Dietitian Job Search Advice

Regardless of how qualified you may be for a specific nutrition job, you must first give a good impression of yourself in order to get noticed. Keep in mind that you will likely be one of many seeking the same opportunity.

By conducting yourself in a professional manner and creating an eye catching cover letter and resume, you will grab the attention of the hiring official and increase your chances for an interview and landing the job.

Keep all communication professional. Depending on how you discover a nutrition job you may have correspondence with contacts prior to submitting your resume. Remember to always be professional in your correspondence whether it is by telephone or email. When leaving phone messages or speaking, be polite, provide direct questions and answers without going on about information unrelated to the job or your experience. Always be sure to thank the person for their time.

When writing and sending emails use a professional email address. If you don’t have one, then create one. Nicknames, pets and favorite things are not ideal for email addresses when communicating in order to land a nutrition job. Address the recipient by the appropriate title. Keep it short and sweet, and use a professional tone avoiding slang words. Always thank the individual for their time and provide contact information, including your phone number. Some people prefer to use the phone over email, and some email over phone. By providing all the necessary contact information you will have all your bases covered. Spell check, and then spell check again before you click send.

Revise your resume to keep it up to date with current industry standards. The best type of intro, words to use and not to use, and other resume details change over time so be sure your resume has the most up-to-date format. Include your most important information on the first page of your resume. While it is okay to have two pages, especially in a field like nutrition, the chances are slim that the hiring agent will actually make it to reading that second page when doing the first round of reviews. Spell check, spell check again, and ask someone else to read over it.

Customize your cover letter and resume. Do your research and find the name of the person who will be hiring for the position.

Address this person directly in your cover letter. For the objective or summary of your resume, be specific. Provide information on your skills and avoid using generic goals such as “to find a job in nutrition.” State the specific skills you have which you want to use to benefit the company, organization or public should you get the position.

Include skills, awards and certifications. Highlight your major accomplishments related to your work experience. Include special skills and awards if they relate to the job. Include related certifications which you hold in the field; this is especially important if you have worked with special populations. This may include older adults, those with chronic diseases, eating disorders or athletes.