, Stress Awareness Month, and Financial Literacy Month. I am combining these monthly observances with our social work career empowerment tips by sharing book recommendations.
Happy Reading. Happy Planting. Happy Blossoming. Happy Harvesting.
Nicki’s Birthday Month
- Document it, because it happened
The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life – Tommy Newberry
- You are more than a social worker
No Matter What! 9 Steps to Living the Life You Love by Lisa Nichols
- Social work is political
Make The Impossible Possible: One Man’s Crusade to Inspire Others to Dream Bigger and Achieve the Extraordinary – Bill Strickland and Vince Rause
- Define social work career success on your own terms
Making A Living Without A Job – Barbara Winter
National Internship Awareness Month
- Burnout is not a social work rite of passage
Regenerative Business: How to Align Your Business with Nature for More Abundance, Fulfillment, and Impact – Samantha García
- Being overworked is not a badge of honor
The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results – Gary Kelly And Jay Papasan
- You are your only competition
Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time – Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz
- Your employer controls your salary, not your worth
50 Jobs In 50 States: One Man’s Journey of Discovery Across America – Daniel Seddiqui
Stress Awareness Month
- Your mindset is as important as your skillset
The Complete Games of Life and How to Play It – Florence Scovel Shinn
- No one needs you more than you need you
Year of Yes – Shonda Rhimes
- You always have the option to change course
Who Moved My Cheese?: An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life – Spencer Johnson and Kenneth Blanchard
- Honor your boundaries
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life – Mark Manson
Financial Literacy Month
- Social workers do not take a vow of poverty
We Should All Be Millionaires – Rachel Rodgers
- Social work skills are high-income skills
Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill
- Social workers deserve to do work that feeds our hearts, minds, and wallets
Overcoming Underearning: A Five-Step Plan to a Richer Life – Barbara Stanny
- Expect to be paid well for your education, experience, and expertise
You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth – Jen Sincero
My purpose as a Social Work Career Empowerment Coach is to dismantle the outdated, narrow view of social work so that social workers are empowered to believe they can do anything they want to do professionally with their degrees. Together, we are transforming the social work profession by elevating our expectations, building our brands, and positioning our power.
I am committed to sharing my social work journey and offering insight and information to help social workers at every stage of their career build a long-term, successful career that they love and on their own terms.
Desire someone to coach and support you on your leadership journey? Looking for someone to present their career story of being a first-gen student, nontraditional student, or student parent? Seeking a consultant or trainer on leadership development, employee engagement, or leveraging your degree and skills?
Set up a 20-minute consultation and let’s chat about how I can support you on your social work career journey.
Nicki Sanders, MSW, is committed to career development, professional development, and organizational development. As Founder and CEO of Nicki Sanders Leadership Consulting, her mission is simple – to eliminate toxic workplaces by developing skilled, empathetic, and goal-oriented leaders who have the vision, support, and resources to create a culture where business prospers, and employees thrive individually and collectively. Nicki supports high-performing women of color in social work leadership in developing careers that feed their hearts, minds, and wallets. She has an extensive background in nonprofit management leading high-functioning, multi-disciplinary teams, volunteer recruitment and retention, and social impact programming. Nicki is an accomplished professor, coach, trainer, and group facilitator who has combined her gift for authentic relationships, Master of Social Work degree, and over 20 years of diverse work experience to create a life and career aligned with her values and purpose. She is a lover of nature, cupcakes, travel, and 80’s hip hop and R&B music.
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