Most people don't understand exactly what this career entails. As a social worker, you'll spend your days advocating for others and helping them wade through difficult situations. There are clients whose stories will be sad, and their words will trigger thoughts and feelings in you. It's important to keep up your own personal therapy (in fact, it's recommended), and to use your supervisor to process the feelings that clients trigger in you. It's good to have the mindset of expecting the unexpected, as something could go wrong on any given day, considering how many people you'll be working with. One of the hardest parts of the job is not dealing with clients, but figuring out how to navigate the system, the culture, dealing with ethical challenges, and learning the best way to work with peers.
Related Careers
Psychologist
A psychologist is someone who studies mental processes and human behaviour by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and the environment.
Social Worker
There are two main types of social workers: direct-service social workers, who help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives, and clinical social workers, who diagnose and treat mental, behavioural, and emotional issues.