The social services sector offers many fulfilling careers where you can make a real difference in people’s lives. To land a job in this field, having a strong CV that highlights your relevant experience, skills, and personal qualities is essential. Whether you’re new to the sector or a seasoned professional, this guide will provide you with valuable step-by-step advice, expert tips, and example CVs for different levels of experience in social work to help you achieve your career goals.

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    Social services CV examples

    Our CV examples and templates are designed to help you create an outstanding social work CV that showcases your skills and experience. Whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience, these templates will help you create a CV that will catch the eye of potential employers.

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    Social services CV templates by experience

    The way you approach crafting your social services CV will differ based on your level of experience in the field. Whether you are an entry-level candidate aiming to enter social services, have a moderate amount of experience, or are a senior-level applicant, your curriculum vitae will need to reflect your specific background accordingly.

    Take a look below for social services CV templates.

    Social services CV with no experience

    Create my CVsocial worker cv sample uk

    As an entry-level social services applicant, you should focus on highlighting aspects such as volunteer experience, transferable skills, education, and other relevant career experiences that align with the requirements of your chosen social services role.

    At this stage in your manufacturing career, you are showcasing your potential to employers. That’s why it’s particularly important to let your personality shine in sections such as your personal statement.

    Social services CV for mid-career level

    Create my CVcv for social worker

    Creating a social services CV for a mid-career level is somewhat more straightforward. By this point, you have accumulated relevant experience and technical skills related to the social services job you’re applying for. The key is to effectively showcase these qualifications.

    Social services CV for senior-level

    Create my CVcv social worker

    A senior-level social services CV should emphasise a broad spectrum of career experiences in the field, showcasing your achievements, leadership roles, relevant skills, as well as demonstrated success in all of your previous social service roles.

    Take a look at our extensive library of CV templates to find inspiration for your own job application.

    Social services CV sections

    social worker cv sample

    Making good use of sections in your social services CV can really pay off. After all, each section has its role to play in demonstrating your fitness for the job you are pursuing, and each should be seen as an opportunity to do so.

    Below, we’ll go through the various sections and components to include when writing your CV.

    STEP 1

    Personal statement for social services CV

    Also known as your professional summary, a CV personal statement is a brief paragraph typically found at the top of a CV. It introduces the candidate’s career journey by summarising their skills, experiences, career goals, and personal qualities. This section generally consists of 2 to 4 sentences.

    Take a look at some examples of social services personal statements for different roles in the field.

    EXAMPLE 1.

    Knowledgeable Social Worker with experience in providing tailored support to help service users increase independence and quality of life. Dedicated and motivated individual with strong knowledge of safeguarding principles to protect service users and staff from risk.

    EXAMPLE 2.

    Empathetic Care Worker with a sensitive and compassionate approach to cultivating trusting, stimulating and varied lifestyles for residents. Offers enhanced care with a flexible learning approach for patients. Experience in hospital and in-home settings providing guidance and encouragement to patients through physical and emotional support.

    EXAMPLE 3.

    Accomplished Lifeguard with experience in pool and leisure centre operations. Delivers comprehensive swim instruction and pool supervision. Offers flexible hours to meet team goals.

    STEP 2

    Social services work experience examples

    As the name suggests, social services careers are centred around human contact and working closely with people to help them resolve their challenges. As such, candidates applying for roles in the field are carefully vetted to ensure they possess the skills and personal qualities necessary to work with people in this capacity. Past career experiences are most commonly used to assess fitness, and predict future success. For this reason, approaching this section with due diligence is crucial, in order to show recruiters you truly have what it takes to perform in your chosen role.

    EXAMPLE 1.

    Social Worker | Southwark Council, London | January 2023 – Present

    • Exercised professional judgement to implement interventions and make tough decisions.
    • Collaborated with other professionals in health and social care to coordinate holistic support.
    • Advocated on behalf of service users to protect their best interests.
    • Maintained accurate, up-to-date and confidential files in line with reporting standards.

    EXAMPLE 2.

    Counsellor | Bupa Global, Manchester | May 2021 – March 2023

    • Executed appropriate risk-assessment and mitigation strategies.
    • Formulated and implemented appropriate therapy to deal with underlying dynamics contributing to or exacerbating patients’ illnesses.
    • Collaborated with schools and organisations to promote mental health awareness.
    • Worked with mental health professionals for coordinated care and optimal client outcomes.

    EXAMPLE 3.

