u/Few_Offer_7340

I (25F) have my MSW (master of social work) degree, that im not using right now as I am in the federal government in essentially a boring data entry role. I have always envisioned myself working within schools, as both my placements were in schools except more in like a supporting the resource teacher capacity.

Anyway, I am having a slight quarter life crisis and realizing even though my goal has always to be a school social worker, I may never get all the qualifications they ask for (which involves 5+ years of counselling and crisis work) and I also am not sure if I even want to still do this.

I also noticed that teachers college is shifting to a 1 year program which is enticing, so I am debating switching gears and becoming a teacher, however I don't really have an interest in actual "teaching" and more so working in resource and one-on-one mainly with students.

Basically im wondering if anyone has started out in either of these professions and wishes they switched or is happy they didn't, or would caution against one or the other.

Thanks!

Hi everyone. I am 25 and completed my MSW at Carleton 2 years ago. I want to start by saying I have never really had any counselling roles, as my placements we not very structured because even though they were both in schools I essentially just sat with youth and helped them complete their classwork while having casual conversations with them.

So I believe I am finally "healed" after the burnout from my MSW and ready to get back into social work type work. However I have been working for the federal government essentially doing data entry for 2 years now, and every time I apply to MSW level roles they always require 3+ years experience counselling with different modalities, none of which my MSW prepared me for. I just feel stuck in this loop of thinking I should go back to get my Masters in psychotherapy, or just give up on my dream of being a school social worker. I have bought some books on MI, CBT, DBT, IFS and ACT that I am going to start reading, but I am just feeling so discouraged right now.

I've noticed some new psychotherapy practices say they hire new grads for psychotherapy, but this doesn't even seem ethical to me as I don't even have official counselling experience, and the thought of sitting in front of a client gives me so much anxiety as I have literally no idea what to do.

Sorry if this is really messy and sounds a lot like I'm complaining because I am grateful to have a job right now even though it's not in this field, I believe this is just a quarter life crisis when I hear my colleagues my age say they can't wait to stay in our current job for 30 years and then just retire and collect their pension. I have so much more passion than that it just seems so far out of reach even though I did all the "right" things and got my MSW fairly young. I did just start as an volunteer for kids help phone recently but even then I feel stuck on what to say.

Since I think this may be asked: I got into my MSW because I did a lot of volunteering with the dementia society (which was just talking to clients on the phone who were lonely) and my job experience was in policy work.

Someone please tell me what to do with my life :')