Social Worker Exam: What is on the test?

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Being a social worker is very rewarding. This is certainly a profession that provides a great return on the professional's self-esteem, since the work is directly related to helping the population that needs it most. As for the job market, see below the prospects for social worker competitions , such as salary and the most common topics in the exams.

What is the role of a social worker?

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Anyone who works as a social worker knows that this is a very broad profession, with many different approaches and areas of expertise. That said, the competitions for social workers also tend to be varied, depending on the location and institution, with multiple possibilities.

Therefore, you may be able to apply for a public service exam in the education sector. In this case, you will work in schools and public education institutions, whether municipal, state or federal, to work on social welfare policies in these institutions.

There is also the possibility of working with health organizations, such as medical centers, emergency care units, Psychosocial Care Centers, or CAPS. Here, the work is done with patients and their families, providing support for the social needs that arise during someone's stay in the hospital.

Several other areas can be mentioned, such as working with government social programs, especially in CRAS, the Social Assistance Reference Centers. For all these cases, it is necessary to pass a public exam!

And how much does a Social Worker earn?

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Certainly, one point that attracts a lot of attention to public examinations in any area is the professional and financial stability that they provide. This is because, for the most part, those who pass the examination will become civil servants with lifetime tenure, which guarantees that, except in the case of a court ruling, it is possible to remain in the position until retirement.

Furthermore, salaries are usually higher than those offered in the private sector, with more attractive salary progression proposals. In the specific case of social workers, it is worth mentioning that most vacancies are in the public sector and that is also where the best pay is earned.

Currently, a civil servant social worker earns an average of R$5,000, according to information from the Federal Council of Social Services. This amount can vary, but it is possible to earn up to R$6,000 as a civil servant.

In fact, the good news is that a bill is currently being processed in the National Congress that seeks to set the minimum wage for social workers at R$3,720 for 30 hours per week. Until then, the category continues to move towards consolidating this major advance.

What to study for the Social Worker public exam?

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The content of the exam to work as a social worker may vary depending on the states and cities that hold it. However, we can say that there are some very common topics that are very likely to be covered in your exam.

To begin with, it is very common for exams to ask general knowledge questions. These are questions that relate to basic subjects that are available to the entire population through regular education.

In general, it is more common for questions to arise about the Portuguese language, in the lexical, grammatical and syntactical aspects of the language, and also mathematics, with questions involving basic statistics.

However, what usually gives candidates the most headaches are certainly the specific questions. In this case, these are the questions that relate to the theory and practice of social work and also to the public policies of the category. In this case, the most common topics are:

• The Organic Law of Social Assistance (No. 8,742/93);
• The Statute of Children and Adolescents (Law No. 8,069/90);
• The National Social Assistance Policy (PNAS);
• And Theory and Techniques of Social Assistance.

For all these cases, it is possible to study with specific materials made for candidates in public exams for social assistance.

What public competitions are open for social workers?

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At the end of the year, it is less common to find a wide variety of public competitions open. However, there are some that you can apply for, such as the one for the City of Miracema, in Rio de Janeiro, or the City of Ibiúna, in São Paulo. The expectation is that in 2024 new competitions will open throughout the country, so you need to be prepared!

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