Your first year as a dietitian_ the foundation (2)
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[00:00:00] If you're looking to grow your business as a registered dietitian, you've come to the right place. If you're not sure what to do or what steps to take next so that you can create flexibility and freedom in your life, then you're going to learn a lot from tuning into our podcast here at Dietitian Boss.
[00:00:17] I'm Libby Rothschild, the founder of Dietitian Boss, a [00:00:20] fellow registered dietitian and business owner. And in our podcast, I share the highs and the lows, and I talk all about how to grow your business. Get it started. And I interview our clients to date. We've had over 200 interviews from clients who share their journey on our podcast, dietitian boss.
[00:00:37] Hello and welcome. I'm excited [00:00:40] today to discuss the important topic of your first year as a dietitian, the foundation. So whether you're fresh out of school or you're taking the leap to start and grow your own practice, today's episode is designed to help you navigate that first year with confidence, with less stress, with With less burnout and with more [00:01:00] optimism, you will encounter challenges.
[00:01:02] I want to be honest and you might want to give up sometimes, but hopefully by listening to my podcast and really watching our free resources on YouTube, you'll get more inspired through our client interviews and my solo episodes. You'll have the motivation and the energy to keep going even when things get [00:01:20] difficult.
[00:01:20] So the first thing I want to share with you when it comes to building a foundation during your first year would be to understand where dieticians work, right? So I'm going to zoom out and give just a brief overview here. So I want you to think about where do you want to work? Now, you might know dieticians can work in a variety of settings from hospitals to clinics to private practice to corporate [00:01:40] wellness and freelance.
[00:01:41] So Dietitians can write. Dietitians can make products. Dietitians can work with affiliate marketing, sponsorship, food brands. There's so many settings and opportunities that are unique to dietitians, not to mention you can become a social media influencer and a combination of those as well. So it's important to understand what aligns with your skills and interests.
[00:01:59] You might [00:02:00] not know, you might have an idea, and you might need to test a few options as well. So I want you to start by making a list of the environments that currently excite you. Then I want you to do some research. Reach out to dietitians in those settings or listen to their interviews on our podcast.
[00:02:14] Ask some questions and get a feel for what their day to day looks like. Get an understanding of, as you've [00:02:20] narrowed this list down to a couple different settings that feel good to you, I want you to start to reflect on how you could see yourself in these roles. And that'll help you narrow down where you want to start your career as a private practice dietitian.
[00:02:31] Or even as a dietitian, maybe you decide you don't want to do private practice, but you want to have your first year as a dietitian feel meaningful. Right. So maybe you just want to [00:02:40] get an idea of the direction of your future. Now, the second tip would be to set realistic income expectations. So I'm not yet specifically talking about private practice, just in general.
[00:02:49] If you're wondering how much dietitians make, it ranges from about 50 to 70, 000 per year here in America. I believe that 65, 000 is the average of according to the Bureau of [00:03:00] Statistics and labor. So a lot of people ask and they want to know a lot of dieticians want to know how much can they make and the answer varies largely depending on your location.
[00:03:07] So that's really important. You want to go back to that list that you've narrowed down and get an understanding of what positions and what environments are going to make more money. Now where I will say clinical is on the lower end, that's not always true. Clinical managers [00:03:20] can make more and certified diabetes educators can make more.
[00:03:23] But to become a certified diabetes educator, you have to have a thousand hours and to become a clinical manager, there aren't as many positions open because so few of the people in those positions retire and there aren't that many positions open because there might only be one clinical manager per hospital or per facility.
[00:03:37] So keep in mind like how [00:03:40] viable are these ideas? So you can make money freelancing and you can make more money as a private practice dietitian. But again, some of those options can vary and they'll depend on what some of your skill sets and interests are. There's a lot of potential with owning your own business, but you will have a learning curve and there will be certain things you do and don't like and decisions you're going to have to make.
[00:03:59] Will you take [00:04:00] insurance? Will you not take insurance? Will you run a group practice? Will you have a solo practice? Will you be online in person or a hybrid? And if you're just starting out, I want you to look up the average salary for dietitians in your area. So search registered dietitian plus and then where you live.
[00:04:12] It could be New Jersey, Hawaii, whatever. And get an understanding based on the jobs available, what is realistic for full time, part time, [00:04:20] and in the setting that you're interested in. So you could search registered dietitian plus New Jersey plus clinical, registered dietitian plus New Jersey plus private practice, etc.
[00:04:28] And see based on what your interests are, what the range is. And don't forget to factor in benefits, taxes, and potential expenses. If you are going into private practice, and if you don't need to work full time, that might be [00:04:40] something to consider. So I want you to evaluate your particular circumstance.
