Free Social Work Career Plan: 90-Days To Plan Your Goals
Creating a social work career plan is one of the most empowering steps you can take to design a professional career you truly love. Whether you’re ready to transition into a new role, start a side business, or simply map out your next career move, having a clear plan is essential. With my free 90-Day Career Planner, you can take actionable steps to align your career goals with your passion, all while navigating the unique challenges and opportunities within the field of Social Work. Let’s dive in and start building the success path to your ideal Social Work career!”
Get my Free 90 Day Career Planner – – > 90-Days to Level Up Your Social Work Career or Side Business
First let me say, I’m so excited to share my 90 Day Career Planner with fellow Social Workers, Therapists and Helping Professionals! I’ve shared this a few times on IG and am glad that many of you wanted to grab it because I truly believe that you can significantly change your life or your career in 90 days. With the 90-Day Career Planner, you can plan it, pursue it, and own your success!
My goal for you is to feel super accomplished and excited about your decision to become a Social Worker. And I don’t want you to feel discouraged, or think that the things you want out of your career can’t happen. After putting in the hard work to reach your career goals using this free 90-Day Planner, you’ll never again have to feel stuck in a Social Work job you hate! You will now have a clear path forward.
This is the plan that I give to all of the Social Workers in my mentorship program. Check it out.
What Is a Social Work Career Plan?
A social work career plan is a personalized roadmap, or a Success Path as I like to call it, that outlines your professional goals, the steps needed to achieve them, and the strategies to overcome potential challenges along the way. It’s not just about finding your next job—it’s about building a fulfilling career that aligns with your passion for helping others while also meeting your personal and professional needs. Whether you’re looking to advance into leadership, switch to a different area of practice, or start a side business, a career plan helps you stay focused and intentional about your growth in the field of social work.
Why You Need a Social Work Career Plan
Having a social work career plan is essential because the field is vast and often demanding. Without a clear plan, it’s easy to feel stuck or overwhelmed by the many paths you can take. A career plan helps you:
- Stay Focused: Define your priorities and ensure your daily efforts align with your long-term goals.
- Identify Opportunities: Recognize the roles, certifications, or skills you need to level up in your career.
- Build Confidence: Approach career transitions or entrepreneurial ventures with a clear strategy in place.
- Avoid Burnout: Map out a career path that supports both your professional aspirations and personal well-being.
By creating a career plan, you can take control of your future and ensure that your work continues to bring meaning, growth, and financial stability. Ready to start? Download my free 90-Day Career Planner here.
Why Should You Download This Planner
Mapping out your career goals for an entire year can sometimes be overwhelming. Your plans and ideas can get so big that you can sometimes lose momentum by the middle of the year or you get so busy that you forget to take action on your goals all together. This is why I recommend that you break down your goals into 90 day priorities and then focus on implementing four 90 day action plans in your career. For most of us, 90 days is long enough to make big things happen, but it’s also short enough to keep your momentum and see light at the end of the tunnel.
Both of my signature mentorship programs are broken down into 90 day increments. I did this after working with so many Social Workers and Social Service Professionals and seeing how excited they were to reach a huge milestone in their careers after 90 days. The successes they saw in their careers didn’t happen by chance, it was the result of careful planning and taking imperfect action every single day.
So, now is the time for you to make a career plan for your most incredible 90 days. I’m confident that you will see how taking small actions can lead to BIIG RESULTS.
Why a Degree-Focused Career Plan Isn’t Enough for Social Workers
You’ve probably had a hard time finding a Career Planner for Social Workers online. That is because most Career Plans for Social Workers are degree-focused. They give you the steps and coursework to move from a bachelors to a masters degree, but they don’t give you the steps to map out a fulfilling Social Work career or a plan to land the jobs that you want.
A career plan that only focuses on degree completion can have several shortcomings. While it helps you map out your academic path, it often lacks a long-term vision for your professional growth, such as moving into leadership roles, specializing in a specific area, or pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities. Additionally, such a plan tends to overlook the development of crucial soft skills like leadership and networking, as well as technical skills such as grant writing or therapy techniques, which are vital for advancing your career.
Also, a degree-focused career plan fails to prepare you for the real-world challenges of the social work profession, including managing workplace dynamics, preventing burnout, and achieving a healthy work-life balance. Using the 90 Day Career Planner addresses all these aspects to ensure you’re prepared not only academically but also professionally for a successful and fulfilling Social Work career.
Social Work Career Plan Example: How to Use the 90 Day Career Planner
Tell me if this sounds familiar: “Just work a bunch of social work roles and see which ones you like.” I heard this too many times when I started my career as a Social Worker. This advice, while well intentioned, can lead to a scattered and unfocused career path. While exploring different roles may provide valuable experiences, it doesn’t offer the structure or intentionality needed to build a fulfilling career in social work. A strong social work career plan identifies your long-term goals, assesses your current skills, and outlines actionable steps like gaining advanced certifications, building leadership experience, and expanding your professional network.
