# A cover letter question for social workers and psychologists.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cover-letter-question-for-social-workers-and-psychologists/756105>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [May 30, 2016, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cover-letter-question-for-social-workers-and-psychologists/756105 "2016-05-30T17:47:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cover-letter-question-for-social-workers-and-psychologists/756105/1 "2016-05-30T17:47:35Z")

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Freshly graduated from my psychology program and enrolled in my graduate MSW program, I am applying for my first job as a residential counselor for mentally ill adults. I don’t have any job experience in this field yet, but I DO have a mentally ill father who for years has depended on me for help with multiple life maintenance tasks that parallel the new job requirements.

Should I mention in my cover letter that I am taking care of my sick dad and that it’s given me years worth of similar experience? Or would that be TMI for an employer?

Thank you.

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**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cover-letter-question-for-social-workers-and-psychologists/756105/2 "2016-05-31T01:39:16Z")

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I don’t think mentioning it in your cover letter is a good idea but certainly bring it up during the interview.

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**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cover-letter-question-for-social-workers-and-psychologists/756105/3 "2016-05-31T02:50:21Z")

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I’m neither, but 65% of my coworkers are social workers and psychologists. I’d predict that at most they’d suggest this only be brought up during an interview as a response to the question “What first interested you in this line of work?”

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**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cover-letter-question-for-social-workers-and-psychologists/756105/4 "2016-05-31T04:12:56Z")

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Could you put it in as “volunteer experience” and not mention it’s your dad (until the interview)?

Not a mental health professional, but that’s roughly how I snuck in ‘and my son has ASD’ when applying for my current job working with ASD kids.

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**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cover-letter-question-for-social-workers-and-psychologists/756105/5 "2016-05-31T18:03:21Z")

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I put in its own paragraph: “Furthermore, I have years of personal, first-hand experience with managing many of the personal care tasks and life maintenance needs required for this position.” She can ask me about it in the interview if she’s interested.

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

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**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cover-letter-question-for-social-workers-and-psychologists/756105/6 "2016-05-31T18:17:40Z")

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I think you nailed it!