[00:04:44] The third tip would be to build a strong professional network. Do this sooner. So connecting with other dietitians is important. So you might have heard your network is your net worth, especially your first year. Building connections with other dietitians can provide you with support, mentorship, and even job opportunities.
[00:04:58] You might know someone who knows [00:05:00] someone that refers you because they might see that you have the skills and opportunities. So whether you're attending conferences, which are a great idea, like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, joining dietitian groups online, like the library, where you can meet other peers in our forum, or connecting on social media and really engaging in content that maybe is centered around your interests, like diabetes [00:05:20] or prenatal, Networking is key.
[00:05:22] So making some time and space to do this and based on your personality, what kind of way do you wanna network will really help you expand your opportunities and learn more and narrow in more what you wanna do as a dietician. So I want you to make a goal as an action step to connect with and network with at least one new dietician a week.
[00:05:39] Or you might [00:05:40] say four a. And this could mean through LinkedIn, sending a message through a local event by attending one or by joining a professional organization like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, or joining our membership and engaging with one dietitian in our forum a week. So these relationships can open the doors and provide valuable insights as you navigate your career.
[00:05:58] So networking is going to be [00:06:00] an ongoing process for you. I'm also a big fan of volunteering and mentoring and giving back. But if you're not yet networking, start with that and then as you grow, you can expand on the networking by finding opportunities to give back and mentor. Whether that means you're a preceptor for dietetic interns, or maybe you're volunteering your time, um, in some way with your area of expertise.
[00:06:19] Now [00:06:20] the next step would be to gain experience and confidence. So during your first year, getting experience is more important than finding the perfect job. And you can find that experience through trial and error and taking imperfect action. And consider opportunities. Maybe you'll take some random work that you didn't know you were interested in, like contract positions or even volunteer positions that are aligned, [00:06:40] just to help you build your confidence skills and your network.
[00:06:42] So look for opportunities. You can go online and look for them. You can start networking with dietitians and find them. And you can even reach out to people that, you know, that will help you, um, get more clear and confident on narrowing down the list of your interests and even earning money along the way.
[00:06:57] The next tip would be to navigate [00:07:00] transitions from student to professional. So the transition of adjusting to professional life can feel challenging because you're no longer just learning. You're now responsible for making decisions that impact your client's health. And it's normal to feel overwhelmed if you're starting out as a dietitian.
[00:07:15] So I want you to ease into this transition by setting up a solid routine. To set up [00:07:20] time for continued learning each week, have mentorship opportunities, and even self care like time for walks or time for journaling reading books. So remember, it's okay to ask for help and lean on your peers, especially when you need it.
[00:07:33] Now, the next step would be to plan for career growth. So you don't want to get too comfortable, right? You want to set longterm goals. [00:07:40] And now while your first year is all about laying the foundation, it's also important to start thinking about where you want to go longterm, whether it's specializing in an edge like diabetes or starting your own practice, maybe it's a virtual or insurance brace or combination.
[00:07:53] Or advancing in your clinical role. Maybe you say, you know what, I want to do my thousand hours and become certified in diabetes, [00:08:00] or you want to have a vision, right. That will keep you motivated. Like I really want to be the leading expert in food freedom and I want to become an influencer on social media, right?
[00:08:09] So whatever that might be in terms of long term goals, you will have a better chance of sticking with your day to day routine when it gets challenging, when you know what vision you're working towards. So I want you to set [00:08:20] aside time each month to reflect on your progress and set goals and look at those goals.
[00:08:23] You can paste them on the wall even and practice affirmations to help you stay focused. So as a recap of today's episode, your first year as a dietitian is all about building a strong foundation from choosing where you want to work to setting realistic income expectations to building your network and gaining experience.
[00:08:39] [00:08:40] Each step is crucial. I hope that you've walked away today with some clarity and actionable steps of what to do. If you're feeling overwhelmed, remember that you're not alone. And we're here as a resource to help you. I hope that you feel empowered to join the library, our monthly membership, where we support dietitians like you with starting your business, connecting with other dietitians, and improving your clinical [00:09:00] skills.
[00:09:00] Head over to dietitianboss. com to learn more. Looking for support to grow your dietitian business or even get started. I invite you to join the library, our monthly affordable membership that shows you exactly what to do every step of the way so that you can create the business of your dreams. Not sure if it's the right [00:09:20] time, the membership gives you an option to.
[00:09:22] Go at your own pace. We have modules, a road map to show you exactly what to do and monthly live calls as well as new content that we release every single month based on requests inside of the library. We have 4 stages of business. So, whether you come in getting started, or you want to enter the membership.
[00:09:39] and [00:09:40] grow or scale your business. We have the appropriate resources for you and our team, including myself, available to answer your questions. Head on over to dietitianboss. com and check out the library today. We'd love to see you there.
