Social worker CV examples for you to use this year

Social workers need a lot of skills and talents to succeed. How can you showcase your dedication, patience, and empathy for social work in your CV?

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Table of Contents

  1. Social worker CV examples
  2. Highlights for a social worker CV
  3. The Structure of a social worker CV
  4. FAQ: Social worker CV examples

Social worker CV examples

Social work is one of the most demanding yet rewarding jobs in the world today. Helping and protecting vulnerable people and families requires dedication, patience, and empathy. This field of work can be highly competitive, depending on where you live, but a solid CV is always necessary to get the right job in social work.

Highlights for a social worker CV

When you apply for a social work job, your CV represents you as a job seeker. Recruiters will be looking at format and appearance as well as the content of your CV to determine whether you are suitable for the role. They will be looking for organised, empathetic, and efficient candidates; who can manage large caseloads without sacrificing their mental health or the quality of their work. If you want to show hiring managers that you are this kind of candidate you should highlight the following:

  • Relevant certifications

If you have certifications in mental health care, substance abuse counseling, or any field which will be beneficial to the role of a social worker, highlight them on your CV.

  • Professional affiliations and education

If you are registered with Social Work England (SWE) and have obtained the necessary education.

  • Your top work experiences

Social work is a demanding role and hiring managers are always looking for experienced candidates. If you have a lot of professional experience you should make it the focal point of your CV.

  • Interpersonal and critical thinking skills

While you need a degree and Social Work England registration to become a social worker, communication skills, empathy, and other soft skills are what make a great social worker. Provide examples of your interpersonal skills and critical thinking abilities along with work experience to stand out from other applicants.

 
Combine these elements with the right CV format and you will ensure that your CV passes applicant tracking systems (ATS) and impresses recruiters.

 

The Structure of a social worker CV

The right CV format can make all the difference to your chances of success. If you follow this basic structure you will create an effective social services CV that you can edit for each new job application.
 
Contact information
 
 A CV header should contain everything a hiring manager needs to contact you. You should include your full name, phone number, email address, and any optional details such as your LinkedIn profile. 
 
Professional summary
 
Directly beneath your header there should be either a professional summary or a career objective statement. The first is a sum-up of the key qualifications, skills, and experiences that make you right for the job posting, while the second is a statement of your career goals and intentions. If you have a lot of work experience, a professional summary will be best for you. Those with minimal professional experience would be better served by a CV objective statement. Looking for inspiration? Don’t miss our professional summary CV examples as well as our tips for writing a clear career objective.
 
Skills and certifications
 
Social work is a field which requires many professional certifications. As such, your professional certifications and social work skills are of the utmost importance whether you want to be a school social worker or you intend to work with adults who have substance abuse and mental health problems. Here are some examples of skills you can include: 
 
Skills

  • Case management
  • Risk assessments
  • Active listening
  • Knowledge of community resources
  • Crisis intervention
  • Advocacy
  • Discharge planning
  • Human services
  • Treatment plans
  • Facilitator

Work experience

 
The work experience section of your professional CV will be key when applying for social worker jobs. You should present your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. When discussing your previous roles, be specific about your achievements and use active language to take ownership of your actions and the results they created (e.g., “managed” or “oversaw” rather than “was tasked with”).
 
Education
Social work is one field of employment where your education section will remain important no matter how many years of experience you have. This is because all social workers must have obtained a degree in social work, finished a degree apprenticeship in social work and be registered with Social Work England.

Overall, this basic structure for your CV can be used to create as many versions of your CV as you need, tailored to fit individual jobs. If you want to save time and really stand out, use CVHelp’s CV builder, which features a range of professional templates that are in line with U.S. formatting guidelines. 

FAQ: Social worker CV examples

Q: Do I need to include a cover letter for a social worker application?

Yes, you should include a cover letter with your social work CV if you want to get called back for a job interview. Your cover letter provides a way to address the recruiter directly and can be used to provide context and additional information. A great cover letter can also make up for gaps in your CV. Consider cover letter examples to get inspiration and help you stand out from other applicants.

Q: How can I write a social worker CV without a lot of experience?

It is possible to write an amazing social work CV with limited experience. All you have to do is focus on your relevant skills and academic experience. This will be particularly effective if you can provide examples of times when you have used those skills or you have earned high grades in your classes.

Q: How do I change my social worker CV to apply to different jobs?

You can change your social worker CV to suit other job applications by reading the job descriptions carefully. The job posting will include all the details you need to edit your CV. Review the skills, experience, and qualifications that they list. Highlight these elements, or similar components, in your CV to increase your chance of getting called in for a job interview.

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