Working in the human service sector can be challenging, stimulating, and extremely rewarding. By giving your working life to those who need it most, you will gain the respect of those around you and feel pride as you leave work each day. If you are a caring and motivated person, then a career in human services could be the right fit for you. The question is, which one?
With the variety of careers in human services, it is easy to become overwhelmed. Do you want to work with children? What kind of setting is best? How much education will you need to get started? Whether you are fresh out of high school or thinking about a career change, here are 15 human service careers to consider and what they entail.
1. Social Worker
As a social worker, you have the potential to earn over 50K a year, which is higher than the national average. Generally, the more experienced you are, the higher your earnings will be.
The primary role of a social worker is to provide support to families who need it most. They deal with a wide range of problems, including mental illness, domestic violence, and family separation. Due to the sensitive nature of the role, it is important that you are a compassionate, determined, and open-minded person before you embark on becoming a social worker.
You will need both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree to get started, along with the necessary experience and a license. Pursuing a human services degree is an excellent way of getting the qualifications and skills needed to succeed as a social worker.
2. Substance Abuse Counselor
Substance abuse counselors work one on one with patients who suffer from substance abuse. They provide advice, an open ear, and help create treatment plans for those who need it. Many times, substance abuse counselors set up their own private practices to see their patients.
The qualifications needed include an associate’s degree, for example, a human services degree, as well as a master’s to specialize in substance abuse counseling. The average hourly earnings are around $20 per hour.
On top of education, to succeed as a substance abuse counselor, you must have excellent communication skills and the ability to empathize with others. You will be dealing with vulnerable people, so compassion is also essential.
3. Psychiatrist
Psychiatrists work with people who suffer from mental health issues, helping them get their life back and track by coming up with treatment plans and working through their thoughts. The salary of a psychiatrist varies, but many of them earn six figures, making it a potentially very lucrative career.
Becoming a psychiatrist is no easy path. You must first get a bachelor’s before getting a master’s, with some even getting a doctorate. A human services degree will give you the necessary qualifications needed to start your journey to becoming a psychiatrist.
If you are interested in psychology and the human brain, and you are an extremely motivated person, then you have the potential to become a psychiatrist.
4. Child Welfare Specialist
Child welfare specialists earn over $40K a year working with children. Their goal is to make sure children in negative situations are led to safety. Some examples of the situations child welfare specialists deal with are abuse and neglect. Due to this, if you want to become one, you must be able to deal with working in sensitive and sad situations and not let emotions overtake your ability to work and look after yourself.
A human services degree is an excellent qualification that will help you thrive as a child welfare specialist. After that, you will need to specialize in your specific area and find the correct training. All in all, it should take around six years to become a child welfare specialist. This role is great for someone who has a passion for giving vulnerable children the best chance at life possible.
5. Registered Nurse
Registered nurses provide general care to patients in hospitals, clinics, and other settings. They administer medications, assess patients, and give advice. While you don’t need a master’s to become a registered nurse, you will need an associate’s degree. You will also need a sufficient amount of training.
Nursing is not a career without its stresses. Many nurses deal with burnout, which happens when they are overworked. Due to this, you should make sure you can take on a lot of work before starting your journey as a registered nurse.
Fortunately, it is not all doom and gloom. If you’re the right person for the role, nursing is one of the most rewarding careers out there. You will meet a variety of people and witness positive changes in patients due to your care.
6. Marriage and Family Counselor
Marriage and family counselors work with families by getting them through any difficulties they are facing. With marriage counseling, the goal is to get the couple to work through their issues so that they can stay together and be happy once more.
A human services degree will help you become a marriage counselor. Often, people complete a relevant bachelor’s and then move on to their masters before attaining their license. As a marriage and family counselor, you can work in private practice, hospitals, or family clinics. The role itself is extremely fulfilling, especially when you can see a great improvement in family relationships.
7. Rehabilitation Counselor
Rehabilitation counseling is all about helping vulnerable people integrate into society well. Usually, the patients are disabled and unable to live a steady life without outside help. The career can pay over 30K a year, with those who are most experienced earning much more.
You will need a bachelor’s and a master’s if you want to become a rehabilitation counselor. Due to the job involving working with extremely vulnerable people, you must also be patient, open-minded, and motivated to do well every single day.
