Resume secrets from a dietitian recruiter

Creating a resume can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! Whether you’re a dietetic intern looking for tips on how to stand out from the crowd, or a seasoned dietitian wondering what information a recruiter really looks at when skimming your resume, we’re here to spill the secrets that will make your resume shine.

Dietitians On Demand Director of Operations (and seasoned recruiter) Kathleen Dracos, recently led a webinar on resume secrets. There were so many questions at the end of the webinar that we decided to have Kathleen answer them all for you here:

How to organize a resume

What advice do you have when applying for a position in another state? What is the best way to address relocation within your application?

I do not advise putting your current address on your resume when you are willing to relocate. You can mention your willingness to relocate in your cover letter, or even highlight it at the top of your resume with a line like: Willing and able to travel.

If you have non-RD related work, should you include it?

Non-RD work should not be included if it is going to make your resume too long.  Remember, your resume can be over one page if you have more than 10 years work experience (but never more than two pages). If it is a professional occupation, perhaps a career change, then include it. Do not include non-RD work prior to college.

Should I include my registration license number or state license number?

That’s helpful for Dietitians On Demand, but I would not put that on your resume. State that you are credentialed and licensed in states, but putting the number is not necessary.

Employment history

How do we avoid repeating the exact same bullets for similar jobs listed on our resume, especially for those of us who have had consecutive jobs/same clinical position?

Good question! Think of some unique project or implementation that occurred while you were at your different clinical positions and highlight those. Maybe you implemented a new EMR, or maybe your hospital started performing the nutrition focused physical exam. Mention the different floors or disease states that you assessed. Giving something quantifiable might also differentiate the jobs. Specifics like number of assessments you complete, patient census – those are all probably different at each location.

Should I include dates on my resume related to work history?

Always include dates on your resume when listing work history. In the consulting dietitian industry, years of experience help a recruiter know if you have the background and skills to match a position. Make sure to include at least the starting and ending year for each position on your resume.

It’s OK to leave off graduation dates when listing education. Recruiters can also use dates to gauge a gap in employment (the webinar addresses when a gap in employment becomes a concern).

Where in our resume do we put if we were asked to “act” in a management role when my Director/Manager was gone?

Include that under the appropriate job heading. If the management role was for your current position, provide more details than if it was in a previous position. Sub-bullets would be appropriate to highlight more about those duties, but don’t list too many. If the role for a short-period, do not use sub-bullets, but if it was for longer than one month, I think it’s something that should be highlighted.

An RD is a career change for me. I have over seven years of professional experience in accounting, should I include that?

Definitely put your professional occupations on your resume. This will help with gaps and show what you have been doing over the years since college.  Second-career RDs are well prepared for the work environment and have stability and maturity.

When is something “too dated,” such as past leadership roles with ADA or in college? If I received RD in 2005, do I list my internship?

There is a time when things don’t add any value to your resume.  The specific timing will be up to you, but make sure your resume doesn’t get too clogged with things that no longer add value. If you have been an RD since 2005, you have 13 years of work experience, so that should be plenty. If your leadership roles were while you were in college, they do not need to be included.

Any suggestions for stay at home moms returning to work?

A functional resume is a good option for people who have gaps in their professional experience. The functional resume highlights skills and abilities, as opposed to the chronological order of experience. A few things outside of just a resume that make you stand out:

• Get yourself on LinkedIn.
• Classes, certifications and conferences can help you get back in the groove and network with others in your profession.
• Volunteer in your field of work.
• Go out for coffee with other RDs and learn about what’s going on in the field.  They can be great mentors and can also connect you with others.
• Get your elevator speech ready to explain your job gaps.

Resume advice for consultant dietitians

If you have done a few different assignments for Dietitians On Demand, do you list it once as working for DOD or is it better to list each location where you worked?

List your employment for Dietitians On Demand (or any continuous consulting experience) under one entry. Instead of one location, list “various locations” and then in bullet points list locations in chronological order with the corresponding dates. Since in that role your duties would generally be the same, you’d only need to list them once.

Dietitians On Demand is a nationwide staffing and recruiting company for registered dietitians, specializing in short-term, temporary and permanent-hire positions in acute care, long term care and food service positions. Check out our job openings, or request your coverage today!