June 9, 2014, by Duane Mellor

Graduate Profile – Katie Bird

Katie Bird

Community Dietitian

Leicestershire

My current role

I am currently working in Leicestershire as a community dietitian. This is a varied post which is split between Mental Health and Primary Care and includes providing a dietetic service to mental health inpatient units, undertaking home visits and seeing patients in outpatient clinics. Patients are referred for weight management, high cholesterol levels, nutrition support, diabetes, coeliac disease, allergies/intolerance, Crohn’s disease and I also see some patients in a FODMAP clinic for irritable bowel syndrome.

Iam about to start a new role as a Specialist Mental Health Dietitian in Northampton.

My career path since graduation

I was very lucky to start my first job 2 months after graduating. It was a temporary contract, which is not ideal, but I have now found a permanent post. I am also undertaking some postgraduate modules through The University of Nottingham and hope to complete a qualification in Advanced Dietetic Practice to help me progress through the different bands.

My tips to improve your employability

I am hard working and focused and have made the most of all the opportunities within my first post. Although job hunting is hard, persevere – there are lots of opportunities available. The University of Nottingham has a fantastic reputation, but a degree alone won’t necessarily get you a job —try and get experience within the area you are going into to strengthen your CV or undertake voluntary work. For example, I am a member of Girl Guiding and within my last interview, I was able to draw on my experiences from this, as well as my university experiences, to fully answer the questions.

Temporary contracts are not ideal, but often they are available to be renewed to permanent contracts and it is always better to get a job from another job.

Get someone to help you look through your CV to ensure you are in the best position to get an interview and practice interview responses.

If you are a graduate of Nutritional Sciences and would like to share your story, please let us know, contact Dr Jonathan Majewicz, Programme Manager for BSc Nutrition (jonathan.majewicz@nottingham.ac.uk )

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