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
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School of Management (SOM) alumna Tammy Caputi ’99MBA is a mother, small business owner, and former City Councilwoman who is running for a state representative position in Arizona. We spoke with her about her political platform and the value of a women-centered learning environment.
SLIS Alumna Bridges Archives and Science Fiction
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Building a Career in Clinical Mental Health
Rachel Cohan ’25MSW is a master’s level clinician at Elevate Counseling Services, a private practice group with several Massachusetts locations. Based in the Easton office, Cohan collaborates with clients to create and carry out treatment plans informed by their goals.
Inside Simmons’ Data Science and AI Major
Data science and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are everywhere — what does it mean to major in these areas, as an undergraduate? We spoke with a professor and graduate of Simmons’ Bachelor of Science in Data Science and AI to learn more about what the degree entails, and how it prepares students to enter a rapidly growing field.
SLIS Alumna Views Librarians as ‘Informal’ Educators
Sarah Leveille ’26MS is the reference librarian for the Grafton Public Library in Grafton, Massachusetts. We spoke with her about the essential education she received from Simmons SLIS, the LibGuides she created, and the joys of librarianship.
SLIS Alums Elected to NELA Executive Board
Kate Byroade ’98MS and Meghan Cericola ’20MS have been elected to serve as officers on the Executive Board of the New England Library Association (NELA).
Building a Career in School Social Work
Melanie Pina ’25MSW is a school social worker at a Boston Public School serving students in grades K0-6 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. From the minute she greets students off the bus in the morning, she says, “my day is about building rapport.”
Mother of Three Balances Work and Graduate Nursing Program
Jackie Kelley ’13 ’26MSN earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Simmons’ School of Nursing (SON). After ten years of experience in the field, she returned to Simmons for the Master’s in Nursing (BSN to MSN) online program, with a specialization in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Kelley shared her experience as a registered nurse and mother of three young children while in the nursing program.