    Probation Officer | British Gas, Leeds | May 2017 – July 2020

    • Contacted victims in criminal investigations in regard to restitution.
    • Determined appropriate supervision levels by conducting risk and needs assessments.
    • Collaborated with families to provide maximum support.
    • Wrote pre-sentence and post-sentence investigation and court reports.
    STEP 3

    Skills for a social service CV

    Employers in the social services field seek candidates who possess a diverse set of skills to effectively support individuals and communities in need. Empathy, compassion, problem solving and advocacy skills are just some of the most vital skills needed to succeed in social services roles, that’s not to say technical competencies are of no relevance. The opposite is actually true – you’ll find that as you climb the career ladder in the sector and go after senior-level positions, those technical skills will become especially important.

    Technical skills for a social service CV

    • Case Management Software (e.g. ClientTrack, HMIS)
    • Database Management
    • Electronic Health Records (EHR) Systems (e.g. Epic, Cerner)
    • Crisis Intervention Technology
    • Telehealth Platforms (e.g. Zoom, Doxy.me)
    • Assessment Tools
    • Statistical Analysis Software
    • Microsoft Office Suite
    • Budgeting and Financial Management
    • Data Privacy and Security
    • Online Resources and Databases
    • Risk Assessment Tools (e.g. LSI-R, Ohio Risk Assessment System)
    • Criminal Justice Databases
    • Substance Abuse Screening Tools
    • Cognitive Behavioural Interventions
    • Collaboration with Criminal Justice Agencies
    • Group Therapy Platforms
    • Biofeedback and Wearable Devices
    • Online Continuing Education Platforms
    • Basic Medical Procedures
    • Personal Care Tasks
    • Mobility Assistance
    • Household Management
    • Infection Control Practices
    STEP 4

    Education section for a social services CV

    Qualifications for social services roles can vary depending on the specific position, employer requirements, and the level of responsibility. It’s not uncommon for certain positions within the social services sector to require master’s degrees. At the same time, it’s also not uncommon for some entry-level positions to only require level 2 or level 3 qualifications.

    Wherever you stand with your career goals and the qualifications under your belt, the education section in your social services CV needs to reflect the specifications of the role you’re pursuing. You may have a whole spectrum of qualifications, but unless they demonstrate your suitability for the social services position you’re after, they’re really just taking up vital space that could be used better.

    Example of the education section for a Counsellor

    EDUCATION

    • Master of Science in Counselling Psychology, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, 2022
    • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of London, 2020

    Example of the education section for a Social Worker

    EDUCATION

    • Master of Social Work (MSW), University of Edinburgh, 2021

    Dissertation: “The Role of Social Workers in Supporting At-Risk Youth”

    • Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Edinburgh Napier University, 2019

    Relevant coursework: Social Work Practice, Human Behaviour and the Social Environment, Social Welfare Policy.

    CERTIFICATIONS

    • Mental Health First Air (MHFA)
      Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England
      Issued: March 2018

    • Registered Social Worker (RSW)
      Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
      Issued: June 2016

    STEP 5

    Additional information for your CV

    Additional information on your CV can be a good move whatever your level of experience or career goals. At any rate, it gives employers extra tidbits of information about you as a candidate and as a person, and there’s always a chance that this piece of information could mean the difference between being invited for an interview or otherwise.

    If you’re in doubt about whether or not to include something, just know that there’s really no harm to be done by including an additional line or two of text if your CV is within a reasonable length. That said, too much of anything isn’t great, so bear that in mind when selecting what to include in this section.

    Additional information for a Care Assistant role:

    CERTIFICATIONS

    • NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care
    • First Aid and CPR Certified (British Red Cross, Issued: March 2022)

    LANGUAGES

    • Fluent in English and Spanish

    TRAINING AND COURSES

    • Safeguarding Adults and Children Training (Completed: October 2021)
    • Food Hygiene and Safety Training (Completed: June 2020)
    • Medication Administration Course (Completed: August 2019)

    Additional information for a Probation Officer role:

    CERTIFICATIONS

    • Certificate in Probation Studies (Ministry of Justice, Issued: May 2018)
    • Offender Management Training (National Probation Service, Issued: August 2017)
    • Risk Assessment and Management Certification (Skills for Justice, Issued: October 2019)

    VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

    Volunteer Mentor, Youth Offending Team, Manchester, UK (January 2019 – Present)

    PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

    • Member of the Probation Institute (Since 2017)
    • Member of the British Association of Social Workers (BASW, Since 2018)

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