This Resource E-Pack has been developed for Adult Practitioners and showcases an excellent list of free direct resources that can be used when working with vulnerable adults.
[vc_row bg_type=”” dima_canvas_style=”” translate_x=”0″ dima_z_index=”0″ delay=”” animate_item=”” delay_duration=”” delay_offset=””][vc_column bg_type=”” dima_canvas_style=”” min_height=”” translate_x=”0″ dima_z_index=”0″ delay=”” delay_duration=”” delay_offset=””][text delay=”” delay_duration=”” delay_offset=”” id=”” class=””]When completing application forms, how do you feel about them? For most, it can be an anxious and somewhat daunting experience, which often includes a combination of dread and boredom. However, what do you need to know in order to make it through? Well, below we have offered some excellent pointers and examples to help demystify the experience!
Make it easy for the short-Lister
Notice what the organisation or service is asking for within the essential and desirable job description. You will often have clues that you can use, such as using the headings:
Analyse the person specification and BE CLEAR
“Go through the job and worker descriptions and extract the key criteria they are looking for. When filling in the application form, place each criterion as a heading and use examples from practice to demonstrate how you have met those criteria. It may seem simplistic but if you are explicit that you are suitable for the job role, then an interview is guaranteed.” Source: Guardian.
General Competency questions in Application Forms
If you are completing several application forms at once, as is often the case, you can use the above headings to create a ‘bulk answer’ crib sheet. This will help you evidence your work consistently whilst also reducing chances of you becoming complacent.
Use the STAR approach to help evidence examples
Using the above formula will assist in offering structure to your answers, whilst also keeping them SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Timely. Be concise and to the point. Have a go: Pick a question and share a STAR example
Personal Statement strategies
Completing the personal statements/specifications section is by far the most difficult task to undertake in any application form. As such, develop strategies to help guide you through this processes. For example:
Example – Specification requirement – about commitment to promoting Equal Opportunities:
‘I have always tried to ensure in my personal and work life that I am sensitive to and inclusive of the cultures and circumstances of other people. In 2006, I worked as a mentor/facilitator to a group of students on the Aim Higher project to encourage pupils from non-traditional backgrounds to consider university. I designed projects and activities that recognised and focused on the diverse experience within the group to ensure participation. The programme was successful for the pupils and a rewarding learning experience for me. The experience showed me that working together with mutual respect is more productive and rewarding.’
We hope this has offered you with some useful guidance in relation to application form completion. Please feel free to download or save a copy of this. The above information has been used and delivered to Social Work Students, Social Workers and Return Social Workers as well as Care Professionals so as to help increase employment opportunities.[/text][callout type=”style_one” delay=”” delay_duration=”” delay_offset=”” title=”We have also completed the following guidance” message=”Further resources to help you land that perfect job” title_color=”” text_color=”” bg_image=”” href=”” id=”” class=”” style=””][button text=”10 Steps from Job Application to Job Interview” type=”” color_class=”” lightbox=”” delay=”” delay_duration=”” delay_offset=”” href=”https://www.onestopsocial.co.uk/10-steps-from-job-application-to-job-interview-one-stop-social/” title=”” popup_content=”” id=”” class=”” style=””][clear by=”10px” id=”” class=””][button text=”Social Work Interview Questions: What you need to know” type=”” color_class=”” lightbox=”” delay=”” delay_duration=”” delay_offset=”” href=”https://www.onestopsocial.co.uk/social-work-interview-questions-need-know/” title=”” popup_content=”” id=”” class=”” style=”” tutorials=””][/callout][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Job hunting is a minefield. Everywhere you look there’s a
different opportunity, advice column, recruiter or website showcasing what your
next professional step could look like. If you’re out of work, looking for your
first role as a recent graduate or trying to get out of an unhappy role;
searching for a job can be an emotionally trying time. One Stop Social is here
to make the process easier however we can. So, if you’re job seeking within
social work or care, upload your CV with us and let our team work with you
throughout the recruitment process.
Why us? We’re by social workers, for social workers. Simple
as that. We know what the employment process is like in social work because
we’re a social work collective and understand where it can get complicated.
That’s why all the jobs on our jobs board are reviewed by our team to ensure
they are fair, relevant and up-to-date.
Uploading your CV with us is simple, and it doesn’t just
make the application process for you slightly easier. We also have a CV Match service
engrained into our website which allows job advertisers to find suitable
candidates. It reduces the leg-work for you as we can connect you with appropriate
jobs, instead of leaving you to go searching through vacancy after vacancy.
