1. Eric Alexander
EDUC 1300- Prof. H Williams Spring 2016
2- Part Career Research Essay (Life as a Social Worker)
Table of Contents
1. FINAL DRAFT ESSAY
2. ESSAY MARKED UP DRAFTS
3. JOURNAL PRINT OUTS
4. POWERPOINT DRAFT
5. WORK CITED
CareerResearchInstructions001.jpg

2. Eric Alexander
EDUC 1300- Prof. H Williams Spring 2016
2- Part Career Research Essay (Life as a Social Worker)
I want to become a Social Worker to help other people through problems of life,
Sociology is the study of human social behavior, especially the study of the origins,
organization, institutions, and development of human society. Being able understand
people and the society in which we live. I plan to work as a Social Worker in the
childcare field. (Farlex, 2003-2016) Understanding what people face in everyday life and
being there to help through the difficult times in life make me feel like I’m giving back
to my community.
To become a Social Worker I must get a degree in Sociology. According to
Study.com those interested in becoming a sociologist should hold at least a Bachelor of
Arts in Sociology from an accredited university. (Sociologist: Job Description, Duties and
Requirements, 2013) This degree not only allow to practice Social Work but it help you
understand the field of study you have the opportunity to shape people lives for the
better. In doing so make you a valued member of society.
My plan is to practice in San Francisco, California with my degree in Sociology, I
believe I must take a pass a Licensing test. According to California State Board of
Behavioral Sciences to become a Social Worker in State of California all applicants
must possess a Master’s degree in Social Work from an accredited school of social work.
Applicants with out-of-state education, experience or licensure must complete an 18-
hour course on California Law and Professional Ethics (California graduates have already

3. Eric Alexander
EDUC 1300- Prof. H Williams Spring 2016
2- Part Career Research Essay (Life as a Social Worker)
met this requirement). (California, 2012) These licensing requirements make sure your
skills or up to date and people have the latest knowledge in their field to make sure they
are able to do their jobs the best possible way.
I will make around $60,000 a year. According to CNN Money a Social Worker
(BSW) median salary in San Francisco, CA is $63,925 with a range usually between
$56,556 and $71,650. (Corporation, 2016) San Francisco is the place I plan to practice
and this income will allow Social Workers to live the life they want, and also help the
community.
I can live very well with this job comparable to what I get now. According to
Salary.com comparable salary in San Francisco, CA $8,922 Price difference in San
Francisco, CA -Groceries48%more, Housing205%more, Utilities8%more,
Transportation36%more, Health Care30%more. Cost of Living in Houston is about
$3,000.00 cheaper than San Francisco according to CNN Money-Cost of living: How far
will my salary go in another city? (Company, 2016) My current income barely allow me
to survive with my new degree it will allow me provide a better way of life for myself.
And while finish my Degree at San Francisco State University I plan to acquire on-
the-job-training through an internship program which will allow me to get on-the-job-
training in the field and at the company I plan to work. According to Department of

4. Eric Alexander
EDUC 1300- Prof. H Williams Spring 2016
2- Part Career Research Essay (Life as a Social Worker)
Sociology at San Francisco State University will be required to participate in an
Internship Program with will give me needed experience for my job as Social Worker.
(University, 2016)
I have a passion to help people their problems, there are several homeless
programs in Houston that need assistance with feeding, and provide information to the
people suffering with displacement due to sexual orientation, mental disability two
things I have had to deal with. According to VolunteerMatch.org the following
agencies: Reach Youth Global feeds the Houston homeless at Loaves and Fishes Soup
Kitchen downtown every second Saturday and need volunteers, Heart to Heart
Hospice is looking for awesome, loving, and caring volunteers to help with several
programs. Patient Care volunteers- Have you ever felt like your calling or passion in life
is to work with terminally ill patients? Agape Development is seeking adult allies for
our adult Getting Ahead graduates. Getting Ahead is an adult education class that meets
to discuss financial, emotional, social, and familial stability. The purpose of the class is to
help participants build resources that take them from "just getting by" to "getting
ahead". While similar to a mentorship program, we hope that Allies will be mutually
beneficial to graduates and their "allies."
I think I will work at less 35-40 a week on the job as a Social Worker, I also plan to
volunteer my services at homeless shelters, women shelters and within the LGBT

5. Eric Alexander
EDUC 1300- Prof. H Williams Spring 2016
2- Part Career Research Essay (Life as a Social Worker)
Community. According to National Association of Social Workers, Full-time social
workers usually work a standard 40-hour week. Some work evenings and weekends to
meet with clients, attend community meetings and handle emergencies. Social workers
usually spend most of their time in an office or residential facility, but also may travel
locally to visit clients, meet with service providers or attend meetings. Understaffing and
large caseloads add to the pressure in some agencies. (Workers, 2016) As a Social
Worker you deal with face some of the hardest decisions people deal with every day.
And most of us Social Workers will be take the problems home with us. But this job also
gives a since of pride that you can’t find no were else.
Working as a Social Worker has many positives, and the same amount of
negatives. But as a Social Worker on the positive side you get help people change their
lives, by helping them overcome drugs problems and I guess that what made me want
to become a Social Worker was me helping my sister deal with her drug problem, a
problem that has cause them to miss out on most of their lives. You get to reunite
children with their parents after a parent or parents have got help with their drug
problem or something else. But the other hand you have the negative when parents
don’t stop doing something harmful to themselves or children you have to recommend
removal and in so many cases permanent removal of children by requesting their
parental rights be legally terminated. According to MSWOnlinePrograms.org Family,

