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CAREER DEVELOPMENT is an important issue for social workers. There is considerable existing research examining the personal attributes and professional expectations of those interested in social work careers (Karls, Lowery, Mattaini, & Wandrei, 1997). However, there is a dearth of available literature that would compare the motivations and goals of social workers to other career tracks (Abell & McDonell, 1990). This is surprising, as educators who influence the future of the profession need to understand the motives, aspirations, and expectations of individuals in training for careers in social work. Ideally, students who pursue social work education should be well suited to advancing the profession's foundational goal of bettering the human condition. Alternatively, students from non-socially focused educational programs, particularly business college...
