Interview Guide for Dietitians / Nutritionists

Any job seeker in the nutrition field knows that landing an interview is only half the battle. The pressure is really on once you know that your resume and cover letter impressed a hiring manager enough to earn an interview request. One trend you may notice in your job search is that more and more organizations are using creative methods to interview potential employees.

In fact, some companies don’t even invite a candidate in for a formal interview until they have first passed an online interview. You might also be asked to participate in an online interview if the dietitian position you’re applying to will relocate you to a different area than the one you live in.

If you’ve been asked to take part in an online interview, you might have some questions regarding etiquette and procedures. Use this handy job interview guide to be prepared and ready for whatever an interviewer has to throw at you from behind their computer screen.

Get the Right Gear

Setting up your desk prior to an online interview is extremely important. Make sure you have a working camera that is compatible with whatever video service your potential employer will be using. You also want to make sure you have your resume in front of you so that you can look at it if the person conducting the interview references it.

The advantage of having an online interview over a traditional interview is that you can actually keep a piece of paper with information about the company you applied to close at hand. Make sure you have an outline with key facts about the company and position you’re applying to within arm’s reach during the interview. You should also have a digital file of your resume ready to be transferred to the person conducting the interview in case they misplaced their original copy.

Conduct a Test Interview

It’s a good idea to ask a friend, spouse or parent to do a mock interview with you. This mock interview will give you a chance to test out how your technical equipment and online connection work. In addition, the person on the other end can give you useful feedback about how you look and sound from behind your screen. This is a good time to work out sound and lighting issues. In addition to critiquing your appearance, your mock interviewer can also ask you some job interview questions that pertain to your career as a dietitian.

Dress the Part

The fact that you are being interviewed from your home doesn’t mean you don’t have to put on formal clothing. Be sure to wear the exact same outfit you would wear if you were physically walking into a human resources office to be interviewed.

Have Key Answers Ready

Technical considerations aside, the way you prepare for an online interview is exactly the same as the way you prepare for a regular interview. Important interview questions you should be prepared to answer include:

  • Why do you want this job?
  • What makes you qualified for this job?
  • In what ways were you an asset to your previous employer?
  • Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
  • What is your strongest attribute?
  • What is your biggest weakness?
  • Can you provide a recent example of how you were successful on a project?
  • How do you prioritize multiple projects and demands?
  • How do you build trust with others?
  • Have you ever managed others in a workplace setting?