Dietitian Jobs

  • Dietetics Programs, Dietitian Career Advice, How to Become a Dietitian, Student Life

    Jobs for Dietetics Students That Are Helpful in the Field

    The best way to prepare for life in any field of work is to start getting your feet wet early on. Luckily, this can be accomplished in various work roles for the world of dietetics – some don’t even have to be exclusively nutrition-related! There are countless opportunities under the umbrella of dietetics; for an idea of what’s available and how to pave your way to success, check out our resource on 7 Ways to Be an Awesome Dietetics Student.

    While you’re still working on your degree or internship, though, here’s a few examples of positions to help you cultivate valuable skills in the field!

    For those looking for jobs that are directly related to the dietetics field, look for positions as:

    Dietetic Technicians

    As a dietetic technician, you work as an interdisciplinary team to provide ultimate nutrition care for patients. This includes assuring that patient meal selections are appropriate for their diets, notifying the registered dietitian of any new and relevant nutrition concerns, and screening for any instances of malnutrition.

    Food Service Workers

    Whether the position calls for work as dietary hosts or kitchen workers, both provide significant experience in the world of foodservice. Both positions offer extensive experience in understanding the importance of temperature control, while dietary hosts earn the ability to learn more about various diets and their respective restrictions.

    WIC Nutritionists

    As a WIC nutritionist, you work directly with clients eligible for program benefits to help them gauge their supplemental food needs, as well as helping out with nutritional planning and other provisions provided by the program.

    Wellness Coaches

    If clinical settings aren’t for you, but you want to work directly with people, wellness coaching may be for you! This role allows you to use your knowledge of nutrition to provide insight, education, and motivation to various people.

    In these positions, you are likely to work directly with individuals regarding their nutritional status, intake, or behaviors. Since these positions require you to work under the guidance of a registered dietitian or senior nutritionist, you are also allowed to ask them questions about their journey or even shadow them for a day!

    You don’t have to work in a strictly dietetic field to gain relevant experience, though.

    Some other jobs that can be great teaching lessons for dietetics students include:

    • Waitressing/Serving
    • Personal Training
    • Pharmacy Technicians
    • Volunteering at Food Banks or Soup Kitchens

    These positions cover many facets of health that are directly tied to nutrition, food service, or maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Don’t see your job listed above, or do you work in a different field entirely? That’s okay! Most jobs provide experiences that can be transferred over to the dietetics field. Whether it’s paid or unpaid experience, our coaches can help you figure out what skills your experience has provided helpful in dietetics.

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    About the author:

    My name is Tanisha Amaral, a dietetic intern with Wellness Workdays currently completing my community rotation with All Access Dietetics! This list wasn’t just randomly generated through a series of Google searches, but rather through my personal experience working in most of them on my journey to becoming an RD! As a dietetic intern, I am also working as a dietetic technician and restaurant server – the best of both the clinical and foodservice worlds! For more help, feel free to reach out for tips on navigating the RD path!

    PS. Applying to dietetics programs in the future? Check out Dietetics Admissions!

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  • Dietetics Programs

    How to Find Remote Nutrition Experience

    Nutrition students are busy! Here are some tips to find flexible, remote nutrition experience that will fit your schedule and boost your DICAS Application.

    A great GPA, a well written personal statement, and stellar references are all key factors in building the ideal DICAS application. But nutrition experience is also one of the top deciding factors for many dietetic internships. However, it can be difficult to try to fit quality nutrition experience into your already busy schedule. Without a flexible job, you might feel stuck on your path toward becoming the best DICAS applicant ever. Fortunately, we are in a time where things like social media, telehealth, and virtual communications are on the rise. Now is the perfect time to jump on the virtual bandwagon by finding remote nutrition experience and showcasing how creative you can be!

    Check out our Get Matched course to find out more ways to build your DICAS application

    What kind of remote dietetics experience is available?

    Remote nutrition services, or telenutrition, have been growing for more than a decade. New research shows these services will continue to grow and become more popular. Therefore, seeking out opportunities for work with telenutrition or remote dietitians can help prepare you for continued growth in the field and provide distinctive experience for your application.

    Social media platforms are always growing and becoming a go-to place for news and information. We don’t want to keep reading the same content every day, so there is a nearly endless need for creative and out-of-the-box social media and website content.

    Dietitians are primarily healthcare professionals, but they are also largely educators. There are excellent opportunities to remotely build experience in creating/editing educational materials. RDs are looking for materials including flyers, nutrition labels, or educational videos. Helping with this type of content will look good in DICAS and be helpful in your future!

    How do I find this virtual work?

    A quick google search for remote nutrition experience will bring you dozens of jobs sites, such as Chegg’s internship page, with some great opportunities. Many of these opportunities are specifically looking for nutrition and dietetics students.

    Every dietitian remembers the hard work it took to get them where they are today. So most RDs are eager to help nutrition students. Reach out to your favorite RD on Instagram or LinkedIn to see if they have remote work you can do. Find someone that inspires you or has your dream job as an RD, and send them a message. This can be a little intimidating. Not every RD will have the capability to take on extra help, but the worst they can say is no. So give it a shot!

