Questions You Should Be Asking Your Social Work, Professional Counseling, or Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Agency/Practice
Discussion of professionals entering the field of social services | Part 1 of 3
Ty Kuecher March 13, 2024 10:14PM
When deciding upon a placement for your Social Work, Professional Counseling, or MFT internship, practicum, or your first job post-masters, there are three main categories of questions you should be asking. The three categories center around you, the organization itself, and the clientele being served. This list is by no means exhaustive and is by no means limited to the professions it is intended.
Questions you should ask regarding you:
1. How much does it cost me to work under the agency/practice? Being an unlicensed intern, or a preliminary licensed worker requires the agency/practice to take on liability and costs. Especially under private therapy practices, they may lose money by taking you on. Questions related to this:
a. What does the practice/agency do to mitigate costs?
b. How does the practice/agency rectify costs?
c. How much money does the practice and/or individuals keep from your earnings?
d. How does the practice/agency measure risk/liability?
e. How does the practice/agency pass the cost of risk on to you?
Rent – which typically is the largest financial item of a private practice, EMR/EHR systems including email services, supplies, all cost practices/agencies. Professional licenses are at risk when taking on unlicensed/preliminary licensed workers. To compensate for these loses and liabilities, agencies/practices collect money, and from who? is the question.
Understanding the cost a potential agency/practice takes on can inform you of important organizational operations, efficiencies and inefficiencies, and real costs to you. Basically, knowing how the practice loses money can inform you as to how you will lose out on potential income.
2.How much does it benefit me to work under the agency/practice?
You may receive monetary compensation, but you most often receive professional knowledge/training. On the job experience is invaluable, and ensuring you’ll receive top level guidance and support is as important as potential income. Questions you should ask:
a.How much money will you earn exactly?
b.What percentage of money you bring to the agency/practice goes in your pocket?
c.How much one-on-one time does a director/supervisor spend with you/week?
d.How much time will you be learning independently?
e.How often will new applicable and practical skills be taught?
f.What procedures/protocols learned through the agency/practice can/can’t be practically applied at a similar agency/practice?
h.How will your knowledge gained be measured by the agency/practice to verify progress?
Get especially curious about the actual benefit to your professional career of working for an agency/practice if you are not seeing direct hourly/commissioned income.
