Newly Qualified Social Workers’ Careers : A Mix of Turbulence, Goals and Safety

Extensive job turnover is a pressing concern in social work. This article reports the result of a mixed-methods study with newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) about their experiences during their first five years in the profession. What career patterns can be discerned and what are the NQSWs’ motives for staying in or leaving a particular job? The theoretical point of departure is that careers must be understood from several interacting perspectives, as individual motives and objectives meet and interact with contextual conditions. The findings from interviews and a questionnaire indicate that most NQSWs have changed employment three to eight times during a five-year period. Most quit because of bad working conditions, although some changed jobs as part of an incremental development towards achieving a particular position. Three different types of careers are found: turbulent, goal-oriented, and safe careers. NQSWs are only partially rational regarding career decisions, and most decisions are made pragmatically, especially for those with turbulent careers, which most of the respondents experienced.