Employer Hiring Preferences in the Human Services

ABSTRACT

There is a dearth of empirical literature in social work on the hiring practices and preferences of human service administrators. Our online survey of human services hiring managers (N = 370) begins to fill a gap. We ask, “What aspects of a potential employee’s portfolio and background are viewed as important by employers?” Findings suggest that a majority of social work administrators value interpersonal skills above all else. Academic factors were of secondary importance. Some differences in hiring preference were found based on the race/ethnicity of the hiring administrator and the agency auspice. These findings have significant implications for MSW students and educators.

KEYWORDS:

• Workforce/workplace issues in human service organizations