8. School Counselor
If you are interested in working with children, then school counseling might be the career for you. They work in schools to provide emotional care to the kids that attend. Usually, you would see a variety of students each day, who will all have their own problems. Sometimes, you will deal with small issues such as teenage break-ups and friendship fall-outs, but other times, you will need to deal with serious life issues. Some of these might include abuse, grief, and extreme bullying. Due to this, you must be emotionally secure and compassionate when dealing with the children.
To become a school counselor, you must get a bachelor’s and a master’s degree as well as enough training to get your license. All in all, it will take you around six years to become qualified. While the role will sometimes be stressful, it is highly rewarding to be able to provide kids the support they need in school.
9. Home Health Aide
Home health aides earn an average of $12 an hour by caring for patients in their homes. Usually, people become home health aides after working in healthcare for a while – it takes an additional 75 hours of training when you are already a caregiver.
If you want to become a home health aide, then expect to be moving around a lot, as you will be seeing to patients in their own houses. While this is ideal for some, others miss the bustle of a hospital or a clinic. The great thing about working as a home health aide is that you get to provide patient care in a setting they are most comfortable in. It is a well-respected and fulfilling career that helps many vulnerable people live healthier lives.
10. Case Manager
As a case manager, you would work with a variety of patients, helping them with a range of health issues. You would aid with recovery, come up with treatment plans, and give advice for the future.
To become a case manager, you must acquire a bachelor’s and a master’s. A human services degree is a particularly useful qualification to gain to become a case manager, as it will provide you with the skills you need to give the most caring service you can. If you are interested in psychology, healthcare, and wish to improve people’s lives, then you should consider becoming a case manager.
11. Court Support Worker
Court support workers work with those who are in court dealing with issues such as domestic violence. They are there for crisis intervention, to connect to services, and to provide general support. Some of the situations will be highly stressful, and you will sometimes deal with difficult clients, so if you want to be a court support worker, you must first make sure you have thick skin.
The qualifications you need include an associate’s degree in a relevant field. A human services degree is useful for becoming a court support worker, as it will give you the knowledge and skills you need to succeed.
12. Psychologist
If you want a highly lucrative career, then a psychologist could be the role for you, as many earn six figures each year. The more experienced you are, the higher your earnings will be.
The day-to-day role of a psychologist includes working with patients who are suffering psychologically to provide emotional care and help them overcome their problems. Through conversation, psychologists push through their patient’s barriers to improve their mental state overall.
Many psychologists have a doctorate. While it is not strictly necessary, many of the higher earners are those that have the highest education. The better you are, the more you can charge, so it is all about improving your skillset and providing the best care around.
13. Probation Officer
Probation officers help convicted criminals get back on their feet after their probation. Many of them struggle to integrate themselves into society, so probation officers guide them on that journey.
To become a probation officer, you should get a bachelor’s in a related field such as a human services degree. Due to the kind of people you will be working with, it is essential that you have a backbone, confidence and that you are an open-minded person. Not many people are comfortable with working with convicted criminals, but if you are, then you can provide a brilliant service to those who are struggling.
14. Sociologist
In contrast to the other careers listed here, sociologists’ primary focus is not always working directly with patients. Instead, they conduct masses of research, with the goal being to understand the social side of humanity. They dissect relationships, social cues, human interactions, and much more — many work in universities, conduct research, and interview individuals.
While you won’t work with lots of vulnerable people each day, sociology is still a crucial part of helping better society. You will need a bachelor’s and a master’s, as well as enough relevant experience in the field. Some sociologists even hold a Ph.D.
Due to the amount of research that must be conducted, you are more likely to succeed if you are already academically motivated and an intelligent person. If you are interested in human nature and you were a whiz at school essays, then sociology could be your perfect path.
15. Community Outreach Worker
Community outreach workers work for non-profits, helping the organizations grow. For example, they help recruit volunteers and organize events to raise awareness. It is a role that provides non-profits the help they need to be successful. To become a community outreach worker, you should consider a human services degree. You must also be confident, enthusiastic, and genuinely care about non-profits and their success.
A career in human services can be one of the best choices you ever make. Not only are there many roles that offer high salaries, but you also get the chance to help people daily. By pursuing a human services degree, you open up your career options to these 15 excellent careers that improve both communities’ and individuals’ lives.
