Nutrition counselor skills for your resume and career

I think having a foundational knowledge of nutrition is imperative in the field. It might sound simple, but it’s no different than physical therapy. In physical therapy, you need to have the foundational knowledge of anatomy in order to progress to other areas. Understanding the foundational ideas in nutrition are imperative and fundamental. From there, staying up to date with the trends in the industry. Currently, we are seeing a rise in weight loss drugs among Americans over the last few years. Additionally, the field is dynamic with constant new quick-fix concepts on how to lose weight or diet. Being able to counsel clientele on the benefits and risks of a constant-evolving field is imperative to being successful. Finally, understanding the emotional and physiological stress food can have on people. Simply counseling a client on solely food and not discussing the emotional connection or addictive tendencies is a disservice to the client and the industry. Clinicians should be constantly looking for ways to strengthen these areas to better serve their clientele and become better informed.

Indeed, the way we work is changing. The skills that young graduates will need are diverse. Transferable skills and soft skills will certainly be marketable. These include traditional crafts such as communication, but I also think the world expects more empathy from its employees. Young graduates with an understanding of racism, sexism, and environmental responsibility will become increasingly important.

For most jobs you need to at least check all the boxes of the technical skills. In today's market that may still not be enough to get that job. You need to find a way to set yourself apart. You need to seek out additional opportunities during your training. You need to be involved in the field and in your community. You need to be yourself and explore your own interests that make you an individual and not just another application that checks the boxes. I think UNO does a great job at helping students discover themselves, find unique opportunities, and become more than just checked boxes of technical skills.

Soft skills that are essential for counselors include emotional intelligence, empathy, multicultural competency, interpersonal abilities, and authenticity.

It is important that counselors are able to effectively take notes and summarize progress, interpret assessments, memorize and recall information, and keep clear yet concise records.