Career Talk with Karina Vasquez, Social Worker | Advocate | Community Catalyst
Whether you’re here to find inspiration, gain insight, or carve your own unique path—we’ve got you covered. ❤️
Welcome to Career Talk – where we dive deep into the real, unfiltered stories of women carving their paths across industries. Whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder, building your own empire, or still figuring out your next step, we’re your go-to guide for navigating today’s job market.
For the first interview, in observance of National Social Work Month, we will hear from Karina Vasquez, a passionate social worker in Georgia, about her experience and how she’s carved out her lane.
Here’s a little about Karina
Karina is from Pasadena, California, but now resides in Atlanta, Georgia, where she has been for three years. She is a social worker and a dog mom. She loves to try out different restaurants, enjoy time with loved ones, and go to a dance class.
Education
AA in Criminal Justice (Pasadena City College)
BS in Criminology: Forensic Behavioral Science (Fresno State)
Masters in Social Work (University of Georgia)
Starting Salary & Average Debt
Starting salary: $16/hour (2018)
Today’s Salary: $57,000 - $65,000 (2025)
Why did you choose to go into social work?
I have always wanted to help people, especially children and the youth. I enjoy helping those who have experienced adversities in their life and finding resources to help them overcome those challenges. I have always had a big heart for children, and I felt I experienced some adversities as a young girl growing up as well. I want every child to know that they are able to grow up and be better than what their childhood was like, and to never give up on accomplishing their goals.
What is your area of focus? And why dd you go this route?
My area of focus is doing CPS (Child Protective Services) intakes for the state and forwarding those intake decisions to the counties. I decided to go this route because I wanted to be the first responder to child abuse reports and understand the process of making the decision to forward the reports to be further investigated.
What advice would you give to your freshman-year self?
I would tell myself to focus on you and your goals and that relationships and fun can wait if they are causing a distraction or preventing you from achieving your goals.
What is the next step in my career?
Obtaining a LMSW
Life isn’t about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself.
Do I feel safe in the current job market?
In my current role, I do feel safe although many people in America have lost their jobs due to what is occurring. I haven’t heard any updates on how my job is affected, and my job is very vital in ensuring child safety so I don’t see my job being severely impacted.
Did I feel safe for job security during COVID?
I did feel safe during COVID because I was thankful to be an essential worker. I wasn’t affected due to the high demand in essential workers that were needed in such a vulnerable time for America.
Timeline of experience
2018 Youth Care Counselor
2021 CPS Case Manager
2024 CPS intake case worker