We work to promote the positivity of social work in the UK
and that extends into our support in helping you find a job. Starting a new
placement is an exciting time, but that can sentiment can be lessened by the
stress of the actual recruitment process. That’s why we want to make it simple,
fun and completely relevant. While you’re looking, our team will also be
available to help review your CV, offer interview tips and advise on how to
tackle application forms.
We believe in working together to support each one of the practitioners within our community. So upload your CV with us and let us simplify the job-search-stress.
We have a series of helpful tools and guides on our website to develop your practice and support your professional development. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, get in touch and we’ll help however we can!
A career in social work can be very rewarding yet challenging at times. Tough decisions must be made under pressure and sometimes the media attention can be high profile and negative when things go seriously wrong. Having said that, social workers do a hugely valuable job in supporting individuals and their families through difficult times to ensure that vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded from harm. The role is truly vocational; it is one that helps to improve outcomes in people’s lives.
The skills of a qualified social worker are varied; you should be able to clearly demonstrate the ability to build working relationships with service users and professionals, possess excellent communication and listening skills, and finally the ability to problem solve and use professional judgement to make difficult decisions that might not always be well received by those you are trying to help.
The need for excellent practitioners in social work is even more important and in the New Year, we often see a large increase in the number of roles available for both qualified children and adult social workers. So, if you’re planning to look for a new job this New Year here are some tips to help you get started:
Ensure your CV is up to date and well presented
Your CV should be up to date with your experience,
training and accurate dates of your previous employment. Remember that your CV
is the first thing an employer sees so it is crucial to ensure there are no
spelling or grammar errors and that any gaps in your employment history are
explained.
Employers and recruiters will want to know that you have the mandatory qualifications needed for the job. Whether you’ve completed an approved degree in social work, have a degree in another subject and have completed a postgraduate social work qualification or undergone additional training during your social work career, don’t forget to include all your relevant education.
Prepare for your interview
Most social work interviews are carried out by a panel. The interview is
likely to include tests in a range of formats, including practical and written
tests, in-tray exercises and traditional questions and answers. Additionally,
some councils will undertake a full assessment or recruitment day too. For more
senior roles, there will be a two-stage interview process; stage one will be with HR and hiring
managers and stage two is often a presentation and panel discussion with other
managers.
Before your
interview, research the organisation or council in detail and check their
website to familiarise yourself with things such as their ethos, staff
structure and recent news or developments. Whatever the role you are
interviewing for, make sure you have read the most recent and relevant
inspection reports and are prepared to answer questions about why you want to
work for the particular council or borough. Your preparation will show your
commitment to the role as well as organisational skills. You should also
prepare a few questions to ask your interviewer about the role and working
environment.
Here are some example questions to help you prepare:
Think about the questions you are likely to be asked and prepare responses with clear examples of your work or situations you have experienced as they relate to the questions. Don’t be afraid to make your answers true to yourself and don’t be afraid to make it personal. For example, if you are asked, what made you go into social work, if it was because of a personal experience of someone in care inspiring you, don’t be afraid tell this to your interviewer!
Take
some time now to prepare your ideas and thoughts on common social work topics
which are appearing in interview questions including:
Framing
your answers to reflect your capabilities in work
You
should now be prepared with some answers on the technical side of social work
but increasingly employers are assessing your capabilities as a qualified
social worker. Employers want to be confident you can take on all aspects of
the job and the key capabilities which come up in interviews include:
So, make sure you have examples of what these capabilities mean to you and your experience in these areas. Be clear to outline an example to show these, what you did and then the impact it had on your work.
After your interview, remember to follow up with
your recruitment consultant to receive feedback from your interview, this can
help you in your search or to act upon any successful news to secure your new
role.
For further information on Hays Social Care please visit: www.hays.co.uk/socialcare
Contributed by Roop Bhumbra, Director at Hays Social Care
Find out more from Hays Social Care
If you’re interested in learning more about how Hays Social Care can support your job-seeking process, come to our convention for social work and care on 24th January 2019. They’ll be running a workshop on “Working Effectively in Times of Austerity” and you’ll get to chat to their team in the exhibition too!
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Welcome back to the Practical Tips for Social Work Professionals series! In today’s part of the series you’ll be happy to know that we’ll be giving advice, tricks, useful information and practical tips for when meeting with clients. If you missed the first part of the series in which we cover useful information on Assessments and Reports, click here to catch up.
