You’ve been searching for your perfect job; and found one that checks all of your boxes – location, meaningful work, and an amazing salary. You’ve polished your resume and now it is time to tackle the final important piece of your application: your cover letter.
As a dietitian, there are some unique strategies to showcase your skills, experiences, and the value you bring to the table.
In this blog post, we’ll be walking you through the best tips and tricks that all dietitians should know as you apply for your first (or next) job. We’ll walk you through each section of a top-notch cover letter and hear from some resume experts, too!
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Sample Cover Letters for Dietitians
Before we go any further, let’s take a look at a few examples of cover letters that are geared toward three different roles that dietitians have.
Feel free to use these as a starting point so that you can personalize them to your unique experiences, and skill sets and to the job that you’re applying for.
Cover Letter for a Clinical Dietitian
In this example clinical dietitian cover letter, we are looking at an application to a clinical dietitian role within a children’s hospital in Texas. Notice that this letter demonstrates specific skills listed in the job posting as well as information about the hospital’s ranking.
Sabrina Smith, MS, RD, LD
Houston, TX
[email protected]
(555) 342-1231
May 30, 2024
Dear Ms. Sandra Johnson,
I am writing today to submit my well-rounded application for the Clinical Dietitian I position posted for the renal allied health department.
My educational background and credentials are a match for your job requirements – I have completed my Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Clinical Nutrition at Texas A and M University and am currently licensed to practice as a registered dietitian nutritionist in the state of Texas.
Supporting children with their nutritional needs is a unique dynamic as it is the parents who make the grocery list and do the shopping. I have a solid track record of being able to connect both with pediatric patients and their families to develop evidence-based, age-appropriate plans in a fast-paced environment.
Effective communication with the whole care team benefits the patients; I take pride in my clear and concise charting and have experience with the SBAR technique to facilitate successful and seamless collaborative patient care with other providers
The opportunity to join the #1 rated children’s hospital in Texas has been my dream ever since I interned here. I look forward to hearing from you to discuss my application further.
Sincerely,
Sabrina Smith
Cover Letter for a Food Service Dietitian
For this sample cover letter for a food service position, we are making note of specific experience and certifications that best match the needs of this work. You’ll notice that some of the information has been formatted into a bulleted list for ease of skimming.
Anna Avocado, MS, RD, LD
Cincinnati, OH
[email protected]
331-903-5738
June 10th, 2024
Dear Ms. Mooney,
I am writing to express my enthusiastic interest in the Associate Director of Food and Nutrition position as advertised on the Compass Group Careers website. With seven years of dedicated experience as a Registered Dietitian and a profound commitment to ensuring excellence in all aspects of food service and nutritional planning, I am confident in my ability to contribute effectively to your team and enhance the dining experience at Compass Group.
Throughout my career, I have demonstrated a keen ability to manage and supervise dietary services across various settings, ensuring consistent compliance with dietary standards, health regulations, and customer satisfaction. My ServSafe Certification is a testament to my commitment to uphold the highest standards of food safety and sanitation.
Key achievements that I believe strongly align with the goals of Compass Group include:
Leading a team of eight nutrition professionals in planning and executing menus that meet diverse dietary needs, contributing to an enriching dining experience for all patrons.
Innovating processes within the kitchen to improve efficiency, reducing waste and cutting overall operational costs by 12%.
Organizing four nutritional workshops for staff and clients, emphasizing the importance of balanced diets and showcasing the integral role of nutrition in overall health.
I am particularly drawn to this role at Compass Group because of the company’s reputation for providing superior foodservice management and support services, and its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for clients.
Please find my resume attached, detailing my experience and accomplishments. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and certifications align with the needs of Compass Group.
Thank you for considering my application. I am looking forward to discussing this opportunity with you.
Warm regards,
Anna Avocado
Cover Letter for a Community Dietitian
Are you excited for a community role? This sample cover letter is a great starting point for your next application. Notice the confident closing sentence in this letter.
Tom Tomato, MS, RD, CDCES
Arlington, VA
[email protected]
429-482-3838
July 17, 2024
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to express my interest in the Registered Dietitian role with a specialization in Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) as advertised. With a well-rounded background as both a registered dietitian and as a certified diabetes educator, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to Meadowview SVCHS.
