Dietitian and Nutritionist Resume Writing Guide
Dietitians and nutritionists are experts in their field and have dedicated their lives to researching, developing, counseling, and practicing good dietary patterns for the health of others.
Don’t make the mistake of leaving off these valuable skills from your resume! They showcase your qualifications for any job you want.
Follow this step-by-step guide below to create a dietitian or nutritionist resume that will make you stand out:
- Be specific about your skills, knowledge, and experience.
- Tailor your resume to the job you want.
- Be sure to include a list of references with contact information!
- Be Specific About Your Skills, Knowledge and Experience (for dietitian or nutritionist)
Always be sure to include what you can do for the job. Give them examples of past experiences in which you’ve demonstrated your skills in a profession that would match the job you’re applying for.
Examples:
3 years as a Registered Dietitian
10 years as a Dietitian at a local hospital. - Tailor Your Resume to the Job You Want
Make sure you tailor your resume to the job you want. It’s no use putting your skills and experience on a dietitian or nutritionist resume, if the person reading it is looking for a dental assistant, for example. Tailor your dietitian or nutritionist resume to every requirement of the job you want! - Include a List of References with Contact Information
Always be sure to include a list of references with contact information. The people you put on your list can vouch for your skills and experience, and can vouch for you to the specific position you’re applying for. It’s a way to show that you do have skills and experience, even if it is a “dietitian or nutritionist” difficult job!
Dietitian and Nutritionist Responsibilities:
- Adhering to government policies and guidelines
- Organizing and conducting seminars and workshops
- Coordinating with hospitals to set up diets for food poisoning cases.
- Counseling patients on diet and nutrition.
- Performing diet analysis, meal planning, menu planning, budgeting sponsorship for the planning of special diets using various food systems.
- Conducting examinations, making diagnoses, and treatment plans.
- Performing laboratory testing and analyzing the results.
- Organizing workshops and training programs for dietitians related to diet analysis techniques.
- Developing computer software in diet analysis and menu planning for the needs of health institutions.
- Training in Hygiene, Food Service Management, Food Safety, Nutrition for employees of food services or departments of nursing homes.
Tips to write a Dietitian and Nutritionist Resume Summary & Objective:
It is a short paragraph at the top of your resume that informs potential employers what position you are seeking and highlights your most relevant skills and experience.
How to write a career objective statement:
- Identify the highest level position for which you would like to apply. No one ever gets hired for the job of their dreams, but we should at least aim high!
- Keep it simple and to the point: describe the job you are seeking, not your ideal career.
- Give the job description in terms of what you can do as opposed to what they want you to do.
- Mention your skills that are unique to that position and the type of work/functions that you perform well.
- Mention anything else that is applicable for that position (i.e., education, licenses, certifications).
Tips to write a Dietitian and Nutritionist Resume with No experience:
- If you are already a registered Dietitian or Nutritionist, that is an advantage. If not, it will show in your work experience, academic background and achievements.
- Get experience and achievements as quickly as possible.
- Have a career and profession goal in mind and it will show in your resume.
- Get your resume designed by a professional resume expert. After you are confident in your own ideas, it is time to get a professional design team to create an eye opener for you. I recommend the services of a professional resume writer.
- Do not skimp on your resume by getting the bare minimum of experience and achievements. [The more you have, the more impressive you will be.]
- The best way to go is with practical experience and acquire achievements. Build up your work history in a slow, steady pace with the education and skills that you are confident in.
- If possible, get an internship at a Hospital or medical facility where you can gain some experience and feed back to your own career goals.
- Most of all, get a copy of the Dietitian Resume, including the cover letter and application letter to help you.
Tips to write a Dietitian and Nutritionist Cover Letter:
- Cover letters often get written with little to no thought or planning, and as a result, most fail.
- A cover letter needs to stand out from your resume, not only in content but also in format.
- A cover letter will nearly always be the first thing prospective employers see when searching jobsites for specialists like you!
#1 Step: Cover letter format – use professional font and colors. A good font choice is Times New Roman as it is widely accepted by employers. Ensure the font weight is not too thin or thick. A font size of 12 is a good standard. Don’t use color, keep to black and white and utilize margins of 1″ on all sides.
#2 Section: First paragraph – introduce yourself with your name and contact information including telephone number, fax number, email address and website. State the job title you are applying for in bold letters followed by a colon then briefly describe how you heard about the position and why you feel you are qualified for it. Conclude the paragraph by stating your employment objective; e.g., “My objective is to obtain a position as a Dietitian and Nutritionist with ABC Company.”
#3 Section: Second paragraph – briefly describe your experience including positions held in the last five years, employers, contact names and phone numbers. Indicate if you are currently employed, if not, include details of your last position prior to this one.
#4 Section: Third paragraph – state that you understand the requirements of the job. If you are a recent graduate state that this is your first position out of school and that you are eager to learn.
#5 Section: Fourth paragraph – Briefly describe any special skills or other experiences you would bring to the company such as education and courses taken (for example, in medical nutrition therapy, clinical dietetics, etc.), experience working with a certain population (e.g. elderly, athletes, etc.), computer-related skills and membership in professional associations.
#6 Section: Fifth paragraph – include any other pertinent information to the job you are applying for. For example, you may list your volunteer work, involvement with a community program or group that demonstrates your commitment to helping others.
#7 Section: Emphasize your related experience by preparing a resume highlighting your relevant education and experience and be sure to provide specific examples of how this experience will benefit the company if you are offered the position.
Key Takeaways:
- Write a resume that highlights your skills and experience
- Know the companies you are applying for and customize your resume accordingly
- Landing an interview means tailoring out cover letters, so take time to write them