Below are 11 tips that will help you develop your skills when meeting with clients:[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion][vc_tta_section title=”Be on time” tab_id=”1534776933436-1778990e-dd25″][vc_column_text]The stereotypical view of a social worker is that they are always late. Break the mould and show the client that their issues are of paramount importance to you. If you know it is unlikely that you will arrive at a certain time, be more vague with timings so you do not disappoint by arriving later than scheduled.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Always have an endless supply of tissues” tab_id=”1534776933486-9b5b1ae4-cf90″][vc_column_text]Tissues are part of a social worker’s basic toolkit. Recognising and responding to an individual’s emotions has the potential to forge meaningful relationships and change lives.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Choose your meeting locations carefully” tab_id=”1534776990051-bc26da1e-9ae8″][vc_column_text]Be mindful of where you choose to meet a client – does it fit the purpose of the meeting? is it easily accessible, safe and, above all, will it facilitate open discussion?[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Treat your clients as collaborators” tab_id=”1534776991112-51c08169-d380″][vc_column_text]Clients are more likely to engage positively when they feel treated as collaborators and, as a result, contribute more significantly to any care-planning processes. If they don’t feel valued, they won’t be open to sharing solutions and ideas.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Keep your conversation jargon free” tab_id=”1534776993354-a52be0c5-1928″][vc_column_text]Think about your audience. They may not understand your terminology. Not everyone feels comfortable asking for clarification if they feel that they are expected to know a certain phrase or acronym. Never assume that a client has a good level of literacy, always offer to read key documentation.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Call people by their preferred name” tab_id=”1534777079123-05f7331e-3eba”][vc_column_text]Take the time to ask what an individual likes to be called when you first meet, particularly if you’re struggling with pronunciation. Some service users will not immediately correct you and could cause some embarrassment at a later date.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Respect cultural differences” tab_id=”1534777080886-dd5a1dee-c844″][vc_column_text]Making generalisations can offend. Be open to the opinions and experiences of others. Practice cultural responsiveness and accept your own naivety.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Set expectations” tab_id=”1534777123281-bf289230-968d”][vc_column_text]If you are a given a piece of work which is time-limited or task-centred make sure you talk to the client about what the work entails and when your involvement will end. Their expectation may be that you will remain involved indefinitely if you do not clearly state your intentions.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Maintain boundaries” tab_id=”1534777124380-9f5b172a-631f”][vc_column_text]Sometimes it is necessary to remind clients that you can be friendly but you are not their friend. You are a professional and there to do a job. If you are concerned that professional boundaries are becoming blurred, ensure you feed this back in supervision.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Let your clients know if you are unavailable” tab_id=”1534777163837-07d4cfe5-4d34″][vc_column_text]Remember to send each of your clients a simple email or text to let them know you’ll be away, and who to contact in your absence. Consider organising your next appointment before you leave, to help clients feel reassured about your return. Life doesn’t stop for others whilst we take a vacation.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Acknowledge the client’s difficulties” tab_id=”1534777182845-b836e53a-36f3″][vc_column_text]If a client contacts you to report an issue try to respond the same day it occurs so the client feels supported, listened too and given the opportunity to offload.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
This post was written by Stef Lewis – Independent Social Worker at Atarah Assessment and Consultancy – http://www.myfosteringadvisor.co.uk/
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A successful future in Data Protection and Compliance – where new legislation is creating many fresh workplace challenges – has put former apprentice Mike Williams on a rewarding career path.
Mike, now 25, started his career as a Sales and Marketing Apprentice within the Corporate Services team at Progress to Excellence Ltd. Seven years later he has worked his way up the career ladder to be the company’s Quality, Compliance and Data Protection Officer.
He said: “Data protection is a massive issue now, particularly in a business like this where we are dealing with thousands of employers and learners.
“It’s hugely rewarding as I’m not only managing the GDPR compliance for the company but also line-managing two members of staff while also quality assuring company-wide policies, procedures, documentation and resources.”
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All of Mike’s achievements have been reached due to the decision he made to go down the apprenticeship route.
He explained: “It seems like a lifetime ago now but I have learned so much from when I first started. Completing apprenticeships has not only developed my career and improved my work skills but has also shaped me into the person I am today.”
Since joining the business, Mike has studied an array of apprenticeships, including business administration from level 2 up to level 4, showing the scope of career progression when it comes to an apprenticeship. He is currently finishing his Training, Assessment and Quality Assurance (TAQA) qualification.
Mike added: “When I was 18 and just starting out in the world of work, I had no idea of the possibilities that would be available to me by learning on the job as an apprentice.
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“The thing I love the most about my career journey is that I have been able to complete all of my training while still working full-time. After initially being taken on as an apprentice, I was then kept on as an administrator where I was paid the same as everyone else but I continued to study apprenticeships to help me climb the career ladder.
