Career Development in Social Work
Uniting passion with lifelong purpose.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, social work employment is expected to increase through 2029. The aging baby boom generation is driving the demand for social workers. Likewise, the need for social workers specializing in children and family, school social workers, substance abuse, mental health, and healthcare is projected to rise. Social Work jobs are projected to have an average 13% growth rate –faster than the average growth that is projected for all occupations from 2019 to 2029.
Graduates of the Simmons School of Social Work are among the most prepared and sought-after professionals ready to meet these needs.
Throughout the year, the School of Social Work and the Office of Career Development and Employer Relations host events to support student career planning and preparation. Career Connections in January features several workshops on writing a professional social work resume and creating a successful job search strategy. In mid-Winter the SSW hosts a recruitment fair attended by over 40 local employers; in early Spring we co-sponsor with the State registration board several workshops on the LCSW licensing process. Students can also access the career counseling services at the Office of Career Development and Employer Relations. Professional Social Work Job openings are posted on the School of Social Work job board and on the University’s Handshake online career resource. Employers can submit new job listings through our online form.
First jobs for recent SSW graduates
- Clinical Social Worker, Emergency Department of Boston Children’s Hospital
- Child and Family Social Worker, Home for Little Wanderers
- Clinical Social Worker, Cardiovascular Medicine Division of Brigham and Women’s Hospital · Clinical Social Worker, Fenway Health
- Clinical Social Worker, Seasons Hospice, Norwood, Massachusetts
- Clinical Social Worker, Neurology Unit of Massachusetts General Hospital
- Clinical Social Worker, Veterans Administration Boston Healthcare System
- Clinical Social Worker and Intake Coordinator, Southern Jamaica Plain Community Health Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Emergency Services Clinician, BEST Team
- Inpatient Psychiatry Social Worker, Worcester State Hospital
- School Social Worker, Revere Public Schools
- Sibling and Group Social Worker, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- Social Work Supervisor at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Children and Families
- Behavioral Health Integrated Therapist, Codman Square Health Center, Dorchester, Massachusetts
- Child and Family Clinician, Whittier Street Health Center, Roxbury, Massachusetts
- Clinician Care Coordinator, North Suffolk Mental Health
- Bilingual Dual- Diagnosis Clinician, Casa Esperanza, Boston
- Director of LGBTQ Services at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Division of Student Life
- Fellow, Ruderman Fellowship in Gerontological Social Work at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Clinical Social Worker, Smart Team, South End Community Health Center
- Clinical Social Worker, The Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights
- School Social Worker, Victor School, Justice Resource Center
- Counselors in the Simmons Counseling Center
- Medical Social Worker in Cardiology at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital
- Addictions Specialist at the North Charles Institute for the Addictions in Somerville, Massachusetts
- Social Worker and Family Services Manager, City of Somerville, Massachusetts
Social Work Career Resources
Job board
Check out our job board for job opportunities.
Submit a job
Do you have a job to post? Employers can submit new job listings through our online form.
Meet Our Alumnae/i
Alumna Embraces Critical Approaches to Children’s Literature
Since completing her master of arts in children’s literature at Simmons, Amber Weinstock ’24MA has begun her doctoral studies at the University of Connecticut. We caught up with Weinstock, winner of the 2024 Graduate Student Essay Award, to ask how Simmons prepared her for her current studies.
Nutrition Alumna’s New Bakery Featured in The Boston Globe
Janet Lu ’22MS, who studied nutrition at Simmons, recently opened Fuful Bakery in Boston’s financial district.
SOM Alumna Embraces Creativity in STEM, Business, and Art
Dr. Sara McKenzie ’93MBA has carved her niche in STEM, project management, and the arts. We spoke with her about her scientific career, her art-making process, and the formative training she received at Simmons.
MPH Alum Receives APHA Learning Bridge Award
Bridges to Health, Inc., a community-based organization founded by Lydje Lahens ’19MPH, has been selected for the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Building Bridges Learning – Community Learning Bridge Award.
The Transformative Power of Children’s Literature
Cassie Sheets-Kavanagh ’18MA, who earned her master of arts in children’s literature at Simmons, is pursuing a PhD in curriculum, instruction, and teacher education at Michigan State University.
Alumna Consults on Nutritional Goals
In recognition of National Nutrition Month, we spoke to Registered Dietitian and Food Allergy Specialist Lisa Cooperman ’23MS, who offers insight into the vital field of food allergy and developmental disability nutrition.
SLIS Graduate Named Director of Nantucket Atheneum
The Nantucket Atheneum is not only the island’s public library, but also the home of historic research and art collections. For Leslie Malcolm ’05MS, the Atheneum’s newest executive director and head librarian, her journey there began with service.
SON Alumna Makes Impact in Pediatric Neurology
Beverly Byron ’75, is currently the co-chair of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Department of Health and Human Services’ Child Fatality Review Team. She is a longtime nurse educator and legal nurse consultant who double majored in nursing and sociology at Simmons.