Nutrition and Dietetics

Whichever degree course you are on, the careers service is here to support you at every stage of your time at King’s. We can help you to work through your options, identify your skills or improve your applications, through one-to-one advice, workshops and departmental seminars. Our aim is to support you to find the route that’s right for you.

We have information on finding relevant work experience and making applications including writing CVs and applications and going for interviews. We also offer a practice interview service whereby you can receive feedback on your performance in a mock interview situation.

The careers service also works closely with your department, and with The Nutrition Society to offer you information and support when choosing which path to follow after graduating.

Main career areas for graduates (more information is available on the Nutrition Society website)

• Public Health nutrition
• Clinical nutrition
• Industrial nutrition
• Animal nutrition
• Sport and Exercise nutrition
• Research nutrition
• Development/International Public Health

Graduates from King’s
You could also come and take a look at the destinations information for graduates from your course at King’s over the last few years. We keep records of where people are working or studying six months after graduation. These can be useful in generating ideas for work experience or potential contacts for work shadowing.

The job market is very competitive for nutrition graduates at the moment, and has been for a few years. An increase in people studying for nutrition degrees has not been met with a concurrent increase in graduate jobs.

The most likely areas for graduates to find an entry level position are in industrial companies and public health nutrition. The hardest areas to find graduate level work are Sport and Exercise nutrition and Development/International Public Health nutrition, where a higher level of knowledge and experience is often required and entry level jobs are scarce. However, if you are interested in these areas there are things that you can do to increase your chances, including work shadowing, getting further relevant qualifications or working in a related area first.

Typical entry level positions for graduates (sample job titles)

• Food Standards Agency (FSA) – Scientific Officer
• NHS – Dietetic Assistant
• Public Health – Community Food Worker, Food & Health Coordinator
• Industry – Nutrition Manager
• General – Nutritionist!
• Research – Research Associate

Very few internships are advertised to nutrition students. Those that are advertised will typically be with large food and drinks companies such as Unilever or Danone. Students wanting relevant experience should search the Nutrition Society Register for registered nutritionists in their preferred area and contact to request work shadowing.

Students who want research placements could try their own university department, or institutes such as the Nuffield (Leeds University) or the MRC in Cambridge.

Top tips:

• Be proactive and persistent – work experience will not always be obvious or easy to find.
• Use the Nutrition Society Register to identify contacts
• Look out for industrial placements advertised through university departments or own company websites.

Possibly but there is no guarantee, and it probably depends on the area of nutrition in which you would like to specialise. For example, a postgraduate qualification related to sport and exercise nutrition may improve a graduate’s chances of moving into this area. FutureFit offer diplomas in exercise nutrition endorsed by the Nutrition Society and there are several masters courses in related areas on offer around the country (see www.findamasters.com for more information).

If you want to go into a research based career, you will almost certainly be required to do some form of research based postgraduate study, particularly if you wish to stay in academia.

Top tips for finding out about postgraduate study:

• Research the area you are interested in to find out whether further study is seen as a requirement or simply an added bonus: speak to recruiters to get their view.
• Think carefully about what the course will give you in terms of added value: what skills or knowledge do you want to develop.
• Look at the directory of postgraduate courses on the Prospects website or try www.findamasters.com
• Come and chat with a careers adviser about the pros and cons of doing further study for you.