Explore Jobs
Find Specific Jobs
Explore Careers
Explore Professions
Best Companies
Explore Companies
What is a service worker and how to become one
A service worker provides social services in different areas to people with varying needs. They might hold a license to provide assistance for clinical patients with mental health problems, or they might simply help people deal with everyday problems with training as a direct service social worker.
Housing emergencies, medical issues, financial problems, or other crisis situations are the areas where a service worker can typically help out without a license. They interview people to assess their situation, help with sorting out information, arrange support packages, give advice, and provide connections and referrals to other organizations.
You need patience, empathy, and great problem-solving skills to do this job well. You need to be organized and know your way around welfare policies, but perhaps most importantly, you need to be able to gain your clients' trust.
What general advice would you give to a Service Worker?
Virginia Schwindt
MSW Field Director/Associate Professor, Union University
Avg. Salary $30,045
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 12%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.49%
Asian 6.87%
Black or African American 13.64%
Hispanic or Latino 15.73%
Unknown 4.55%
White 57.73%
Genderfemale 61.22%
male 38.78%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Service Worker career paths
Key steps to become a service worker
Explore service worker education requirements
Start to develop specific service worker skills
Skills 
Percentages Customer Service 20.35% Cleanliness 10.33% Patients 7.19% Rehabilitation 6.99% Excellent Interpersonal 5.76% Complete relevant service worker training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New service workers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a service worker based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real service worker resumes.Research service worker duties and responsibilities
- Manage a caseload of over one hundr TANF cases.
- Assist in managing inventory for student and staff culinary and scholastic supplies.
- Receive specialized training on CPR, human rights and history of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
- Implement HIPAA standards within the facility.
Prepare your service worker resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your service worker resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a service worker resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Service Worker Resume templates
Build a professional Service Worker resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Service Worker resume.
Apply for service worker jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a service worker job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Service Worker Job
Are you a Service Worker?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average service worker salary
The average Service Worker salary in the United States is $30,045 per year or $14 per hour. Service worker salaries range between $22,000 and $40,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do service workers rate their job?
Service Worker reviews
can be easy to get burnt out, pay is ok
Working collaboratively with clients to help them understand themselves and experience their authentic selves. Learning from my clients.
Low pay
Serving people, impacting change in communities, never boring
pay is low for what you need to do
Updated January 8, 2025
