6 Tips to Succeed in Dietetics, and 6 Job Options for the Nutrition Grads

I gave a presentation for the Kent State Student Dietetic Association yesterday on 6 tips to success in dietetics and 6 career options/opportunities in the field for after gradation and during undergrad volunteer opportunities. I want to share this useful information that I have learned along the way!

I wish that I had some of these tips as a Freshman in college, because by the time I was a senior it was too late, and I had to continue to get experiences after graduation. I would not change my experiences for the world, but I would have been able to excel a lot faster with these tips. For those of you who did not get an internship, DO NOT WORRY! I am here to tell you that you can still get one, all you need to do is persevere and keep getting more experience. Your hard work will pay off, and it will be worth it in the end! And follow my advice….because I have been through it 3 times!

Dietetic Internships:

• Join free: www.allaccessinternships.com for information on all internships, tips, articles and work experience opportunities
  
• Do not despair if you did not get an internship this matching round, there is only a 50% acceptance rate! You can still gain experience and reapply next year.
• Consider distance internship. You can tailor your rotations to your professional goals, AND they accept more interns than the traditional intern! I got accepted to the Sodexo Distance Education DI and there were 40 spots open at this internship.
  
• I applied for internships the first time in the spring of 2009  and did not get matched, then I applied  Again for the November fall matching in 2009 and after an interview flying out to philly, all  paid by my nonexistent bank account, did not receive a match yet again. I felt completely  defeated and broke. I kept telling myself throughout college that it will be worth it, just  get through this impossible physiology test or nutrition test and deal with this professor  and you will be done and things will get easier. I applied for the internships telling  myself, just take the time to do this and it will be worth the effort put in. But when I did  not match the second time, I felt like all my efforts were for nothing.
• After about a month of loathing in self-pity I decided that I was not going to work as a server any more, and that I deserved better, because I worked so hard for my college  degree.
• I started searching the internet for jobs. At that point I was willing to travel, and that is  when I applied for as many jobs where I fit the qualifications. I was called for a phone  interview for a nutrition research assistant position in North Carolina at the Nutrition  Research Institute, and was hired! Hope again filled my eyes. Working in research was a great  experience that opened many doors for me. After research I worked volunteering with the community with the Children’s Hunger Alliance. After applying for the April 2011 matching round, I finally got a match!

Tip 1: Be willing to travel-

• Your chances of getting a job increase  when you go outside of Ohio or whatever state you reside in. 
• Consider a temp job somewhere if you  do not want to stay permanently in  another state.
• Consider a summer position if you  have to come back to school

Job option 1: Research-

• Check out local and nonlocal hospital websites for job opportunities in research.
  
• Www.nutritionjobs.com is a great website for finding nutrition jobs in all areas including research.
  
• Consider a Research Assistant position in nutrition, biology, chemistry, physiology or food science.
  
• You can be hired with just a bachelor’s degree in nutrition if you have strong statistics, writing skills and research skills or have experience with lab work.
  
• Hospitals like the cleveland clinic, universities and laboratories are constantly hiring research assistants for their research
  
• You might even be given the opportunity to co-author a paper for a peer-reviewed journal.
  
• Get involved in the research going on at your own campus.
• In college I got a negative view on research from writing papers all the time, but  writing real papers for real journals is way more exciting.
• It is exciting to be the one actually doing the cutting edge research and finding new  results no one has discovered before.
• Some research positions can be in the lab or fieldwork where you can be doing the  research first hand

Tip 2: Get your DTR certification-

• One of the best things you can do for yourself if you did not get an internship this matching round. It shows that you can pass a test like the RD test and gives you more opportunities in the clinical setting.
  
• The process to get all the forms takes about a month to complete as well as 120 dollars for the test. (also form to be signed by your director)
• Once you pass the test you will be able to work under a dietitian in the clinical or long term care settings (basically do everything a dietitian can do, just with her sign off) and gain great experience
  
• Looks amazing on DI applications! Some even waive hours. They look to see if you can pass the RD exam, and if you can pass the DTR exam you will be considered.
• If you have lower than a 3.5 GPA than getting the DTR helps you look better to the DI’s. You need to prove you are good at studying and are a good test taker. They need to know you can pass the RD exam after graduation, and if your grades don”t show that, they might not rank you.
• Visit: http://cdrnet.org/services-Prospective-RDs-DTRs for more information on how to apply for the test and for eligibility. 

Job Option 2: WIC/Public health-

• Most WIC facilities hire nutrition graduates without being a RD.
  
• You can apply for a Nutritionist I position at WIC without being a RD.
  
