Take what you can get?

So here I finally am with my BSW in hand, ready to be a "real" social worker and put all that I have learned and do all that I have watched, into use. Except...social work jobs are...nowhere to be found. You see when I was still in school (and even when I had graduated but was 9 months pregnant), social worker jobs seemed to pop up left and right. It killed me that I couldn't apply. And now that I can, I can't because they are no longer "popping." What the heck! Okay, okay- in all honesty, there are some social worker or similiar positions avaliable but either they are like 70 miles from where I live or pay lower than someone working at Walmart. And I won't get started on the social worker job salaries I have been seeing posted. I'll save that rant for another day.

Anywho back to my point, now that I'm ready, there's barely anything to be ready for.

I have applied and applied for whatever there is avaliable. I have applied for 5 positions. 3 of them are not "official" social worker positions. And of course the 2 that I am hearing back from are 2 of the non-social worker jobs. They are similiar: county child support officers. The first one, I turned down because the pay was blah. I make more at my current paraprofessional job now than what they were offering. Now the second county child support officer job is paying decent....about two dollars more than what I am making. Not what I am seeking as far as the position, work, and pay goes but ya gotta take what you can get, I guess. I have no experience in child support (or much interest in it either) but it is at a county agency which I currently am in and am seeking. Ideally, I don't want to work for the county for so many reasons that it could (and probably will be) another post by its self but the benefits and job security is great. Plus for where I am in my personal life right now (young adult, first time homeowner, hubs wants to go back to school, have 2 kids under 5), a stable county job is perfect.

So wish me luck. What happens first is an exam (ike a real exam with a calculator and pencil and bubble sheet which I suppose to work in child support, you must know basic math and laws), then I'm assuming they take the top scoring applicants and do a formal interview. And although I'm bitching about how this position isn't a real social worker position, I do hope I get it.

I take the exam on Monday. Will keep you posted.