Social Work Resume Examples: 5 Best Samples & Why They Work

Working as a social worker is a calling. The profession provides services to add value to society and solve emerging problems within any setting.

Do you need to become more familiar with how you can relay the skills and experience you have on your resume? Social work is broad, and it’s challenging to highlight specific skills that match your preferred position.

You are not alone in this predicament, as many before you have found it daunting to translate their skills into a resume.

Luckily, we can guide you on how to get the best results. Let us help you make a social worker resume that impresses a hiring manager so you can land that perfect job.

Social Work Resume Examples

These five social work resume examples will show you how to customize your resume based on the specific job requirements you’re applying for.

Entry-Level Social Work Resume Example

Writing an entry-level resume for a social work position can be challenging if you have a limited work history.

Nonetheless, you can include plenty of details even with minimal experience. This resume example can guide you to set yourself apart from other job applicants.

Objective

I recently graduated with a bachelor’s of Social Work and over a year of working experience. I’m a dedicated professional with good communication skills, and committed to helping others.

My educational background in family and children evaluation has equipped me with the skills necessary to improve the lives of children and their families.

Work Experience 1: Social Work Intern

Lucrum Health Services, New York, NY

October 2020 – Present

• Conduct individual assessments of the local teenage population diagnosed with learning disabilities and implement psychotherapy services to the diverse population.
• Collaborate with other senior social workers to create work plans for treating over 100+ teenagers with behavioral disorders.
• Lead an after-school mentoring program for five high schools in the community to encourage the teens to have positive self-esteem and offer career guidance.
• Communicate the organization’s goals and programs to our clients’ parents and encourage them to use the opportunities to better their relationships with their children.
• Participate in meetings with teachers, parents, psychotherapists, social workers, and other community educational stakeholders to develop customized educational plans for children on the spectrum.

Work Experience 2: Peer Mentor

Legacy Youth Network, New York, NY

February 2022 – September 2022

• Organized support from the local government to fund teaching programs that advocate for safe sex.
• Supported youth diagnosed with HIV by offering guidance and counseling services.
• Worked with social workers to create a safe space that informed teens where to report after experiencing bullying or abuse.
• Advised teens on what classes to take based on their strengths and assisted them by creating an after-school learning program to help those falling behind on their curriculum.
• Filed documentation and kept accurate progress records on all clients participating in programs.

Project Experience

• Took a voluntary role with local charity groups that support teenagers on the spectrum. Aided in several fund drives to raise money for odder tools to support the education of children with autism.
• Participated in several peer programs that guided teenagers seeking help in determining their future career paths. Helped over 100 students get into their preferred colleges.

Skills

• Counseling
• Detailed record keeping
• Healthcare social worker
• Caring and empathetic
• Verbal communicator

Education

• Bachelor of Arts in Social Work at New York University

Licenses & Accreditations

• Licensed Social Worker (LSW)

Why This Resume Works

This resume proficiently showcases the candidate’s qualifications and experiences that align perfectly with the requirements of an entry-level social work position. The objective statement clearly states their educational background in social work and their commitment to helping others.

The work experience section demonstrates hands-on experience through an internship and peer mentoring role, showcasing their ability to conduct assessments, provide counseling services, and create supportive programs for youth.

In the project experience section, the candidate shows their engagement with community charity groups and their dedication to supporting teenagers on the autism spectrum.

And the skills section lists relevant skills such as counseling, record-keeping, and communication, which are essential for social work.

Finally, the resume includes their education and licenses, confirming their academic credentials and professional accreditation as a licensed social worker.

Master of Social Work Resume Example

A master of social work resume should differ from an entry-level graduate’s. It should show the candidate has experience in social work and an area of specialization.

The resume should show the candidate is in a position of responsibility in their current job posting and can work with and supervise other social workers.

The inclusion of unique keywords will enable the resume to show the recruiter that you can be a great addition to their organization.

Objective

I am a dedicated social worker with over ten years of experience specializing in violence prevention in families and communities. I am energetic and dedicated to the social work profession, with the ability to collaborate with other members of the social work community to improve the lives of families and the community in general.

Work Experience 1: Senior Social Worker

Cook County Social Services Department, Chicago, IL

April 2018 – Present

• Interview applicants who want to adopt children in Cook County to determine their suitability through verification of information provided by the prospective adoptive parents.
• Conduct independent investigations on circumstances for child removal from their home by child protective services.
• Participate in formulating laws and policies for the county’s social services.
• Supervise and train groups of social workers and prioritize their case demands.
• Recognize and recommend solutions for future community problems by gathering information on repeated problems from caseworkers.