• Job duties include: Providing basic nutrition services, including individual and group counseling to clients eligible for WIC’s special Supplemental Food program. Providing individual assessment and counseling support for breastfeeding, pregnant and postpartum women, infants and children to age 5
  
• Working at WIC looks really good on your resume.
  
• Volunteer at WIC

Tip 3: Networking and Shadowing-

• Connect with Dietitians in the area.
• Collect business cards
• Join local and national associations such as your local dietetic association and ADA, and participate in volunteer opportunities, committees for these organizations.
• Shadowing dietitians not only give you great connections/friendships, but also can give you an idea of where your niche may be in dietetics.
• Dietitians love to have students. So don’t be shy!!!
• I highly stress this, I wish I would have started sooner in networking and shadowing dietitians.

Job Option 3: Get involved in the Community-

• Join the AmeriCorps, HealthCorps or PeaceCorps.
• Www.AmeriCorps.gov
• www.healthcorps.gov
• www.peacecorps.gov
• Get involved in local nutrition and health organizations.
• Volunteer at food banks, food pantries, promote food security
• Find your interest in nutrition and there will probably be somewhere you can volunteer.

Tip 4: Work your way up-

• Work as a dietary aide in the hospital in which the internship you want is held
• Working as a dietary aide looks WAY better than working as a server or in retail, even though the pay may be less.

Job Option 4: Work at a summer camp-

• Working at a weight loss, diabetic, or even an adventure camp as a counselor, fitness instructor or even diet aide in the kitchen can be both rewarding and FUN!

Tip 5: Interviewing

• 80% you, 20% interviewer talking
• Take your time
• Ask what types of questions will be asked (calculations?)
• Be prepared-have questions already answered!
  

Common Questions that I have been asked before during dietetic internship interviews:

1. You don’t know the definition of a word on your clinical rotation, what do you do?
   
2. An obese patient for bariatric surgery is not complying, what do you do?
   
3. How have you been resourceful?
   
4. Your preceptor is does not have the right Nutrition Care Process formula, how do you deal with that?
   
5. Your preceptor does not have the right number used for the amount of calories someone should have, how do you approach your preceptor?
   
6. Why do you like this internship/program?
   
7. How do you think graduate coursework will differ than undergraduate coursework?
   
8. If you were giving a presentation and didn’t know the answer to a question someone asked, what would you do?
   
9. Why should we pick you?
   
10. Tell me about yourself
    
11. What are your strengths?
    
12. Give an example of your critical thinking skills.
    
13. When have you shown emotional stability and maturity?
    
14. What are your weaknesses?
    
15. Name three words that describe yourself?
    
16. Talk about your ability to learn and function in a variety of settings.
    
17. What do you know about the internship/company?
    
18. What role do you take in group settings?
    
19. Why are you interested in dietetics?
    
20. What are your professional goals both long term and short term.
    
21. What is a recent nutrition topic that has interested you lately and why?
    
22. Pediatrics: How will you deal with dying children?
    
23. Name a time when you were in a conflict, and how you resolved it.
    
24. What got you interested in dietetics?
    
25. Name a time when you had an impossible task and how you got it done on time.
    
26. What would you do if a preceptor was not cooperating with you, what would you do?
    
27. Name a time when you worked with a team and how you worked together.
    
28. How are you able to perform under pressure?
    
29. What makes you prepared for this program/job/internship?
    
30. Do you think that your marks are a true indicator of your academic potential
    

Questions to ask internship/program/employer:

1. What do you like about working for this company?
   
2. What would you consider to be the company’s strength?
   
3. Are there any weaknesses in the department you’re working on improving?
   
4. What would you consider to be your leadership style?
   
5. What do you like about working for this company?
   
6. How will my leadership responsibilities and performance be evaluated? By whom? How often?
   
7. How is this internship perceived by the hospital?
   
8. What do you see in my personality, work history or skill set that attracts you to me?
   
9. What particular computer equipment and software do you use?
   
10. How do I compare to the other people you have interviewed so far?
    
11. Can you describe and ideal intern?
    

Job Option 5: Personal Training/Fitness Instructor-

• Earn 17-45 dollars an hour!
• Get CPR/AED certified as well as your personal training certifications
• Certification organizations: NASM; ACSM; AFAA; ACE; IFPA; CSCS; ISSA; NSCA; Cooper Institute
• Background in nutrition gives you a competitive advantage.

Tip 6: Think Like an Entrepreneur-

• With your bachelors in nutrition you have some freedom to teach nutrition, just not practice dietetics.
• Visit http://www.dietetics.ohio.gov/guides.stm to see what is considered practicing dietetics, and what is non-medical nutrition (which you can teach).

