‘Not Easily Put Into a Box’: Constructing Professional Identity

Abstract

'Not easily put into a box': constructing professional identityResearching the interplay between social work students' personal and professional identities, I found that, in talking about becoming professionals, students drew on a wide range of discourses. Three common usages of the term 'professional identity' are explored: it can be thought of in relation to desired traits; it can also be used in a collective sense to convey the 'identity of the profession'. Taking a more subjective approach, professional identity can be regarded as a process in which each individual comes to have a sense of themselves as a social worker. I argue that the variations in students' talk reflect a wide range of cultural understandings that are prevalent within the social work community and society in general, and conclude that professional identity is more complicated than adopting certain traits or values, or even demonstrating competence. The different meanings of professional identity all have something to offer, providing resources for students as they construct themselves as social workers. This is important for social work education because it acknowledges the dynamic nature of professional identity, highlights the difficult identity work which each student must undertake, and prompts us to consider how this process might best be supported.

Digital Natives or Digitally Naïve? E-professionalism and Ethical Dilemmas Among Newly Graduated Teachers and Social Workers in Ireland

“…Through this 120 G. Kirwan and C. Mc Guckin process members of the profession identify with others in their collective and thus acquire an individual and group professional identity. As Wiles (2012) discovered from her research, definitions of the term professional identity may vary but more easily identified will be commonly held understandings within any profession of the traits associated with membership of that particular profession. Measures of professional competence and readiness to become a full member of a profession usually require the individual to display attainment of an agreed level of skills, knowledge, and values, which have been assimilated during the educational process.…”

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“…Cross-section research design is not uncommon in this research area. In the recent literature, cross-sectional research design has been employed to study professional identity construction among final year students (Smith et al, 2014;Wiles, 2013). In addition the present study was conducted over a period of six months and we have interviewed the students multiple times to ensure the validity of emerging categories.…”

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“…The focus on students' professional development experiences and the role of their stories in making sense of educational realities can become crucial for broadening or reconceptualising the languages of professional identity (Wiles, 2013). Social work training, as with healthcare training, shapes the values and pattern of practice for social work professionals.…”