Social workers fulfill an important role in our society, as they advocate for, support, and offer essential resources to vulnerable individuals in our community. As a social worker, you’ll know that finding employment opportunities can be a challenge. That’s why at CVapp.ie, we’re here to make high-quality career resources and templates accessible to everybody. Whether you’re looking for work or need to update your current CV, we’ll help you create a job-winning CV with ease.
Let’s begin with the first essential section of a CV: the professional profile!
Professional Profile: Flaunt your career potential
A professional profile is a summary of your career potential: who are you, and what experiences and skills in social work do you have to offer to the role you’re applying for? To craft a compelling professional profile, it's important to infuse your unique professional personality and career journey into this section. In 3-5 sentences, highlight any relevant accomplishments, strengths, expertise and qualifications that make you a great social worker, and the perfect candidate for the job role you’re applying for!
Here’s our example of a great professional profile:
Passionate and experienced Healthcare Social Worker with a proven track record of providing quality care and support to patients receiving medical care. Committed to helping patients navigate through difficult situations and ensure that they receive the care and services necessary. Committed to helping patients and families during difficult times by ensuring that they get the proper care and resources to meet their needs.
Employment History: Share your professional story
The employment history section is typically considered the most important section of your CV, and for good reason: this section allows employers to understand your professional background as well as your career potential. So, how do you effectively craft an employment history section? Firstly, you don't need to include every single job you've ever had, especially if those positions aren't relevant to your career in social work. By focusing on your most relevant career experiences first, you can highlight your relevant skills and accomplishments to make a strong impression on potential employers.
The best way to format your employment history is by including details about each relevant job position, including the name of the business or organisation you worked for and the location, the length of time you spent in each role, and the major roles and responsibilities you fulfilled in each position. Just like this:
Passionate and experienced Healthcare Social Worker with a proven track record of providing quality care and support to patients receiving medical care. Committed to helping patients navigate through difficult situations and ensure that they receive the care and services necessary. Committed to helping patients and families during difficult times by ensuring that they get the proper care and resources to meet their needs.
Education: Highlight your professional qualifications
In this section, you should aim to highlight any academic qualifications and certifications that allow you to be the perfect candidate for the role. Be sure to read the job description thoroughly, as many job postings will have specific educational requirements listed as prerequisites, e.g., a Bachelor of Social Work or higher. You'll want to include the names of the institutions you studied at and their locations and the length of time you attended each institution. When listing your educational achievements, you can also highlight any exceptional accomplishments or awards you received. Doing so can demonstrate your dedication to social work and your commitment to career growth.
Here’s a great example of an education section below:
Social Worker at St. Jude's Hospital, Cork
January 2022 - present
- Conducted advocacy on behalf of clients to ensure their rights were respected and that they received necessary services
- Developed and facilitated a support group for individuals struggling with substance use disorder, resulting in a decrease in relapse rates by 25%
- Collaborated with healthcare professionals to create healthcare plans and strategies
Case Manager at St. Mary's Children's Hospital, Galway
December 2019 - December 2021
- Assessed patient needs, developed service plans and monitored outcomes to ensure clients received the best possible care
- Developed and maintained relationships with community resources to ensure clients had access to necessary resources
- Developed and implemented case plans that enabled clients to successfully achieve their desired outcomes Social Worker at Cork County Health, Cork AUGUST 2016 — NOVEMBER 2019 • Assessed clients’ needs, developed treatment plans and monitored progress toward goals • Conducted home visits and monitored client progress in their home environment • Facilitated group th
Skills: Where strengths and passion collide
Creating an impactful skills section can help illustrate your social work expertise and highlight your unique qualifications. Before you begin, it's important to study the job description and identify any key skills they've listed to skills you already possess. If the job calls for an active listener with crisis management skills, and you consider yourself a qualified candidate, don't be afraid to directly list these skills.
Once you've thoroughly reviewed the job description, it can also be helpful to identify any skills that make you believe makes you an exceptional social worker. Are you great at building strong relationships? Have you received significant cultural competency training? Do you consider yourself a great advocate for children? These are great skills to highlight in your skills section. Remember: job applications that have been tailored to the job role you're applying for can help you stand out from the crowd and leave a positive impression on employers.
- Documentation and
- Case Management
- Mediation Skills
- Coping Skills
- Group Counseling
- Mental Health Assessments
- Knowledge of Social Welfare Policy
- Crisis Intervention
Formatting with CVapp.ie
Formatting doesn’t have to be frustrating: why spend time stressing over spacing, fonts and layouts when you could be crafting a compelling CV or cover letter? At CVapp.ie, we believe in making career tools and resources accessible for everybody. Whether you’re looking for a modern, creative, simple or professional template, we’ve got you covered!
Browse our top professional tips and tricks on the CVapp.ie website!
Good luck!
- Team CVapp.ie
