Related Posts
Tata Consultancy I am a manager in Capgemini... have an offer frm TCS. the designation being offered is Assistant Consultant.. 9.8 years experience( 5 yrs with Cap) Even though I am getting a package of 25Lakhs.. it seems like a demotion in designation.. Cg has offered to match upto 23.5 lakhs.. Is it worth moving to TCS on this grade? My primary reason for moving out of Cg is i m bored of beauocracy and WLB at current project. Is it a good idea to still switch with the counter offer from Cg Capgemini Tata Consu
More Posts
After how many years of exp we should join tcs
How much do anchors in news channels earn ??
Need more people here!
🍿🍿🍿🍿in two minutes!!

Rules for thee not for me!

Additional Posts in Social Workers & Therapists
Social work
@hospital medical social work
New to Fishbowl?
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.




It depends on your organization and the area you serve. When I was starting out straight out of school, I did tend to work a lot, nothing like 70+ per week. My organization prioritized time off, I was the crazy one who would say call or text me with any questions while I was on vacation. They laughed at me. I never got called or texted.
I have also had the experience where my organization expected me to find coverage for my shifts when I was on vacation or out sick. I did not stay there. They didn't value me or my time.
If you work for a place that doesn't value you or your time, let your feet show your values and walk out. I am tired of organizations using our desire to help the people against us. Of saying they're understaffed and that's the problem. There are a ton of employees out there like me who are dedicated and great staff. It's the working conditions that are the problem, in my opinion. It's the poorly trained managera who are promoted from within due to popularity versus managerial skills.
I work for myself now in private practice. I would rather buy my own insurance and put my own money into my retirement then put up with some of the things I have in corporations (I've worked in community support, substance abuse rehab, psychiatric hospitals, and for health insurance). I still get offers from biggee companies. I won't work for them until the culture changes. In my opinion, there is an unhealthy codependency in a lot of social work/counseling organizations and departments that need to be fixed instead of exploited.
And side not to say that my boss (me) still sucks, I work long hours, work some on my days off, and give more to my clients than is healthy at times. And I'm still happier and learning my own boundaries with myself. It is a wonderful experience. And I'm making a difference for others still, and doing what I feel is authentic for me.
Counseling is not all sunshine and roses. It can be thankless work. I hear a lot of how rewarding it must be from people who don't work in the field. And we all know the clients who we sit with as they repeat the same maladaptive skills and thought, and just want to get a spray bottle of water and squirt them like a cat trying to get on the counters. We have the clients who just cannot connect with us no matter what we do, and we feel like cheerleaders at a game where our team is in last place and we're getting pelted with rotten vegetables. And as much as I hate to be the person saying that I went through something and so should you, the time I spent in community service living in fear of roaches and lice, having teeth pulled out in my car and dropped on the floorboards, having to clean bowel movements out of my seats, and learning to restrain individuals to keep them from hurting me or someone else really did help me become the counselor I am.
And I did try a more corporate type position working for a major insurance organization doing authorizations and client outreach, making over 90k a year with really good benefits, stock options, etc. I had my own cubicle then worked from home. My biggest fear was not being able to get the workout machine in the private gym that I wanted or someone stealing my lunch from the fridge, and there was always a really good cafeteria I could get lunch from. I hated the corporate atmosphere, the drive for profits over helping, and there were layoffs while telling the rest of us we needed to handle more cases and learn new systems and procedures on top of doing jobs typically considered work for nonclinical employees.
Given my skills, I can excel in the corporate world. Given my values and personality, it was soul sucking and I was losing my own mind.
With counseling and direct care, it really does seem to be beneficial to get into private practice. When I worked for community support, rehabs, and hospitals, it was always supportive until management or teams changed. And the pay at those organizations can be 50% less than a truly motivated, driven, and organized private practitioner can accomplish. Organizations need to increase pay and hire staff with actual management training or invest in training their chosen managers to actually do the job.
Side note for private pratitioners, get your health insurance from a medically underwritten plan like United Healthcare's Golden Rule. The cons are that they don't cover pre-existing conditions (use GoodRx for prescriptions). The pros are getting better quality doctors and care. Once the funding from the government to supplement marketplace plans dried up, those marketplace plans changed, left, and/or got narrow networks.
Start on platforms like Teladoc, Sondermind, and TalkSpace to build client loads and refine telehealth skills to avoid the costly office overheads. Then branch out to HelloAlma and Headway or a billing company to handle insurance claims. It's cheap to do telehealth, get a good laptop and a fast internet connection. Take yourself OUT of the insurance claim business. Focus on counseling to avoid the burnout. Network with other providers in your area on social platforms and join them for lunches and get togethers. Determine if you can live on the 60/session that the platforms will give you or if you really want the 90-120 that comes from insurance reimbursement. And avoid BetterHelp, they don't pay anywhere near enough.
Pro
Social work is hard. We manage lives without stepping on their toes and respect their wants and felt sense of needs. Everyday I want to work in a less demanding field, but it would not be the same. I know I’d always be wondering, what if, why not, how come…let’s go get it attitude is what motivates me every single day.
Thank you so much for your advice!
P.s. I tried to chat with you directly but the app does not allow me to.
You can definitely make upwards of 6 figured to the mid 150s working 25-30 hours a week, but it won’t be possible without your LCSW. You have to for sure get the full licensure and be doing therapy to make it there.
I enjoyed working as a Director of Social Services for a Skilled Nursing Facility and made $75K, in DFW, TX as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, 13 years post-grad. I was required to work 40 hours and no overtime unless requested by the Administrator.
Well. It’s been my experience that people’s emergencies don’t always happen between 9 & 5. I used to say social work would be easier if it wasn’t for the people.
I’m aware that evenings and weekends are needed in social work. That is not my complaint. My complaint is that I’m expected to work 70+ hours a week.
I have my LCSW in MA, which isn’t an independent license in this state we need an LICSW, I have about 30 clients a week and I’ll be just hitting 6 figures this year. Once I get my LICSW I’ll be closer to 120-130k. Don’t give up, you just might have to aim for private practice.
Yes, you can find social work jobs that are 40 hours a week and pay a decent wage. I’m not sure where you live but I know most states after getting your masters have 2 licensure levels. In NY it’s the LCSW in MA it’s LICSW. You will make the most pay after getting the highest licensure level. There are many settings where the hours are going to be pretty cut and clear. Therapist, school social worker, some hospital social workers (depending on type of unit) insurance work are examples that come to mind. Even working in a non profit,
I’ve worked in a non profit doing community mental health work (not therapy) for 8 years. Early on I did feel compelled to work extra hours to get things completed. As time has gone on and I’ve gotten promotions to leadership positions (and since having kids!) I have made the decision to try to stay pretty close to 40 hours, barring any major crises. These days I work extra hours very rarely maybe once or twice a month I might work 3 extra hours or so. In order to do this you have to change your mindset. For me it was recognizing that the clinical shortages and vacancies were not my fault or responsibility to cover and that if I do take on that burden I end up becoming burnt out and unwell. In order to be my best at work, I had to set limits. Definitely harder to do if you are a perfectionist or work for someone who sets a more rigid expectation.
Long story short- it is possible, it might just take some time to find the role and culture that you are looking for! Good luck.
If anyone is in MA I have jobs!
Central MA I should say