I want to work in a medical career? which is highest paying.

Is social work a good career choice for me?

• I am an undergraduate at school in NY and I am highly interested in having a career in social work. I like helping people out but it's like I constantly hear how it's not a good paying job. For me, I'm not looking into it monetary wise but I do want to live comfortably in the future and have a family. So I am wondering if earning a master's in social work and pursuing a career in this area good for me and good enough to form a family in the future?

• Answer:

  I recently received my Masters in Social Work. I currently have a job that pays well for the area in which I live. I think that a common problem in social work is that social workers inherently want to do good...they want to help people and there are a lot of people who need the services they provide. So, since we tend to be bleeding hearts, we take on too much, work longer hours than we should (most of which we aren't compensated for) and burn out very quickly. The most important thing for social workers to do is to value what they do and recognize that it has worth. I have very clear boundaries with my job. I don't work for free. Ever. What I do is valuable and I paid a lot of money to be trained to do it. If I am going to provide excellent service, I need to maintain a balance of work and personal time. I'm sort of rambling here, but the point is, you can make money if you don't sell out. Is it the most lucrative job on the planet? Definitely not. BUT - government jobs pay well - especially federal jobs, but they are difficult to get. There are plenty of jobs available. Social work is an incredibly diverse field - some social workers make bank and others live in poverty. The sad part is that some social workers view making a decent living as contrary to the movement. It's a challenging field in many ways, but also incredibly rewarding.