Work Experience 2: Associate Social Worker

Naperville Women’s Education Legal Fund, Chicago, IL

January 2011 – March 2018

• Advocated with the general assembly of Chicago and research policy protecting children’s rights to education and freedom from violence.
• Helped vulnerable women and girls access help and refer them to case workers depending on their required services.
• Created educational programs to ensure a high number of girls transition from high school to college.
• Assigned resources to Naperville social workers to aid their programs’ smooth running.
• Took on cases requiring crisis interventions and filed reports to create a blueprint for other social workers to handle similar cases.

Project Experience

• Conducted training on guidance and counseling to peer counselors for juvenile and delinquency prevention.
• Conducted fundraising for several social services projects.

Skills

• Crisis Intervention
• Reporting and documentation
• Medical knowledge
• Good verbal and written communication
• Social welfare policy

Education

• Masters of Social Work, The University of Chicago
• Bachelor of Sociology, North Park University

Licenses & Accreditations

• Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Why This Resume Works

This resume adeptly showcases the candidate’s qualifications and experiences, positioning them as a highly suitable candidate.

The objective highlights their extensive ten years of experience specializing in violence prevention in families and communities, demonstrating their expertise in the field.

The work experience section showcases their roles as a senior social worker and associate social worker, demonstrating their ability to handle complex cases, contribute to policy development, and provide advocacy for vulnerable populations.

The project experience section highlights their training and fundraising efforts, further displaying their commitment to professional growth and community support.

The skills section outlines relevant competencies such as crisis intervention, reporting, and social welfare policy knowledge, which are crucial for a master-level social worker.

Lastly, the education section includes their master’s degree in social work, bachelor’s degree in sociology, and their licenses, further affirming their qualifications for an advanced social work position.

School Social Worker Resume Example

Social workers operating in schools are trained to offer help with mental health concerns. They also support the schools’ academic efforts and work with teachers and parents.

The resume should show the applicant can handle the various issues affecting adolescents on a group and personal level.

Objective

I am an experienced and dedicated social worker with nearly ten years of working with adolescents in multiple learning institutions. My area of expertise is providing relief services to children suffering from trauma or abusive households. Years of offering counseling services have equipped me with skills to provide unique guidance and offer sustainable solutions.

Work Experience 1: School Social Worker

Columbus High School, Columbus, OH

January 2018 – Present

• Meet with students weekly within a group and identify cases requiring individual attention.
• Provide post-traumatic counseling services for children affected by physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.
• Complete clinical assessments to provide a diagnosis. This includes arranging meetings with children who require individualized education programs.
• Serve as the chairperson in a special council for schools addressing gaps in the education system causing barriers to educational achievement for students.
• Provide crisis prevention training and advice on how to handle one to teachers.

Work Experience 2: School Social Worker

Savannah Arts Academy, Savannah, GA

May 2015 – December 2017

• Support peer counselors with the tools to understand and take on various projects within the school.
• Interview new students and their parents to know if the students have special needs and how to address them effectively.
• Provide ongoing support for neurodivergent students and those on the spectrum.
• Perform regular assessments of student mental health. Offer therapy where needed and progressive treatment plans.
• Communicate and report to welfare agencies and school district abuse cases requiring intervention.
• Update documentation for each student’s referral resources.

Project Experience

• Collaborated with other social workers from the Georgia area, local governments, and educators to take action against the growth of online bullying.
• Created a safe and anonymous forum for children to report issues affecting them.

Skills

• Broken family counseling
• Illiteracy stress
• Bullying and peer pressure
• Empathetic
• Problem-solving

Education

• Bachelor of Social Work, Georgia State University

Licenses & Accreditations

• Licensed Social Worker (LSW)
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Why This Resume Works

This resume effectively showcases the candidate’s suitability for a school social worker position.

The objective highlights their experience and dedication to working with adolescents in educational settings, specifically addressing trauma and abusive households.

The work experience section demonstrates their expertise in providing counseling services, conducting clinical assessments, and facilitating individualized education programs.

They also showcase their involvement in addressing educational barriers and providing crisis prevention training to teachers.

The project experience section highlights their collaboration with other professionals to combat online bullying and their initiative in creating a safe reporting forum.

Additionally, the skills section emphasizes their proficiency in broken family counseling, addressing illiteracy stress, and handling bullying and peer pressure.

Social Work Internship Resume Example

Social worker interns mainly observe and assist professionals in the field of social work in performing their duties.

During the social work service, they will practice their skills, gain experience, and apply their training to real-life issues.

The resume should show enthusiasm to learn and be able to work in a team setting. Also, it should show the interns have excellent communication skills when they handle clients.