My dual expertise has equipped me with the comprehensive knowledge and skills necessary to provide individualized diabetes self-management education and training. Throughout my career, I have successfully delivered tailored educational sessions to both individuals and groups of 200+ people, ensuring the adherence to the Scope of Practice, Standards of Practice, and Standards of Professional Performance for CDCES.
In addition to my clinical qualifications, my experience spans program management within healthcare settings focused on chronic diseases and disease self-management.
My approach to diabetes care emphasizes collaborative plans that integrate patient preferences, education, and empowerment as central components of effective diabetes management. My track record shows a proven ability to enhance patient outcomes through such comprehensive and compassionate care strategies, as evidenced by our patient’s lab data and satisfaction scores.
I welcome the opportunity to bring my combination of clinical expertise, program management experience, and patient-centered care philosophy to Meadowview SVCHS. I am committed to furthering the mission of providing high-quality, evidence-based diabetes education and support to your community.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss my planned contributions to the continued success and growth of your DSMES program.
Warm regards,
Tom Tomato
Now that we have looked at a few different cover letter examples, let’s dive into the details about what will make your next application shine.
Key Parts of a Dietitian’s Cover Letter
Just like a balanced plate has a few key elements, your dietitian cover letter has a few sections that you cannot skip. Let’s go through these one by one so that you have the recipe for a winning cover letter.
The goal of a cover letter is not to just reiterate what is on your resume, but rather to highlight specific skills that make you a great match for the role that you’re applying for, to demonstrate your ability to write concisely and to make it clear to the hiring manager that you’ve done your homework about their organization.
Header
The top of your cover letter is a header. Not only does a header make your letter look more professional, it also helps your hiring manager to stay organized. If your cover letter got separated from the rest of the application on their desk, the contact information is visible.
Your header will include:
- Your full name and credentials
- Email address
- Phone number
- The date
Your mailing address? Optional.
Don’t feel like a design wiz? That’s OK: Canva is a helpful tool. They have many clean and professional templates for formatting your cover letter, with a header. Here is one example.
Professional greeting
The beginning of your cover letter is a greeting. But this shouldn’t be to just anyone; ideally, you can address this letter to the specific person who will be reviewing your whole application – do your research and include their name if you can find it.
Tip: triple-check that you spelled their name correctly and included the correct credentials after their name.
If you’re having a hard time finding the hiring manager’s name, it is OK to reach out and ask to whom you should address the letter; this may just help your application to stand out from the crowd.
Strong introduction
After the greeting, your next task is to write a strong initial sentence, introducing yourself and demonstrating the value that you bring to the organization. You can also mention the specific role that you’re applying for.
Next? The body of the letter.
Body of cover letter
Writing about yourself in your cover letter can feel both high-stakes and overwhelming.
The good news? Your letter should be more about your future employer, their values, and how your skills and experience are a great fit for their posted position.
“Presenting yourself as a solution to a current problem showcases your proactive approach and ability to add value to the organization. By addressing specific challenges mentioned in the job listing or known issues within the industry, you position yourself as an asset rather than just another applicant.” -Doreen Rodo, MEd, RDN, LD, NCRW
The body is the meat and potatoes of your letter; you want to be clear and concise as you convey the value that you offer. Assume that most people reading your work will be skimming – make every word in your letter count!
Don’t just reiterate your whole resume: that’s a wasted opportunity. Instead, pick a few of your top experiences or skills that make you best suited to the role that you’re applying for and make a case for why you’re a top candidate.
Speak their language. Look for the specific keywords and phrases that are listed in the job description and use applicable terms in your cover letter (and resume). Not only will the hiring manager more easily see that you’re a good fit, but your cover letter will perform better if your future employer is using AI tools to scan applications.
And finally, your cover letter is not the time for a casual tone; air on the side of formality with your writing.
Strong closing
To finish your dietitian cover letter, thank the hiring manager for their consideration and then end with a professional closing such as sincerely, thank you, or kind regards.
Last but not least, type your full name with your credentials and add your signature.
“I really like the personal touch of adding a handwritten signature at the end of your cover letter. I do this by signing my name, taking a picture, and then inserting the image into my cover letter.” -Kelan Sarnoff
Tips from Hiring Managers and Successful Candidates
Here we have some important tips, tricks and things to NOT do to have the best chance of your cover letter landing you your dream dietitian job.
