You Need Experience to Get Experience: Real Strategies for Early-Career Social Workers
Sun Feb 01 2026
“You need experience to get hired… but you need a job to get experience.”If you’re an early-career social worker, MSW student, or associate clinician, this frustrating catch-22 probably sounds very familiar.
In this episode, we break down why this happens in social work and—more importantly—what you can actually do about it. You’ll learn realistic, ethical, and practical strategies to gain experience, build confidence, and move forward in your social work career without burning out or feeling discouraged.
Whether you’re struggling to land your first job, feeling stuck in an underpaid role, or questioning your competence, this episode will help you reframe the problem and take actionable next steps.
____________________________________
Tap Here to Subscribe to the Social Workers, Rise! Email Resource List
Tap Here to shop career courses for Social Workers.
____________________________________
Thank you to our SPONSORS
HPSO Professional liability insurance designed for healthcare providers
RISE Directory for Clinical Supervision
More
“You need experience to get hired… but you need a job to get experience.”If you’re an early-career social worker, MSW student, or associate clinician, this frustrating catch-22 probably sounds very familiar. In this episode, we break down why this happens in social work and—more importantly—what you can actually do about it. You’ll learn realistic, ethical, and practical strategies to gain experience, build confidence, and move forward in your social work career without burning out or feeling discouraged. Whether you’re struggling to land your first job, feeling stuck in an underpaid role, or questioning your competence, this episode will help you reframe the problem and take actionable next steps. ____________________________________ Tap Here to Subscribe to the Social Workers, Rise! Email Resource List Tap Here to shop career courses for Social Workers. ____________________________________ Thank you to our SPONSORS HPSO Professional liability insurance designed for healthcare providers RISE Directory for Clinical Supervision