Objective

I am a determined graduate with multiple social worker skills and a positive attitude possessing a determined personality to help the community. I am also detail-oriented and eager to learn new skills and broaden my experience as a social worker.

Work Experience 1: Social Worker Intern

San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA

January 2023 – Present

• Conducted assessment for adolescents and children receiving child ware and prevention services.
• Provided counseling services to patients with a history of abuse.
• Maintained records and acted as an advocate for patient rights.
• Set up family meetings with patients and their families with physicians, and keep historical records and detailed reports.
• Consulted with healthcare workers regarding the treatment plan for assigned patients’ cases.

Work Experience 2: Volunteer

Maitri Compassionate Care, San Francisco, CA

May 2022 – December 2022

• Provided support and companionship to aging patients and their families.
• Monitored patient progression and regression and adjusted their care to fit their needs.
• Developed relationships with residents and their families to enhance social and emotional well-being.
• Provided grief support to family members when a resident passed on.
• Worked with my shift supervisor to develop programs to keep the residents engaged.

Project Experience

• Handled a caseload of 20 to 30 patients working to achieve strict goals under limited set deadlines.
• Participated in several programs to enhance patient service experience and managed to increase my scores by over 20%.

Skills

• Quick learner
• Decision-making skills
• Case management
• Social welfare policy
• Excellent communication skills

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Social Work, Harvard University

Licenses & Accreditations

• Licensed Social Worker (LSW)

Why This Resume Works

The objective statement conveys the candidate’s determination, positive attitude, and eagerness to contribute to the community.

The inclusion of specific work experiences demonstrates practical experience in providing counseling services, conducting assessments, maintaining records, and advocating for patient rights.

The project experience showcases the candidate’s ability to handle a significant caseload and achieve goals within strict deadlines. Additionally, the resume lists essential skills for a social worker.

Finally, the educational background from Harvard University and possessing a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) accreditation add credibility to the candidate’s qualifications.

Medical Social Work Resume Example

A medical social worker’s mandate is to help patients and their families cope with emotional or psychological hardships due to a serious diagnosis.

A candidate’s resume should clearly show they can provide counseling services individually and in a group setting. It should also exhibit the applicant’s passion for advocating healthy lifestyles and disease prevention within their communities.  

Objective

I am a patient and dedicated social worker with clinical experience in small and large community hospitals. My ten years of experience have enabled me to work on emerging medical cases in high-capacity organizations. I’m seeking a challenging position to support patients and staff.

Work Experience 1: Medical Social Worker II

Maryland Medical Center, Nottingham, MD

January 2020 – Present

• Manage and supervise social work staff in the medical center. Occasionally offer training to interns to equip them with social work skills and knowledge.
• Responsible for coordinating access to patient resources and hiring new social work staff.
• Communicate and use the proper channels with physicians and patients.
• Create appropriate discharge plans by working with the patient or their family. Connected social workers are available within community-based organizations for patients who are critically ill and lack caregivers.
• Ensure there is a continuation of patient care by acting as a resource for patient information.

Work Experience 2: Medical Social Worker I

Winchester Medical Center, Winchester, VA

December 2018 – December 2019

• Provided therapy to patients and families experiencing social and emotional conflict.
• Leverage exceptional communication skills to provide outstanding care in a high-capacity healthcare facility. Increased my patient satisfaction scores by 25%.
• Performed case findings screenings to accomplish the hospital’s goals of quality patient care.
• Identified areas of need in the community and allocated resources.
• Supervised weekly interdisciplinary meetings to review patient care plans and review critical cases to formulate solutions for them.

Project Experience

• Initiated a program to help drug and substance abuse victims have a sustainable plan to keep them away from triggers leading to relapse.
• Participated in several home-based care treatment programs for the senior population in the community.

Skills

• Crisis Intervention
• Effective communicator
• Team player
• Meticulous record keeping
• Social welfare policy

Education

• Master of Social Work, University of Kentucky
• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work

Licenses & Accreditations

• Licensed Social Worker (LSW)
• National Certified addiction counselor (NAADAC)
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Why This Resume Works

This medical social worker resume is effective because it showcases the candidate’s extensive experience and qualifications in the field.

The objective establishes the individual as a patient and dedicated social worker with clinical experience in both small and large community hospitals.

The inclusion of ten years of experience working on emerging medical cases in high-capacity organizations demonstrates their ability to handle complex situations.

The work experiences highlight the candidate’s responsibilities in managing and supervising social work staff, coordinating access to patient resources, providing therapy to patients and families, and identifying community needs.

