A Social Work Resume that Won the Job!

This sample social work resume is based on a resume I wrote myself - and it worked! The applicant won the position.

I have been given permission to share this two-page resume, and changed or "generalized" many identifying details to protect the innocent :-).

Highlights of Qualifications
• Mentoring, coaching, leadership, team building, encouraging staff/client development
• Ongoing social work case management and information/referral services, community resource access, external agency liaison, case note documentation and management, maintaining statistical data, financial budgeting and budget management, researching, report writing/editing
• Group facilitation, employment/life skills curriculum design and presentation, social work
• Active listening, ethno-cultural/racial and other diversity understanding, rapport building, empathy/respect/compassion, sensitivity, strong non-verbal communication awareness
• Quick and efficient decision making, troubleshooting, risk assessment, crisis management
• Strong computer skills: E-mail, typing/word processing in Word, Excel and PowerPoint

[*** Social Work Resume, Continued ... ***]

Education
Degrees:
Master of Social Work Degree University of City 1992
Bachelor of Arts Degree (Sociology) University of City 1990

Diplomas/Certificates:
Certified Resume Strategist Job Search Professionals of Country, City, State 2007-Present
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Certificate Hilton-Dentries Foundation, City, State 2006
Advanced Social Work Counseling Skills Certificate John Green Institute, City, State 2002-2003
Adult Education Program Bicentennial College, City, State 2002 (Partially Completed)
Self-Employment Training Program Government of Country 1998

[*** Social Work Resume, Continued ... ***]

Experience
Employment Consultant Bluewood Community Centres, City, State 2005-Present
• Assist both adult and youth participants to meet their employment and career goals through coaching, providing vital information, applying cognitive/solution-focused approaches and referring participants to specialized community programs.
• Maintain a caseload of 70-120 participants, including ongoing case management and detailed, timely documentation.
• Facilitate group employment skills workshops and marketing sessions at WoodGreen sites, conferences, schools and external agencies.
• Provided team leadership in marketing and relationship building with participants, employers and members of the surrounding community through organizing a large community barbeque and participating in other events, projects and partnerships.
• Participated in and encouraged co-worker participation and contribution to annual United Way campaigns.

Social Work Resume, p.2 – Experience, Continued

Grief Counsellor Distress Lines International (P/T Volunteer), City, State 1994, 2000-Present
• Working closely with a counselling partner through a series of eight structured counselling sessions, provide support to families/individuals bereaved by a suicide
• Work harmoniously with ethnoculturally/racially diverse clients and co-counsellors
• Provide empathic listening to people in transition/crisis or suffering from grief, loneliness or depression, including consumers-survivors and abusive callers

Social Work Specialist Riverbank Health Inc. (Hospital), City, State (F/T Contract) 2002-2004
• Provided ongoing counselling and case/life management supports to patients suffering from chronic kidney disease, and to their family members/caregivers
• Effectively resolved crisis/challenging situations including angry patients, patients uncertain about whether or not to continue dialysis and other kidney disease treatments, and patients experiencing depression and/or contemplating suicide
• Built and maintained strong communication networks with the multidisciplinary staff team, program management, patient advocacy groups and community service agencies

[*** Social Work Resume, Continued ... ***]

Employee Assistance Program Counsellor (P/T) Employee Assistance Consultants, City, State 2002-2003
• Counselled individuals, couples and families on a range of complex issues within a flexible short-term Employee Assistance Program (EAP) model
• Provided crisis management, stress management, solution building and external agency resources/referrals as appropriate and upon request from clients and staff
• Independently managed a caseload with supervision from off-site regional manager

Sessional Counsellor Bicentennial College, City, State (F/T Contract) 2001-2002
• Effectively marketed the benefits of counselling to students, community residents and staff
• Provided career counselling to students of varying ages/backgrounds including newcomers
• Provided crisis management and other personal counselling to students/community residents
• Counselled students to resolve personal difficulties interfering with their academic progress
• Taught personal development, career decision-making and learning strategies workshops
• Delivered service with sensitivity to ethno-cultural, gender and other diversity issues

[*** Social Work Resume, Continued ... ***]

Regional Coordinator/Career Counselor YWCA of Greater City 1998-2001
• Managed the day-to-day operation of a national cultural exchange program including guiding, mentoring and encouraging 4 regional coordinators located throughout the country
• Wrote detailed written and statistical reports including program evaluations and proposals
• Accurately and successfully managed day-to-day revenue/expenses of large program budget
• In consultation with senior and other management staff, designed and taught thoughtful, well-organized life skills training to clients/staff
• In cooperation with clients and counselling/staff teams, developed unique solutions to personal problems identified by culturally/racially diverse clients

Life Skills Coach (Private Practice), City, State (F/T) 1995-1998
• Provided personal counselling to people of diverse backgrounds in personal transition/crisis
• Taught groups and individuals effective stress management principles and techniques and life skills/wellness knowledge through public presentations, workshops and courses

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Within this social work resume, note the effective combination of the objective headline, strong list of keywords in the summary section and detailed list of specific accomplishment statements within the job listings - exactly what the employer wants!

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