Why the corporate world needs more social workers...

As I am working towards finding a new position outside the traditional roles of a social worker, I have realized that there are so many needs for a social worker in the corporate world. I see it as an excellent investment for a company, and I'm not just saying that so someone will invest in me. Which of course would be wonderful. Thinking outside the box of tradition, where people may get rigid and stuck, adapting the social work values within a corporate setting is genius, and in my opinion, under utilized. Yes, someone who has graduated with an MBA would be fabulous, but what about a MSW? A Human Resource professional can provide similar services, but the clinical skills and professional training of a social worker are far more valuable, and can provide better outcomes in the long run.

The NASW Code of Ethics list the core values of social work as follows:

* service
* social justice
* dignity and worth of the person
* importance of human relationships
* integrity
* competence

This is a unique set of values that the profession of social work encompasses, training a social worker with the concepts dressed up in every business psychology book on the shelves. I don't need to take a Dale Carnegie course, or read endless volumes to perform the jobs that other may do, while my resume gets tossed atop a monster stack in the recycle bin.

My background and training provides me with transferable skills to thrive in corporate America. I have worked with unions and disgruntled employees, recognizing the challenges that can arise and the need to find solutions that can continue to best benefit both employee and company. I am skilled at counseling and mediation, which has been a bulk of my practice until now. I talk and listen for a living, and am well versed at “selling” concepts and ideas that promote productivity, wellness, and increased quality of life. I am familiar with resistant populations, working within the prison system in some capacity since I was nineteen. I have had to work hard to get others to recognize that my services are needed and will be beneficial in the end. And am not stopping now...

Someone told me to refrain from promoting myself as a risk. I say, let's change the operational definition of a risk. Risks can be healthy. I believe there is value in being a risk taker in business, leading to further innovation and success. If it's all about strategy, this seems to make sense.