The project experience section showcases the candidate’s initiative in implementing programs to support drug and substance abuse victims and senior populations.

Lastly, the candidate includes a master of social work degree, a bachelor’s degree in social work, and relevant licenses and accreditations.

Common Skills & Action Verbs to Include On a Social Work Resume

As you seek guidance from the social work resume examples, your writing language should show that you have cultivated a skillset from your previous roles.

It is important to note that hiring managers run resumes through applicant tracking systems to manage the high volumes that seek limited positions.

Only a small percentage will get a decent score making most of the remaining resumes to be phased out of consideration.

These common skills and action verbs will ensure ATS reviews your resume positively.

Common Skills for Social Work Resumes

These are some of the critical soft and hard skills associated with social work:

• Crisis intervention skills
• Keeping diligent records
• Designing patient plans
• Remaining impartial
• Setting healthy boundaries
• Empathy and communication skills
• Prioritizing caseloads and client needs
• Establish rapport
• Engaging in comforting oral communication
• Making follows ups
• Cultural competence
• Suggesting coping skills with confidence
• Deescalating situations
• Provide interventions
• People skills

Common Action Verbs for Social Work Resumes

As for the action verbs, you should consider these options as social work hiring managers associate with these terms:

• Intervened
• Supported
• Educated
• Developed
• Counseled
• Facilitated
• Collaborated
• Interviewed
• Assessed
• Motivated
• Implemented
• Advocated
• Coordinated
• Documented

Tips for Writing a Better Social Work Resume

Before you ask for references to submit with your social work resume, there are several tips you need to be aware of. They will assist you in attaining your employment goal. They include:

1. Mention All Your Certifications and Licenses

To be a social worker, a candidate must have accreditation for a specific practice area. Highlighting the certifications and licensees assure a hiring manager that the applicant is competent and committed to quality service.

Hiring managers require concise and relevant information on the resume if you have many accreditations. We recommend you list all the certifications and licenses, but you should prioritize them in order of importance.

2. Tailor Your Resume Using Buzz Keywords

Before you write the social work resume, analyze the job description. It will help you include and format your application for the specific job posting. Doing so will show the employer you are a worthy candidate and ready to assume the role.

We listed several buzz keywords, including common skills and action verbs, which will help rate your resume better through ATS. Please take advantage of them to increase your odds of landing that position.

3. Keep It Brief

A concise resume will be better for landing any job than a longer one. Adding irrelevant information will make your resume less digestible and cumbersome for a hiring manager.

If you are an experienced social worker, you do not need to load your resume with every experience and achievement attained. Resist the temptation; select impressive and diverse recent experiences to put on your document.

4. Highlight Your Hard and Soft Skills

Most hiring managers seek employees who balance hard and soft skills well. The hard skills are the technical aspects of social work, such as record keeping and follow-up of clients enabling you to perform your duties competently.

On the other hand, soft skills are personal traits that help a worker function effectively within their employment. Since social work involves engaging with diverse community members, you must show emotional intelligence. Practical communication skills are also essential to help a candidate thrive within a workplace.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out these questions that relate social work resumes.

What are the 5 duties of a social worker?

The following five duties can summarize the core mandate of social workers:

• Assess a client, patient, or victim
• Create and implement a care or treatment plan
• Refer clients to needed resources to meet their wellness initiative
• Evaluate and monitor their improvement
• Serve as a client’s advocate

What is a good example of a social work resume objective?

“I am an experienced social worker with a proven record of trauma therapy and client satisfaction. I am seeking a long-term position in a high-volume organization to apply my crisis intervention skills.”

Similar Resume Types to Reference

If you qualify for social work jobs, there are similar jobs that you might be interested in. Check out this related resume to broaden your job search and enhance your chances of employment.

• Volunteer Resume: Do you want to give freely your services and skills to get experience and work with the community? See how you can create a formidable resume for such a position.
• Education Resume: If you have ever aspired to be an educator or want to teach any skill, learn how to write a captivating resume that highlights your educational credentials.
• Human Resource Resume: The need for human resource managers is on the rise. Many potential candidates lack the knowledge to present their skills. Learn how to create the best resume and land your dream job.

Wrapping Up

The social work resume examples will help you attain your preferred job posts. Let the article’s guidance and tips help you craft the best resume.

Whether you want an entry-level or senior-level position, your resume should quantify your experiences. Use targeted keywords for the job position to get a higher score on the applicant tracking system.

If you know anyone interested in social work jobs, share this article with them. They can learn how to create a resume that will attract the hiring manager’s attention. Feel free to comment or share your thoughts in the comment section below.