Dietitians and Nutritionists
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
Plan and conduct food service or nutritional programs to assist in the promotion of health and control of disease. May supervise activities of a department providing quantity food services, counsel individuals, or conduct nutritional research.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $39K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $51K
Median Salary: $63K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $77K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $90K
Demand
Core Tasks
Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions, and current health plans to develop and implement dietary-care plans and provide nutritional counseling.
Evaluate laboratory tests in preparing nutrition recommendations.
Advise patients and their families on nutritional principles, dietary plans, diet modifications, and food selection and preparation.
Counsel individuals and groups on basic rules of good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to improve their quality of life.
Incorporate patient cultural, ethnic, or religious preferences and needs in the development of nutrition plans.
Consult with physicians and health care personnel to determine nutritional needs and diet restrictions of patient or client.
Record and evaluate patient and family health and food history, including symptoms, environmental toxic exposure, allergies, medication factors, and preventive health-care measures.
Coordinate diet counseling services.
Develop recipes and menus to address special nutrition needs, such as low glycemic, low histamine, or gluten- or allergen-free.
Select, train, and supervise workers who plan, prepare, and serve meals.
Make recommendations regarding public policy, such as nutrition labeling, food fortification, or nutrition standards for school programs.
Manage quantity food service departments or clinical and community nutrition services.
Develop curriculum and prepare manuals, visual aids, course outlines, and other materials used in teaching.
Monitor food service operations to ensure conformance to nutritional, safety, sanitation and quality standards.
Inspect meals served for conformance to prescribed diets and standards of palatability and appearance.
Plan and conduct training programs in dietetics, nutrition, and institutional management and administration for medical students, health-care personnel, and the general public.
Plan, conduct, and evaluate dietary, nutritional, and epidemiological research.
Purchase food in accordance with health and safety codes.
Develop policies for food service or nutritional programs to assist in health promotion and disease control.
Organize, develop, analyze, test, and prepare special meals, such as low-fat, low-cholesterol, or chemical-free meals.
Advise food service managers and organizations on sanitation, safety procedures, menu development, budgeting, and planning to assist with establishment, operation, and evaluation of food service facilities and nutrition programs.
Plan, conduct, and evaluate nutrigenomic or nutrigenetic research.
Prepare and administer budgets for food, equipment, and supplies.
Write research reports and other publications to document and communicate research findings.
Coordinate recipe development and standardization and develop new menus for independent food service operations.
Plan and prepare grant proposals to request program funding.
Test new food products and equipment.
Confer with design, building, and equipment personnel to plan for construction and remodeling of food service units.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Biology
89%
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Medicine and Dentistry
86%
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
English Language
83%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Therapy and Counseling
82%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Customer and Personal Service
80%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Psychology
78%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Education and Training
76%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Mathematics
73%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Computers and Electronics
69%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Chemistry
68%
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
80%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
80%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making
80%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Reading Comprehension
80%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Social Perceptiveness
80%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
80%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Complex Problem Solving
78%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Monitoring
78%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation
78%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Writing
78%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Top 10 Abilities
Deductive Reasoning
80%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
80%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
80%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Clarity
80%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Written Comprehension
80%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Category Flexibility
78%
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Information Ordering
75%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Top 10 Work Activities
Assisting and Caring for Others
91%
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Getting Information
90%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
88%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Documenting/Recording Information
85%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Interacting With Computers
84%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
84%
Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
81%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
81%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
79%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Analyzing Data or Information
78%
Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Detailed Work Activities
Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
Monitor nutrition related activities of individuals or groups.
Analyze laboratory findings.
Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.
Interpret cultural or religious information for others.
Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
Compile data or documentation.
Create new recipes or food presentations.
Plan menu options.
Direct healthcare delivery programs.
Prepare healthcare training materials.
Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.
Conduct health or safety training programs.
Train medical providers.
Present medical research reports.
Train caregivers or other non-medical personnel.
Supervise medical support personnel.
Advise communities or institutions regarding health or safety issues.
Manage healthcare operations.
Monitor medical facility activities to ensure adherence to standards or regulations.
Manage preparation of special meals or diets.
Order medical supplies or equipment.
Design public or employee health programs.
Evaluate data quality.
Devise research or testing protocols.
Consult with others regarding safe or healthy equipment or facilities.
Work Context
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Education
Majors
Major
Interests
Investigative
96%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Social
91%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Enterprising
58%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Artistic
34%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Realistic
34%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional
29%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Top 10 Work Styles
Integrity
94%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Concern for Others
92%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Attention to Detail
88%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability
88%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Cooperation
86%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Analytical Thinking
80%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Initiative
78%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Self Control
78%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Independence
77%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Social Orientation
77%
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Work Values
Relationships
86%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Working Conditions
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Support
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