    Consider the sample letter below to get you started –

    Dear [NAME],

    I’m currently a dietetics student with [SCHOOL]. Like you, I have a passion for [talk about why you chose this RD. Do you share an interest in hormone balance, plant based diets, or holistic nutrition? Do you hope to work with a similar demographic? Be specific, let them know you’ve done your research].

    I would love the opportunity to work with you remotely. [Talk about what you can offer. Do you have stellar writing, research, or photography skills? Are you social media or tech savvy? Are you great with creating content that their audience can relate to?]

    Please feel free to contact me here or at [provide an email, phone number, and/or other form of contact – make it as easy as possible to find you!] to discuss what help you might need.

    Thank you for your consideration!
    [YOUR NAME]

    Be a leader

    If you’re struggling to find a dietitian who needs extra help or a job posting that is appropriate for you, be a leader and create your own remote experience! Nutrition leadership experience is always something that shines bright on a DICAS application. Find a way to be innovative and challenge yourself to find a new way to share nutrition. For example, consider a weekly vlog that addresses important nutrition tips for a niche population or a virtual nutrition club that helps other students stay focused. Make the most out of the time you have!

    We hope these tips have helped sparked some ideas for ways you can get significant nutrition experience that fits into your schedule. For more ideas on gaining experience, check out this post!

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  • Dietitian Career Advice

    Best Job Search Tips for New Dietitians

    You’ve done the hard work- completed a DPD program, a Bachelor’s degree, a 1200 hour dietetic internship, and passed the national registration exam. You are now a registered dietitian! You’re ready to land your first job as an RD, but… where do you even begin? Below are my top tips to help you land the position of your dreams.

    Get clear on your goals. 

    After completing rotations in various areas, you may know what position you would like to work in. Was clinical not your thing? What about food service? Narrow down your niche, and then use LinkedIn, practice groups, Instagram, and even Google to help you create your goals and find inspiration from other RDs.

    Network. 

    Dietetics is a relatively small field, so use your current network to help you succeed. Is your past preceptor connected to a dietitian you admire on LinkedIn? Reach out and ask for an introduction. There’s no harm in trying, and it’s ok to do some creepy searching for the sake of your dream job!

    Use social media.

    Before you begin job searching, make sure your social media presence is professional and represents you well. Next, join virtual groups dedicated to RD job searching, research potential organizations through their social media pages, and learn more about open positions by studying them online. This will help you learn about the organization and role you are applying for and can help you have a great interview.

    Use the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

    The Academy has various resources that can help you learn your worth, such as the compensation packet. This packet shares up-to-date knowledge of salaries for different niches in the field. Use the salary calculator to determine the average income for your education, experience, and even location! 

    Prepare. 

    Once you land an interview, do your best to be ready. Our Get Hired Coaching will teach you how to restate the question, provide 2-3 points or a STAR theory, and answer with a clear conclusion that ties into the company or role. Extra preparation for an interview can set you apart and help you land your dream job sooner. 

    While the job application process may be new and overwhelming, using these tips and tricks will lead you down the right path. Do you think you would benefit from extra help in this process? Check out the Get Hired Course to help you showcase your talents, sell yourself to employers, and stand out from the competition. 

    PS. We have so many great career resources to help you land your dream job!

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  • Dietitian Career Advice, Student Life

    5 Unexpected Nutrition Jobs

    This list is sure to get you excited about the unique opportunities and possibilities in store for your future in dietetics.

    Did you know there is an American Overseas Dietetic Association and even pet dietitians? One of the remarkable things about dietetics is that there are so many routes one can pursue. Here’s a list of 5 unexpected jobs in nutrition that may spark your interest. 

    1. OVERSEAS DIETITIAN

    Kate Campbell is a registered dietitian with Commonwealth Healthcare Corp on the island of Saipan. After five years without a dietitian, she was hired by the hospital to build up the dietary department. Read her interview with Nutrition Awareness here.

    2. FARMER RD

    Once an ICU dietitian, Diana Dyer decided to pursue a different end of the dietetics spectrum by focusing on disease prevention as an RD-Farmer and “growing the food her community needs to become a healthy community.”  Read more about what her job entails here.

    3. PLAYWRIGHT RD

    Barbara Storper was asked to give a presentation on nutrition at an inner-city school. To connect with the children in “their language,” she utilized juggling, audience participation, magic, and more. Her shows have been a tremendous success and have now reached more than 3 million school children across the country. Read more about her here.

    4. CULINARY TRENDOLOGIST

    Kara Nielsen identifies new food trends and advises her clients, for example, restaurants, on what will be prominent in the food world and when. This job requires love for research as she’s frequently studying menus across the country and the news for new information. Read an interview with Kara here.

    5. PET NUTRITION CLINICIAN

    Helen Porter is a pet nutrition clinician from Porter Pet Pals Animal Nutrition Services. She focuses on providing services to those animals in need of a nutrition care plan or diet management, according to her interview with Today’s Dietitian. Read more about her tips for pet RD’s here.

    BONUS: Do you want to learn more about unique dietitian jobs? The FREE Dietitian Dream Jobs e-book is for you! 75+ exciting careers for registered dietitians. Click here to get this free e-book straight to your inbox.

    P.S. Read about Founder Jenny Westerkamp’s unique career path in entrepreneurship and sports nutrition! Plus, she shares lessons learned along the way!

    P.P.S. Read more about various nutrition-related jobs here and here.

     

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