Internships for social work majors
As a major with so many career path options, choosing to study social work gives you many types of internships to consider. While both psychology majors and sociology majors are both related, what they have in common is interest in understanding and helping others. There will always be openings for social work internships for undergraduates, as the field is always looking for capable social work focused college students to help and hire.
In your social work internships you’ll gain skills in communication, de-escalation, teamwork, organization, accountability, and problem-solving among many others. Internship opportunities for social work students can foster a great exploration of the field, since there are so many paths in social work to consider and understand.
How do I get a social work internship?
Getting an internship in social work is very exciting considering the sheer amount of opportunities in different health and science departments. During undergraduate social work internships in summer 2021 will provide you with many valuable experiences, giving a real taste of what it’ll be like to work in social work down the line. You’ll connect with potential mentors, learn social work trade secrets, and build relationships with coworkers with a range of expertise. It’s also a plus if it’s a paid social work summer 2021 internship!
The best social work internship programs strengthen resumes, provide valuable avenues to letters of recommendation, and can even turn into full-time jobs. If you consider all of these perks of a social work internship and add the benefit of exploring different facets of one field, then start your social work internship search now!
Tips for your resume and profiles
Before you get started on sending out applications, make sure that you have your resume up to date and have fully filled out all your Handshake profile details. With a complete profile, an impressive social work internship is more attainable than ever. Recruiters are much more likely to message a student with a complete profile that says you want to work in social work than an unfinished one.
Tips for your internship interview
When you do land your first interview, be it a virtual interview or in person, make sure to come prepared and dressed to impress. Review your resume and cover letter to make sure you have specific examples of your experience to share, from clubs or coursework. You can even schedule a mock interview with your university’s career center or, if you’re tight on time, ask a trusted friend to grill you on some common interview questions.
Tips for networking at your social work internship
Once you’ve landed an internship in social work and settled into the flow of day-to-day life at the office, start chatting with your coworkers. Whether they’re industry professionals or fellow interns, it’s important to treat them with equal respect. You never know what insights they could lend, or who could be a valuable connection down the line, five or ten years from now. Don’t be afraid to ask your new colleagues out for quick coffee chats, or request 15-minute informational interviews about their career trajectory.
Want more tips for getting the most out of your internship?
Looking for specific advice before your internship begins? Or are you hungry for further information even after your internship is over? A good way to delve even deeper into your career path growth is to attend a virtual event or two. Not only will you be learning more about your own career, but there will also be chances to network with employers, industry specialists, and other students sharing different perspectives.
Jobs you can get as a social work major
Wondering where the “human services internships near me” are? Internships for social work majors can fall under any of the following roles we’ve listed here for you! Internships are meant to guide you towards your true desired career path and your summer 2021 social work internship could kick it off in the right direction.
For internships, it doesn’t matter if you’re on the hunt for clinical social work internships, social work internships, paid social work internships, social work internships in NJ, or social work internships in NYC. The following job roles and suggestions on where to apply for social work internships can guide you in the right direction for whatever you’re looking for.
Social Worker
Social workers help and advise people in many different situations and fields with their lives.
Companies you can apply to: NYC Health, Youth Villages, Parsons
Average pay: $50,470
School Psychologist
School psychologists offer mental health and therapy services to students facing emotional, behavioral, and learning challenges. As they work at a school, they help students with any issues they may be encountering both in their academic and personal lives by offering support and advice backed by their background in counseling social work. Child social work internships are a great way to start on this path.
Companies you can apply to: Youth Villages, Autism Society of North Carolina
Average pay: $45,000
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical and counseling psychologists provide therapy to patients looking to improve an aspect of their lives. They utilize different cognitive and behavioral techniques to help clients work through any issues they may be going through.
Companies you can apply to: Kennedy Krieger Institute, KGS Technology Group
Average pay: $87,450
Human Resource Manager
Human resources managers recruit, interview, and hire employees for an organization. They are responsible for training new employees, evaluating current employees, and ensuring a cooperative, comfortable workplace environment.
Companies you can apply to: Target, Amazon, Ignite Mental Health
Average pay: $43,000
Tips and tricks for your social work internship
Want tips for getting and acing your social work internship? Look no further.
How do you get a social work internship in college?
When searching for social work student internships, it’s key to use the location filters provided on Handshake. You’ll be able to pinpoint social work internships exactly where you want to intern just by selecting the city you want in the search bar. Easy social work internships in your preferred city are just a search away.
You can even research possible job roles that you might want to explore during your social work internship. Handshake also makes it easy to learn about roles in social work simply by using the job role search bar.
And if you want to take your research one step further, you can even research top employers in the social work field on Handshake. Just by using the Handshake employer search feature you can discover companies that are hiring in your specific field by filtering by “Industry.”
Where can I intern for social work?
Some companies that would be great for social work majors looking for internships: Ignite Mental Health, Youth Villages, or NYC Health–great for social work internships in NYC.
social work internships for college students can be found all over! Even companies that don’t seem to have a main focus in social work are looking for bright interns to help them develop a voice.
Are social worker internships paid?
Yes, you can find paid social work internships on Handshake by using the search filters!
The average annual pay for full time social work jobs range from $43,000 to $87,450.
How much does a social work intern make?
The average annual pay for full time jobs in social work range from $43,000 to $87,450.
Are internships necessary for social work majors?
While it's not required, internships are great opportunities for growth and experience. From internships for social work interns to great forensic social work internships, you’ll be able to build both hard and soft skills and even network.
What do social work interns do?
Along with networking and gaining mentorship, social work intern duties include spending time working on skills great for later in their career journeys. Social work interns will learn how to communicate advice to others, communicate their plans effectively, research and collaborate with colleagues in a positive way.
Where can I intern for social work?
Some companies that would be great for social work majors (or psychology and sociology majors) looking for internships: Ignite Mental Health, Youth Villages, or NYC Health.
What can you learn from an internship in social work?
During your social work internship, you’ll learn some great generic skills like time management, accountability, organization, and teamwork. Additionally, you’ll be immersed in the world of social work which will help you develop your knowledge of quantitative aptitude, how to manage social work projects effectively, and about your company’s supply chain.
What should social work interns put on their resume?
When putting together your resume, make sure to have all your skills, courses, and accomplishments laid out for employers to view. Also having your preferred job role and location on your Handshake profile is a great way to signal your interest to potential recruiters. If a cover letter is required, a previous social work internship experience essay would be beneficial.
For social work interns, some great skills to list would be specific technical skills, time management, ability to follow through and execute, and ability to both lead and listen. It’s also key to mention organizations or projects that you led and can explain thoroughly.
Photo by Erika Fletcher on Unsplash