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  • Dietetics Programs, Dietitian Career Advice

    5 Reasons to Create an Online Portfolio

    Think of your online portfolio as an extension of your DICAS application. This tool could get you closer to landing the dietetic internship of your dreams.

    If you haven’t created an online portfolio yet, now’s the time! Only some program applications require one, but you can still add the URL to your resume even if they don’t.

    Click here to take your application to the next level with free resources and exclusive advice from Jenny!

    Here are our top 5 reasons why you need one:

    Opportunity to show directors examples of your best work

    Remember to include projects or papers that you are passionate about to reference them in later interviews. Did you complete a unique project in your program? Feature it so internship programs can see it!

    It makes you stand out from the competition.

    No two applications are alike, similar to online portfolios. Your portfolio is distinctly yours and can be another way to stand out from the crowd and make a lasting impression.

    Adds a visual element to your application

    A dietetic internship director may remember you during your interview from your online portfolio’s unique logo or layout. This also serves as a way for internship programs to learn about you and your sense of style or flare. Make sure to stay true to yourself when creating your online presence!

    It gives directors a better sense of who you are as a person

    Directors will gain a better understanding of your personality through the details of your online portfolio. They will see your skills, such as attention to detail and creativity, which show promise as a dietetic intern.

    It can be used again when you’re hunting for a job

    Make sure to save your online portfolio and continue adding to it as a dietetic intern. Nothing will make a potential employer more pleased than an in-depth and highly professional online portfolio. As you grow through your nutrition career, remember to let your online portfolio grow with you.

    Blogger, WordPress, VisualCV, and Wix are all great sites for housing your portfolio.

    Are you not convinced? Check out this article from The New York Times for more!

    P.S. Once your e-portfolio is done, join our Get Matched Coaching for a portfolio review from one of our coaches to make sure it is visually fantastic, organized, and free of grammar mistakes!

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  • Dietetics Programs, Featured

    How Applying to an ISPP Helped Natalie Get One Step Closer to Her Dream Career

    Special thanks to Natalie Kocks, who shared her personal ISPP journey with us in 2017.

    My name is Natalie Kocks, and I am a recent graduate of Benedictine University, Lisle, IL. I am currently enrolled as a dietetic intern at Purdue University’s ISPP. The journey towards attaining a dietetic internship is most certainly not an easy one. At Benedictine, I ran Cross Country and Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field. I was also involved in the SAND (Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics) club. I volunteered every summer at Parkview Regional Medical Center in the Nutrition and Dietetics department. I also gained experience as an intern, working with an R.D. who owns her fitness and nutrition company. I also interned with Foodie on Campus (an online magazine) and helped market the magazine via social media.

    In my senior year of college, I began the DICAS process and unfortunately did not receive a match. So I moved home and began working as a dietary aide at a nursing home and as a recipe developer, chef, and barista at a local natural market. In November, I reapplied to DICAS, and again, the words read “No Match.” I allowed myself to be upset for one day, and then I decided that this was what I wanted, and I refused to give up. I applied for a nutritionist position at a local WIC office and was offered the job. I have been working at WIC for the last six months and love it here! I learned about the Purdue ISPP from a Purdue ISPP intern doing her community rotation here at my WIC location! I decided to apply, and before I knew it, I was being interviewed and accepted my intern spot!

    “ISPP is an amazing opportunity for good DICAS applicants who slipped through the cracks to gain the internship they deserve.”

    ISPP is a fantastic opportunity for suitable DICAS applicants who slipped through the cracks to gain the internship they deserve. ISPP allows for flexibility; you can focus on areas of dietetics that you’re most interested in, and you can complete your entire training at home! 

    My advice to future applicants is never to give up. Not receiving a match to internships was one of the most devastating experiences I have had. Had it not been for my supportive family and friends and my deep-rooted passion for the field, I do not think I would have kept applying and putting myself out there. The best thing you can do is start gaining nutrition experience early on in your college career and continue to stay involved while working just as hard in the classroom. Please get to know your professors because you’ll need them down the road for positive letters of recommendation when you apply to internships.

    Thanks for sharing, Natalie!

    P.S. Our Get Matched Coaches can help you land the DI of your dreams. Let us help you have a happy match day!

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  • Dietetics Programs, Student Life

    A Surefire Recipe to Gain Volunteer Experience

    To stay competitive as a nutrition student you have to get good grades, be involved in extracurriculars, and volunteer like your life depends on it.