6. Eric Alexander
EDUC 1300- Prof. H Williams Spring 2016
2- Part Career Research Essay (Life as a Social Worker)
child or school social work involves providing assistance and advocacy to improve social
and psychological functioning of children and their families. These social workers
attempt to maximize academic functioning of children as well as improving the family’s
overall well-being. These professionals may assist parents, locate foster homes, help to
arrange adoptions, and address abuse. In schools they address problems such as
truancy, bad behavior, teenage pregnancy, drug use, and poor grades. They also advice
teachers and act as liaisons between students, homes, schools, courts, protective
services, and other institutions. (Julie Fanning MSW, 2016)
I believe a Social Worker can find a job almost in any city in United States, But
according to United States Department of Labor the most jobs can be found in larger
populated cites. (Labor, 2014) California is a great place to practice your field because it
is the heart of Social Change in this country and continues to make social changes all
the times from Marriage Equality to Stopping the death penalty and ending over-
crowding in there prisons.
I know State Department of Human Services, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Adoption
Agency, County Courts, and according to United States Department of Labor, these
places will provide the most jobs in the coming years. (Labor, 2014) And I plan to work
for Department of Children and Family Services of California in San Francisco to help

7. Eric Alexander
EDUC 1300- Prof. H Williams Spring 2016
2- Part Career Research Essay (Life as a Social Worker)
children find safe place to call home. I will help children find parents who will love them
and care for them for who they are not for what they are where they came from.
As a social worker you can join the National Association of Social Workers
(NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the
world, with 132,000 members. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and
development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to
advance sound social policies. ((NASW), 2016) As a social worker you can join the
National Association of Social Workers (NASW) ((NASW), 2016) Society for Social
Work Leadership in Health Care (SSWLHC) is an association dedicated to promoting
the universal availability, accessibility, coordination, and effectiveness of health care that
addresses the psychosocial components of health and illness. (Care, 2016)Social
Workers Helping Social Workers (SWHSW) started in September, 1980, when LeClaire
Bissell invited 50 MSW’s to meet for mutual support. Almost all accepted her invitation
to meet, because they were hungry for colleague association. Many had held the
mistaken belief that they were the only social worker in the USA in recovery. Since 1980
there have been over four hundred members in SWHSW with chapters on the east and
west coasts. (Workers S. W., 2016)

8. Eric Alexander
EDUC 1300- Prof. H Williams Spring 2016
2- Part Career Research Essay (Life as a Social Worker)
Works Cited
(NASW),N.A.(2016). NationalAssociation of SocialWorkers (NASW) .RetrievedfromAboutNASW:
http://www.naswdc.org/nasw/default.asp
California,S.o.(2012). California Board of BehavioralSciences. RetrievedfromState of California:
http://www.bbs.ca.gov/app-reg/lcs_requirement.shtml
Care,S. f. (2016). Join SocietyforSocial Work Leadership in Health Care . RetrievedfromSocietyfor
Social Work LeadershipinHealthCare :http://www.sswlhc.org/
Company,C.N. (2016, 2 13). Costof Living: How farwill my salary go in anothercity? Retrievedfrom
CNN Money:http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/
Corporation,I.B. (2016). Social Worker (BSW) Salariesin San Francisco,California.Retrievedfrom
Salary.com:http://www1.salary.com/CA/Social-Worker-BSW-salary.html
Farlex,I.(2003-2016). Sociology Definition.RetrievedfromThe Free Dictionary:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sociology
Julie FanningMSW,L. a. (2016). Understanding theRoleof a Social Worker.Retrievedfrom
MSWOnlinePrograms.org:http://mswonlineprograms.org/job-duties-and-responsibilities-of-
social-workers/
Labor, U. S. (2014). Departmentof Labor,OccupationalEmployment .RetrievedfromOccupational
EmploymentandWages,May 2014: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211029.htm
MarilynCrawshaw*,S. P.(2012). Workingat the Margins: The ViewsandExperiencesof CourtSocial
Workerson Parental OrdersWork inSurrogacy Arrangements. British Journalof SocialWork,19.
Sociologist:Job Description,Duties and Requirements.(2013). RetrievedfromStudy.com:
http://study.com/articles/Sociologist_Job_Description_Duties_and_Requirements.html
University,S.F.(2016, February). Bachelorof Artsin Sociology.RetrievedfromSanFranciscoState
University- Departmentof Sociology:http://sociology.sfsu.edu/major
Washington,K.T. (2015). Experiencesof sexualandgenderminoritiescaringforadultswithnon-AIDS-
relatedchronicillnesses. SocialWorkResearch,2.
Williams,J.H.(2015). Potential impactof teachersinsecuringmentalhealthservicesforAfrican
Americanchildreninurbanschools.. SocialWork Research,3.
Workers,N.A. (2016, February24). Social Worker| explorehealthcareers.org.RetrievedfromExplore
HealthCareers.org:
http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/116/Social_Worker#Tab=Overview

9. Eric Alexander
EDUC 1300- Prof. H Williams Spring 2016
2- Part Career Research Essay (Life as a Social Worker)
Workers,S.W. (2016). Join Social WorkersHelping Social Workers.RetrievedfromSocial Workers
HelpingSocial Workers:http://www.socialworkershelping.org/
Williams, J. H. (2015). Potential impact of teachers in securing mental health services for
African American children in urban schools. Social Work Research, 39(3), 131+. Retrieved from
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&it=r&p=PPPC&sw=w&asid=2be91488cee0fdd47c2a648c0c08f433 (Williams, 2015)
Washington, K. T., McElroy, J., Albright, D., Oliver, D. P., Lewis, A., Meadows, S., & Elliott, S.
(2015). Experiences of sexual and gender minorities caring for adults with non-AIDS-related
chronic illnesses. Social Work Research, 39(2), 71+. Retrieved from http://0-
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&it=r&p=PPPC&sw=w&asid=b9c8a83cacebe2dafcae610a3c0911a4 (Washington, 2015)