Interview with a Social Worker

"I saw the field become professionalized," she notes. "When I first started, there weren't many MSW programs available. Now, they're offered all over the country. However, nothing beats experience."

Jane emphasizes the kind of skills her job requires: "The most important talent needed is the ability to listen. You need to really hear and understand the patient's needs. Each person is different. One may need home health care after discharge, another may be suffering from depression and not even realize it. My job is to use 30 years of experience to really understand each case." Other skills required include an understanding of the hospital bureaucracy "because otherwise I'd never be able to get anything done," Jane says.

Asked about her contributions to the field, Jane is modest. "I don't believe I've done much to transform the profession," she says, "but I've tried to keep current on the changes that are happening. I think the field itself has come to be better defined, which makes it better able to serve patients."

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ade some mistakes when I started," he says. "I still make mistakes, but I try to learn from every one of them." Bob also tries to keep in close touch with his fellow officers. They trade experiences and information on specific cases. "We also go to each other for advice," he observes. "Even after 11 years, I still have an occasional problem I've never had to face before. Having colleagues to turn to for help is really useful, even if they're just being reassuring." Although Bob did not set out with a career plan that led him to his present position, he continues to find his job rewarding. "Would I do this again, if I could start over?" he asks. "Absolutely. I'm good at what I do, I'm able to help a lot of people, and I'm an important part of the administration of justice. I'm able to make a difference. Why wouldn't I want to be able to do that again?" 3. Leslie Cole-Sanchez is a development director for a large nonprofit organization in Los Angeles that provides assistance to individuals diagnosed with the AIDS virus. She has been a development officer for more than eight years. "This is my first job in human services," she says. "Before this, I raised funds for a major university, working mostly to secure donat
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Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

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