Don’t recycle
With resumes and cover letters, it is important to have your application be tailored to the specific job. You don’t want to use the exact same cover letter for multiple job applications.
“A tailored cover letter for each job opportunity is essential, as it demonstrates genuine interest and alignment with the position and company culture.” -Doreen Rodo, MEd, RDN, LD, NCRW
P.S. Our complete guide to crafting a winning resume is here – be sure to bookmark this guide for later: Create a Standout Dietitian Resume (with Examples!).
Don’t skip it
Kelan recommends not skipping a cover letter, even if it is not required for the application.
“Going the extra effort to include a cover letter even if it’s not required, shows that you are invested in the position. It also demonstrates your ability to write concisely. A well-written cover letter can make a lasting impression. Three years later, my current boss still talks about how my cover letter stood out amongst dozens of applications!”
AI can help (but only for your first draft)
AI is here to stay – but is it okay to use writing support for your cover letter? Yes!
Kelan Sarnoff offers a few strategies for how to best use AI while working on your cover letter.
“AI tools can be helpful for overcoming writer’s block, but I don’t recommend relying solely on AI to write a cover letter.”
- Avoid generic prompts such as “Write a cover letter based on this job description.” A generic prompt will result in a cover letter that sounds exactly like someone else’s cover letter.
Instead, craft a prompt that will give you a more personalized first draft, such as:
I am working on a cover letter and would like your help making it stronger. I am going to first provide you with my resume. Then I’ll provide you with the job description and lastly, I will provide you with the 5 key skills I would like to highlight. Please keep the cover letter under 400 words.
- Continue the conversation: you can go back and forth with ChatGPT to improve the different sections.
- Keep editing: make sure to edit and confirm that the cover letter is in your voice.
Get help
Writing cover letters takes practice, but it also requires skills that you may or may not have been taught – that’s OK! This may be an opportunity to hire a coach to be able to put your best foot forward with your application.
One option is to visit the National Résumé Writers’ Association to find a certified resume writer. You can also check hiring boards such as Fiverr to hire help.
Proofread, again and again
An error in your cover letter is a red flag that you’re not detail-oriented. Don’t just rely on your own ability to catch mistakes or even proofreading software – they might miss things!
Instead, find your most detail-oriented colleague or hire help to make sure that your resume is error-free, from start to finish.
Cover Letter Templates
Sometimes a picture – or a template – is worth a thousand words. Here we have a few example dietitian cover letter templates for you to use as a starting point and customize.
We have a robust offering of Dietitian Resume and Cover Letter Examples available for purchase right now; it includes sixteen different examples of resumes, plus tips and more guidance on writing your cover letter.
Nutrition Jobs is an excellent resource for high-quality, dietitian-specific resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn Support. Check out their Dietetic Resume Template Bundle as Canva Downloads as a solid starting point for your personalized resume and cover letter.
Creative Market is another resource for finding templates that you can use as a starting point and customize. One affordable option is this one: Word Resume & Cover Letter Template.
The Bottom Line
While writing a cover letter can feel intimidating, with the right tools and a little bit of practice, things will become far easier.
It’s also perfectly reasonable to seek guidance and professional help. An investment in putting your best foot forward with a stellar dietitian cover letter might just pay dividends if you get your dream job offer!
Have you recovered from a past mistake with a cover-letter-gone-wrong? Or, are you celebrating a win from a cover letter that was a winner? Comment below and share the lessons that you’ve learned!
Recommended reading
Ready to learn more? We’ve hand-picked a few favorites from the blog.
- Create a Standout Dietitian Resume (with Examples!) – Make your dietitian resume stand out from the competition with these essential tips from hiring managers and a sample template. Showcase your unique experience with a strategic approach (and land your dream job!).
- 15 Dietitian Interview Questions to Prepare You for Job Hunting – What are the dietitian interview questions you should prepare for? We’ve got you covered with those, as well as the questions you should be asking your interviewer.
- The Dietitian’s Guide to Negotiating Pay – Are you happy with your current income? Read our guide to negotiating for a raise either in your current role or for a new job you are considering.
