After visiting some job search websites that serve the food industry (e.g. www.c
ID: 1225258 • Letter: A
Question
After visiting some job search websites that serve the food industry (e.g. www.careersinfood.com) discuss career opportunities for nutritionists and health and wellness professionals in the food industry. Focus could include describing positions in research and product development (nutritional compliance, health and wellness initiatives, regulatory affairs/nutrition labeling/claims, etc) or the role of nutritionists in marketing and advertising. Do you think there is an opportunity to find job satisfaction in a “non-traditional” nutrition or health and wellness related career? What do you think defines the role of a nutritionist working for a food company?
Explanation / Answer
The professionals who are experts in food and nutrition aren’t usually the cooks. Dieticians and nutritionists advise clients how to eat properly in order to achieve a desired goal whether it’s losing weight or managing a chronic condition. A large segment of dieticians are employed by hospitals to oversee the food service.
Some of the most common career opportunities for nutritionists include nutritionists, nutritionist counselors, nutrition therapists, nutrition product developers, wellness consultants, and herbalists. A public health nutritionist requires an interest in community-based work and social change. Consultants are those who want to work independently which allows maximum flexibility in terms of area of specialization.
New Product Development (NPD) is the new term used to describe the process of formulating a new product and introducing to the market. It involves idea generation, product design and complete engineering. The other path involves market research and marketing analysis. This facilitates companies commercializing new products in order to grow their market share. The NPD process requires people to work together and ensure the products that are developed are successful, safe, profitable and with safe within the law.
A non-traditional career is defined as one where more than seventy five percent of the workforce is of the opposite gender. Nutrition in the health care is a non-traditional career path for women. It is possible to derive job satisfaction working, for example, as hospital administrators and service-related jobs.
Dietetics in food industry has its perks and offers incredible career opportunities. These positions generally involve marketing, program direction, social media, communications, recipe development, and research and development. Registered nutritionists working as employees are usually spokespersons, advisors, and ambassadors for food organizations across the country.
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