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Licensed Clinical Social Workers and MSW’s are constantly looking for opportunities that will allow them to make more money. Social workers are employed in various industries in both the public and private sector. Social work salaries, however, are as varied as employment settings. Specialization, advanced degree, licensure, sector and geographic location all influence the salary one can expect.
LCSWs and MSWs can expect to earn an average salary in the range of $40,000 – $47,000. Public sector jobs often have salary caps indicating the maximum salary an employee in a specific job can earn. Private sector jobs often require specializations, joint degrees, or sector specific experience. It is not uncommon for social work professionals to work in jobs for years without a salary adjustment. Therefore, the question of making more money is often raised.
Marcyline Bailey, owner of M.L. Bailey Consultants, Inc. has developed a program to help LCSWs and MSWs find professional success and satisfaction in their social work career in the least amount of time. The M.L. Bailey Consultants, Inc. model for success and satisfaction is comprised of the following:
Having a clearly defined personal/professional vision for your life.
Developing an action oriented mission statement.
Working in one’s identified professional niche.
Identifying and solving problems within one’s niche.
Building a community of like-minded professionals.
How does this model help you to make more money? Let’s look at each component.
Know where you are going. Your personal/professional vision provides clarity regarding the lifestyle that you desire. This knowledge will give you a general idea of the salary you will require to make your dreams reality.
Know the steps you will take to get there. A written mission statement will allow you to develop an action plan that will keep you on target as you move toward your desired lifestyle. Distractions and detours are kept at a minimum. All of your actions and behaviors align with your mission statement.
What you will do to get there. Working in your professional niche allows you to optimize your skills and abilities in an environment that also provides maximum professional growth.
Impact, Influence and Impression. You impact and influence your environment when you solve problems that hinder or prevent the environment from reaching its goals. The positive impression you make opens doors of opportunity. This leads to promotion, pay increase, and power.
Community. Ford, Carnegie, Rockefeller and the other industrialists of the early 1900s understood that their individual successes would multiply by collaborating with each other. Their influence continues today. What more can be said about the importance of being part of a community of like-minded individuals.
I would love to hear from you. You may join the conversation by commenting on this post on our Facebook fan page REAL Social Workers Online Magazine or by joining the “Social” Social Workers Project. You may also contact me directly on Twitter @Marcyline #LCSW15