Here's how you can navigate career failure and advocate for yourself as a social worker.

"yes, yes, of course" A phrase that appeals to me as a mentor or superior and indicates a need for discussion. How come? I mostly hear this sentence when starting training for career starters or with new employees. You explain a process, attitudes or conversation and ask how what is explained is seen and understood. This usually happens out of fear of saying something wrong or unwanted. As a mentor, you have to take the time to allay these fears. Because you are still in a safe space and not in the implementation case with the clients. That's why: It's better to ask too much than too little. Nobody expects young professionals to know everything.

Here from my experience, I would like to emphasize on the importance of regular supervision, as it helps to develop reflective thinking. As a Social Worker, we should start maintaining daily journals and start writing our experiences. During the supervision sessions, always be open to feedbacks and reflect on it. I am sure this will help you to cope up with your occasional emotional outbursts.

"What if I'm wrong?" I am often asked this question by students and young professionals. “Then learn from it” is the short answer. Especially in the social sector, when working directly with people, the fear of making mistakes is often great, as this does not concern any abstract objects, but rather a counterpart made of flesh and blood. But firstly, you are not responsible for other people's actions - but for your own. And if you act with the best of your knowledge and belief - i.e. not negligently - you are fulfilling your responsibility. Secondly, working with people is not possible in a binary way - in the sense of right and wrong. What works well for one client may not work for another.

At a meeting, a young employee who had been working with us for about a year asked when he would finally finish school. Before I could answer, a valued colleague replied: "I've been here for 40 years and I learn something new every week..." I appreciated and respected him very much for this attitude. Because I also think you have to differentiate. Namely, on the one hand, between the necessary knowledge to carry out one's work independently and responsibly and to be able to react to situations that deviate from the standard. On the other hand, expert knowledge in specific fields of action (which are usually in constant change).