“Most recently, when I started my TAQA qualification, I did so with the aim of moving over to become an Assessor. Now this new opportunity has presented itself to me, I am excited to get stuck in and support the business to ensure it is GDPR compliant.
“None of this would have been possible without my apprenticeship where I’ve had hands-on experience in so many different parts of the business. It’s made me multi-skilled and, most importantly, my employer has been able to see exactly what my strengths and abilities are and then give me access to such amazing job opportunities.”
To find out more about apprenticeship training with Progress to Excellence Ltd, email enquiries@progresstoexcellence.co.uk or call 0151-650 6933.
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Three years ago Tracy Bass decided to make a complete change to her career direction after a lifetime in administration roles, all to “give something back” to her grandmother’s generation.
Now aged 44, Tracy is forging ahead on a career path inspired by the care she witnessed at her grandmother’s care home. She’s also on a learning journey with Progress to Excellence Ltd, where she constantly pushes herself to raise the bar of her own achievements while expanding her skills and knowledge in the health and social care sector.
Tracy decided to follow a career in care after going to see her grandmother, who was resident in an Orders of St John Care Home Trust nursing home in Gloucester.
She said: “I used to regularly visit my Nan with my girls and my mum and dad, and we were always made to feel welcome. The care she had was outstanding.
“I’d been doing administration work for different companies along with bringing up my three children but, after seeing first-hand how good care can make such a difference, I felt I would like to give something back to the elderly for everything they have done for us.
“I knew it was going to be a career I would either love or hate. But I also knew I had to give it a go and at least say that I tried.”
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Fortunately, it turned out to be a career Tracy absolutely loves – so much so that she can’t learn enough about it.
Tracy began work as a Relief Carer at Hungerford House Care Home in Corsham, Wiltshire, which is part of the Orders of St John Care Home Trust. She quickly rose to the post of Carer, and soon undertook her studies at level 2 in health and social care. She gained this initial qualification within six months and then went on to complete several Social Care TV courses and opted to upskill herself from a level 1 to level 2 in Functional Skills.
In fact, it was this dedication to learning that led to Tracy being nominated as Learner of the Year in the Progress to Excellence Training and Education Awards 2017.
Tracy has now been promoted to Care Lead and has started studying a level 2 Team Leading apprenticeship, which follows the Orders of St John career progression route.
In charge of eight carers on any one shift, Tracy is responsible for the running of Hungerford House out-of-hours. Her duties are to ensure the carers carry out the best possible care for residents as well as supporting staff with any issues that may arise.
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Tracy, who has three children aged between 23 and four, continued: “My youngest was 18 months old when I started out as a Relief Carer. This was brilliant as I could choose my hours to suit me and my family.
“From the very outset, I have absolutely loved my job and my residents – although it’s not without its challenges.
“I love the feeling of fulfilment and to see my residents smile, laugh and share their life stories with me. I feel honoured that they trust me enough to open up about even the darkest days that they have gone through. We share good days, bad days and many special occasions. I can come away after a shift feeling tired but really fulfilled.”
Tracy chose to embark on her apprenticeship studies in order to gain extra experience in her new-found career, wanting to move up the ladder and push herself to new levels.
She explained: “I am now doing my Team Leading qualification as it has replaced the level 3 Health and Social Care qualification for us. I believe it will help with being a Care Leader and give me extra knowledge of how to lead a successful team.
“I enjoy learning and researching different topics and I get a sense of achievement after every piece of coursework is complete. I am also getting a better understanding of all aspects of care, including how the home is run and what other people’s roles are within the care sector.
“The style of learning is brilliant. I can pick up my coursework whenever I am able to, usually when my girls are at school or in bed. My tutors have been brilliant too and always manage to fit in around my shifts or home life, always there to help whenever needed – even for the smallest issue or a bit of self-confidence.
“I really have my learning head on now so want to work even harder and gain as many qualifications as possible. I felt such a sense of achievement after completing my Health and Social Care level 2 that I now totally believe in myself and that I can do this learning thing all over again!”
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Thank you to all those that joined us for our Work and Care Together event on Monday 11th June. Our first convention was a great success with over 500 attendees! We were delighted to welcome such a huge variety of people – especially our main partner Cera Care, and our other brilliant partner companies, including CAN Training, Liquid Personnel, Critical Publishing, Moodbeam and many more!
The whole of the One Stop Social team have been working for months on end to put together our first convention. The team were at the venue for the whole of the day before working with The Index Group to set up stands, banners and everything else that comes along with putting together a convention! Thankfully, all the hard work paid off and we’re very proud of how the convention turned out!