Job Option 6: Non profits-

• Visit www.nonprofitlist.org for a list of non profits across the USA
  
• Working with non profit organizations is very rewarding, and I highly recommend volunteering or considering a staff position to one of the many thousands of non profits across the USA.
  
• You can find paid and volunteer positions

Other Job Options-

• Food Technologist/Food Scientist
• Policy-public health, economic, nutrition related
• Internet nutrition-
• livestrong.com-freelance writers
• Management/administration
• Marketing/public relations
• Sales-special formulas companies like Vitaflo USA and Ensure
• School food service

Bottom Line: GET EXPERIENCE!!! You can do IT! Do NOT give up!!

Best of Luck!

Colleen Poling, RD, LD

 

A Year in Poverty with the AmeriCorps!

What is AmeriCorps you may ask?
AmeriCorps is a network of local, state, and national service programs that connects more than 70,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet our country’s critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. AmeriCorps members serve with more than 3,000 nonprofits, public agencies, and faith-based and community organizations. Children’s Hunger Alliance is one non-profit agency that hosts members.The mission of Children’s Hunger Alliance is to break the cycle of childhood hunger through education, leadership, advocacy, and service.

Benefits:
There are benefits to the AmeriCorps members. I get full health benefits, a monthly living stipend (very modest about 1,000 a month and when I finish my service I will get a 5,350 dollar education stipend to go towards my student loans. Most of the people we will be helping live in poverty. So by living this way ourselves, we can better understand what it is like to live in poverty, and relate to our community. I will be eligible for food stamps which I am actually super pumped about. I should get about 180 dollars a month. We had a speaker come in and talk to us during orientation about food stamps and other public assistance. I have a whole different perspective on this. Most people think that if they try to apply for food stamps even when they are eligible for them, then they are taking away that money from people who need it more. In actuality, all the money given to the state for public assistance is not used, and when it is not used, it goes back, and the next year we don’t get as much. Food stamps are nothing to be ashamed. They now came out with a cool card that looks just like a debit card, so it makes the transactions faster and less noticeable.

Poverty/Obesity link:
Have you ever seen those commercials of the poor, starving children over in Africa, where they want you to donate money? Well, right here in the United States we are experiencing poverty as well. Approximately 21 percent of children, or 15.6 million, will be living in poverty in 2010, according to the study’s estimate. Half of those children will be living in “extreme poverty,” defined as below 50 percent of the poverty line. These findings come from The Child and Youth Well-Being Index Project, a yearly analysis funded by the private philanthropic group, the Foundation for Child Development. There are starving children right in our own backyard and our communities. Ohio is now home to 1.5 million people — 13.7 percent of its population — living below the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that’s a household income of $22,050 or less a year. Akron, Ohio has approximately a 17.5% poverty rate. There is a link between poverty and childhood obesity. Children are not getting proper nutrition and are not in safe areas to engage in physical activities outside. Lower priced foods such as pop, candy chips, fast food are purchased over more expensive, shorter shelf life fruits and vegetables.

The Children’s Hunger Alliance is making a difference:
Children’s Hunger Alliance works to ensure children receive nutritious food and engage in healthy activities after school. They partner with youth-serving organizations that operate programs and locate new sites to ensure children are receiving a hot meal or snack to end each day. They offer nutrition education and fitness curricula to teach kids healthy habits for life. The physical fitness curriculum is called CATCH. The Coordinated Approach to Childhood Health (CATCH) physical education curriculum is designed to promote healthful behaviors in school children and reduce their subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease. The program consists of 20 lessons focusing on non-competitive physical activity for elementary and middle-school aged children. Each hour-long program engages everyone and includes a warm-up, fitness activity and cool-down session. Kids move at their own pace and have fun! The nutrition education program is called Food Folks. The Food Folks nutrition education curriculum consists of 12 hands-on lessons focusing on healthy behaviors for elementary school age children. Each one-hour lesson includes information on basic nutrition concepts, the hands-on preparation of a healthy snack, a learning activity and physical activity that reinforce the nutrition concepts. After the lessons are complete, family members and caregivers are invited to attend a family night where they play games, enjoy a healthy meal or snack and exhibit what they have learned as a result of attending the program.

http://www.childrenshungeralliance.org/ANE/index.php

Conclusion:
I am very excited to be starting my year of service in the AmeriCorps working for the Children’s Hunger Alliance. I am happy that I will be making a difference in children’s lives and planting a seed in their minds regarding good nutrition and exercise. I hope to be able to teach them nutrition basics and translate nutrition into an understandable way that even the children can understand. I hope to touch these children’s lives, and be a great role model for them.
I better start budgeting now for my year living in poverty, but I think this experience will be priceless!