    The semester is coming to an end and summer is right around the corner.  As dietetic majors, you know that summer means that there is more time for… volunteering! 

    At times this is a very stressful and time provoking task but this is why you have us to help you through and find and create your best possible experiences that DI directors will gasp at (good gasps!) and put you right at the top of their lists.

    To make this task a little more tolerable, what better way to read about volunteer experiences is there than a recipe.  With just a few ingredients, a dash of determination, and some simple directions, you will be on your way to cookin’ up great volunteer experiences!

    Click here to take your application to the next level with free resources, discounts, and exclusive advice from Jenny!

    Ingredients

    • Leadership skills
    • Confidence
    • Creativity
    • Persistence
    • Enthusiasm

    Not sure where to begin? First, check out local volunteering opportunities near you here. Next, follow the directions below.

    Directions

    1. Ask – Put yourself out there. There are very few people that will turn down someone that wants to work for FREE.  What excites you?  What do you want to learn more about?  Whether it is for 2 weeks, 2 months, or 2 years, experience is experience, and anything helps, all you have to do is ASK!  If you are uncomfortable at first approaching someone to see if you could volunteer with them, there is nothing wrong with an email.

    Sample Email: 

    To Whom It May Concern,

    My name is __________.  I’m a nutrition major at _____________ and I’m extremely interested in your __________________.  I would love to learn more about ________, and was wondering if I could volunteer for you.  I appreciate your time and patience with this request and I look forward to hearing back from you in the near future.

    Thanks,

    ____________

    2. Ask again – This is where persistence comes in. If you don’t hear from anyone in a week, try a follow-up email.  Still no response?  Stop in in-person!  People are just as busy as you are and may not check their emails often.  They may think that your persistence is an asset to their company and want to know more about you.

    3. Ask for more – Yay, you are volunteering for something that you are passionate about! Now that you’ve learned the ropes of their company/business, ask for more projects.  If you have something in mind that you think will be beneficial, ask your boss for permission.  Lots of people are open to fresh, innovative, and creative ideas, that will help them make more of a positive influence in society.  Go for it!

    Now, enjoy the fruits of your labor.  At times, this may be hard work, but it’s worth it in the end.  Stay positive, always keep a smile on your face, and remember your end goal.

    P.S. Are you applying to your dietetic internship? Join Get Matched Coaching for personalized advice that will help you gain confidence that will bring you one step closer to becoming a dietitian!

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  • How to Become a Dietitian, Student Life

    How to Mentally Recover After an MNT Exam

    Imagine this. You finish your MNT exam, with time to spare, and you hand it in to your professor with the biggest smile on your face and you turn around and walk out the door knowing that you are an exceptional student and totally aced it.  Has this ever happened to you?  The anxiety of finishing on time, the worry and second guessing of whether you did that tube feed calculation right, did you give your “patient” enough protein? AH. The mental toll that MNT exams have can last for a while. Here are five tips to help you recover from after an MNT exam:

    1. ONLY REVISIT YOUR NOTES ONCE.

    Your first instinct when you leave the room after your exam is usually to check your notes to see if you got an answer correct. This is ok, but limit this time.  Dwelling on something that you can’t fix won’t do you any good.  Be confident in your answers.  Adjust your focus to the positive.

    2. EXERCISE.

    As nutrition majors, we know that a healthy and balanced lifestyle includes exercise.  Although this may not be something that you want to do right after your test, the endorphins that are released will help with the stress you just endured. 30 minutes of moderate physical activity will do wonders.

    3. YOGA.

    Breathe in, breathe out. Yoga is the perfect de-stressor.  Whether you go to your local studio or find a great podcast that prompts you with the movements, yoga will help you declutter your mind and center yourself. Stretching out your body and letting go of the day will help you mentally recover from that MNT exam.

    4. HANG OUT WITH FRIENDS.

    DON’T talk about the exam! Out of sight, out of mind. This is easier said than done, but try focusing on other aspects of your life.

    5. TREAT YOURSELF.

    You deserve it! You studied for hours, rewrote your notes a million times, and stayed up late cramming in every last bit. Reward yourself with something that will make you feel great. Get a mani/pedi, go out for fro-yo, buy that new shirt that you’ve been obsessing over. Knowing that you’ve done your best is all that you can do at this point and treating yourself to something will give you a sense of accomplishment.

    P.S. Now that exams are over, it’s time to start preparing for Match Day! 

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