Without a clear social work career plan, you’re left reacting to opportunities rather than strategically creating the career you want. Instead of taking a trial-and-error approach, you can use tools like the 90-Day Career Planner to map out your goals, evaluate your skills, and plan the steps needed to achieve success in the social work field. Here’s an example of how you can use the planner to create a 90 day social work career plan from Jan-March. The goal is to start taking intentional steps toward the career you’ve always envisioned.
90 Day Goal: Transition from a Case Manager role to a Clinical Supervisor position within the next 90 days.
Step 1: Identify 90 Day Goals
- Gain experience in supervising staff and managing cases
- Work in a role that allows for professional growth and better work-life balance
- Earn an advanced clinical license (e.g., LCSW or equivalent)
Step 2: Assess Current Skills and Qualifications
- Current role: Case Manager with 3 years of experience
- Strengths: Strong rapport with clients, detailed case documentation, and effective collaboration with multidisciplinary teams
- Areas for growth: Leadership experience and knowledge of program management
Step 3: Develop an Action Plan
- Education and Certification
- Complete final required supervision hours for clinical licensure in the next 90 days
- Purchase test prep material and study for 15 minutes per day
- Schedule my licensure exam on March 15
- Skill Building
- Volunteer to mentor or train new hires in my current position
- Attend 1 workshop or online training on team management or organizational leadership by Feb 21
- Networking
- Connect with clinical supervisors in my organization for advice and guidance
- Join 1 local or national social work associations to find opportunities and mentorship by Jan 30
- Job Search and Applications
- Update resume and LinkedIn profile to highlight transferable leadership skills
- Research Clinical Supervisor roles in community agencies or hospital settings
Step 4: Evaluate Progress
- Set monthly goals to track licensure hours, completed licensure applications, and practice interviewing skills
- Reassess and adjust the plan every 90 days to ensure alignment with current skills and available opportunities within the profession
And just like that, you have a specific plan of action to work toward career growth! By following this career plan, you could successfully transition to a Clinical Supervisor role while building your expertise and leadership skills.
What’s Next for the 90 Day Career Planner?
Now, I know it might feel scary to take your big bold goal and dreams and turn them into reality. But the Social Work career that you envisioned is waiting for you on the other side of your fear. And I want to help you design that path.
When you start with the right career plan you have the ability to level up your career in ways you never thought possible. And when you have ONE success or a career win… that creates more fulfillment in your life, it boosts your confidence and creates a cascade of wins for you to build on, week after week, and month after month.
And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want a life and career with more success and fulfillment? The career you want doesn’t just have to be a dream or a wish. By identifying what your ideal career targets are and defining your non-negotiables you can create a plan to take solid steps forward, doing the work that you love every single day.
So hopefully, I’ve convinced you enough how a 90-day career plan can change your life lol. Now…you have a choice, you can continue to do what you are already doing and continue to see the same results…or you can take your first step toward an intentional career, so you can finally wake up excited to get to work, know that you’re working toward something greater.
Be Intentional With Your Social Work Career Plan
- THINK BIG AND CREATE YOUR VISION
You can start using this planner anytime. Set aside an hour to go through the REFLECTION, VISION CASTING, and ANNUAL CAREER PLAN sections. Don’t worry about being perfect. Just write down the goals and dreams you have for your career.
- CREATE YOUR 90 DAY CAREER PLAN
Reference your ANNUAL CAREER PLAN to help you create your goals for the next 90 days. Then, break down all your tasks for the next 90 days and put them into 30, 60, and 90 day increments.
- MAKE IT A HABIT
Make a commitment to create a new 90-DAY CAREER PLAN every three months, create a new monthly plan every month and a new weekly plan each week. This consistent action won’t take long and is crucial to your success in the profession. Beware when you notice you’re getting too bogged down to plan out your work. This could be a sign that you’re over working or that you’re overwhelmed. So make sure you carve out time, just as you would for a doctor’s appointment or to study for you licensure exam. You are working to honor the commitments you make to yourself, and staying consistent with your career planner is a great way to start.
If you stick with it, you’ll find that this career planner will become part of your routine. Planning time will become a habit and you will reach your career goals, even with a busy schedule.
Conclusion
Creating a social work career plan is essential for mapping out a clear path to achieve your professional goals in the field of social work. Whether you’re aiming to transition from a Case Manager role to a Clinical Supervisor or exploring new opportunities in leadership or entrepreneurship, a well-thought-out plan can guide your journey. A strong social work career plan identifies your long-term goals, assesses your current skills, and outlines actionable steps like gaining advanced certifications, building leadership experience, and expanding your professional network. With a tailored career plan, you can navigate the diverse opportunities in social work with confidence, focus, and purpose.
The Story
THIS 90-DAY CAREER PLANNER WILL CHANGE YOUR SOCIAL WORK CAREER!
Social Work Success Path® was created in March 2018 by Manicka Thomas. Manicka’s process of helping Social Workers and Therapists design careers that they love and teach what they know has resonated with Social Workers around the world. Her ultimate goal with this planner is to bring the same inspiration that she provides online to your office or cubicle by creating physical planners in 2025.
I’m so thankful and grateful to have you in my small circle of the internet, and I would love to see how you are using your planner to plan out your Social Work career goals. So please be sure to tag @manickathomas on Instagram or Facebook.
Here’s to your career success!
Manicka Thomas