Matt Hughes, Managing Director of One Stop Social, opened the event introducing Work and Care Together as a community for like-minded individuals to get together, network and share ideas on what it takes to build a positive, productive work culture of highly engaged employees in the Social Work and Care sector.
The day went on to attendees lining up for our sold out workshops including Child Sexual & Criminal Exploitation, Social Work Theory and End of Life Care. We also had a ‘Tech Team’ of postgraduate students filming and photographing the whole event, so keep an eye out for our highlights video coming out soon![/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2789″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
“The event was well organised and all the One Stop Social Staff were on hand throughout the day. We made some good connections on the day and hope to meet some of you again!” – Heather Maher at CAN Training
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We’d like to say a huge thank you to our great speakers – Rosie Flatman, Siobhan Maclean, Robert Russell, Tristan Johnson from DoLSpro, Terri Shaw from Harm-Ed, Tina Training Initiatives, Suzie Doe and the team at Progress to Excellence. They were truly insightful and gave difference perspectives of specific topics in the Social Work field.
We really loved working with our featured innovative businesses – Goodgym, MiCarePlan, Moodbeam, iamYiam, Virtual College and DoLSpro – and can’t wait for our next collaboration. If you haven’t checked them out yet, make sure you do. Great things are happening there for the social work and care market.
A huge thank you to those who joined us in launching Work and Care Together and for those who attended. We see this as just the beginning of creating a highly active and connected community for like-minded social workers, care workers, students, job seekers, and everyone else in the social work world who wants to discuss current and future challenges, share knowledge, network and experiment with innovative ideas. We plan to provide the right platforms to do this and tailor future events around your needs and interests. So, whether you’re a company that would like to partner with us or just someone who would like to attend our next convention, please let us know what you’d like to see here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2810″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta h2=”Interested in more events like this? Check out our events page and sign up now. ” txt_align=”center” add_button=”bottom” btn_title=”Check out the latest events here” btn_style=”classic” btn_color=”warning” btn_size=”lg” btn_align=”center” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.onestopsocial.co.uk%2Ftraining-events%2F|||”][/vc_cta][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Congratulations! Your amazing CV and cover letter worked – you landed an interview! Now the pressure is on for you to stand out from all the candidates and impress the interviewer. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Wanting to make a positive difference to people’s lives is a great thing, but you need to be able to demonstrate in your interview how you plan to achieve this. To help you get fully prepared, we have put together some of most commonly asked interview questions with tips on how to answer them.
Prepare, prepare, prepare!
As with any interview it is vital that you prepare yourself. Whether you’re an experienced care worker or going for your first ever interview in the care field, it is essential that you read up on current policy and do some research into the responsibilities you will have in the role. As a support worker, there are some key policies you should be aware of, ones which will directly affect how you provide support for a support worker. Demonstrate your understanding by highlight key legislation such as:
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]What do you know about working for your local authority?
This question presents you with the opportunity to express how much you already know about the local demographic. It is imperative that you research your local authority. Explore the social care section on its website, check for press coverage and read any recent Ofsted reports. If you acknowledge this in your interview, it shows you’ve been demonstrated a strong appreciation for the type of work involved, which increases your chance of being successful.
How would you load your prioritise your caseload?
Craig Davis, head of social work at Sanctuary Social Care says: “Try to have one or two examples that show you had to make an important decision while managing caseloads in previous roles. This will show how adaptable you are at managing your time and meeting the need of service users.”
Could you tell us about how you approach case recording?
Here, your interviewer will be looking for an answer that shows you can work in a timely manner with an evidence based approach. You should emphasise your understanding of meeting legal requirements and draw on relevant examples of successful case recording.
Tell us about something you are particularly proud of in your social work career?
This is your chance to showcase yourself to be the best candidate for the position. Use stories of how you have managed complex cases. Bring in examples of how you assess and address risk, and try to cover which models of practice you use and why.
Why did you decide to become a social worker?
Here you can give the interviewer a further insight into where your interests and passions lie. Use anecdotes to really show them the reasons why you have chosen this career path. Be sure to highlight what you enjoy about social work and what you feel that you can bring to the organisation.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We hope that after reading through these questions you feel a lot more prepared and ready to take on your interview. Click here to see a previous blog post on interview tips and tricks.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-handshake-o” i_color=”orange” add_icon=”true”][vc_cta h2=”Are you currently searching for jobs in social work? Browse our job listings or sign up to our E-News for the latest Social Work job vacancies and career advice. ” add_button=”bottom” btn_title=”Social Work Jobs” btn_shape=”round” btn_color=”warning” btn_align=”center” btn_button_block=”true” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.onestopsocial.co.uk%2Ffind-a-job%2F|||”]
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