Social work is a varied profession that often requires a practitioner to take on multiple roles such as adviser, therapist, caretaker, administrator and clinician. The business of social work demands a wide variety of emotional and psychological skills to accompany the formal academic training practitioners receive.

The development of each skill requires its unique method of learning. Although some of the skills will develop during formal educational training, others will require you acquire them yourself. Active listening, critical thinking, information gathering, organization, time management and empathy are crucial skills that will help you provide the most exceptional care for your clients.

Active Listening

As a social worker, you will find that active listening is a useful tool for establishing trust and respect with clients. Listening will let the client know that you are engaged and care about their welfare. Trust will simplify getting details about your client as well as making them more cooperative with treatment.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking skills will enable you to construct practical solutions for your client. Logic, analysis and creativity will allow you to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of multiple treatment approaches before finding the best solution.

Information Gathering

Collecting and interpreting social, personal and environmental health information is an essential part of social work. Make more informed decisions by knowing how to find and identify critical information about your client.

Organization

Social workers often find themselves handling multiple clients at the same time. Providing the highest quality care requires organization. This skill will allow you to provide the case management and psychosocial support your clients deserve.

Time Management

Along with excellent organizational skills, social workers need practical time management skills. Time management is vital for handling multiple cases and responsibilities at once, as well as providing the best care for clients.

Empathy

Putting yourself in other’s shoes is vital for social workers. Empathy is how you develop relationships and determine needs. This skill requires practice, but it will enable you to empower clients to take control of their lives.

Social Perceptiveness

Social workers must be sensitive to body language, social cues, implications and cultural patterns of behavior. Many clients have difficulty expressing their needs verbally so a social worker must be able to read between the lines to understand the thoughts and feelings of the client.

Cooperation

Active cooperation provides an efficient means of reaching a solution. The ability to negotiate, compromise and work well with others is critical to the efforts of social work. Cooperation among multiple parties is crucial to the social worker’s role in connecting clients with services. These vital skills will certainly enhance your career as a social worker.

If you are a social worker, please contact GHR Human Services today. Our staffing agency maintains relationships with private facilities, community organizations and public service agencies, making it easy for you to make a significant contribution to the welfare of others.