Whether you’re ready to start a new job, or you’re in the middle of getting your qualifications, learning how to write the perfect nutritionist cover letter is essential, and we’re here to help.
This guide is divided into two parts:
Before we continue, why not increase your career prospects with a Personal Training Diploma? With this qualification, you’ll be able to offer training programmes alongside your nutrition coaching services. Find out more by downloading our course prospectus or enter your details below.
How To Write A Nutritionist Cover Letter
It takes a lot of time to write a successful cover letter for a nutritionist position. We’ll help you through this process, from conducting company research to what should be included in each paragraph.
Step 1: Research The Role & Company You’re Applying For
As a nutritionist, you can find work in a wide variety of settings. This could be in both public and private sectors of health and fitness, as well as places you might not expect, including:
- Fitness centres
- Universities
- Charities
- Local councils and community centres
No matter the role or where you’re applying to work, you should do some research into the company itself.
This way, you can tailor your nutritionist cover letter to a role or particular company and show your prospective employer you have a genuine passion for working for them.
The more specific you can be, the more dedicated you’ll appear. It also shows you have a great work ethic, can carry out relevant research, and are highly organised.
Some things you should research about the role before writing your nutrition cover letter include:
- When was the company founded?
- What are the values of the company?
- What does the role involve?
- What is the nutritionist interview process like?
- What qualifications are required?
- Are there any employee benefits?
- Will you work within a specific sector of nutrition?
The easiest way to start this research is to get online and check out your prospective employer on sites like LinkedIn, or the company’s own website. Most places have an ‘About’ section where you can find out the history, current staff, and general ethos of the business.
Take a look at the LinkedIn page for Everyone Health below. In their ‘About’ section, they cover what they do, their mission, the age of the company, and information about the team:
As you can see, there’s a ton of valuable information to find this way. You can even use the ‘Posts’ tab to keep track of social media posts made or the ‘People’ tab to view current staff members.
Depending on the position you’re applying for, you should also consider visiting in person. For example, if it’s a position at a university, visit the campus to familiarise yourself with the environment.
Step 2: Decide On A Structure For Your Nutrition Cover Letter
Much like the rest of your CV, you want to structure your cover letter for a nutrition job in the right way. While you may be tempted to just start writing about what you do as a nutritionist, this isn’t the best choice when writing a cover letter.
Your cover letter for a nutritionist role can be split into several sections:
- Contact information
- Potential employer’s contact information
- Salutation (or greeting)
- Body of the letter
- An appropriate closing
- A signature
We’ll explore each of these sections in greater detail below!
Step 3: Write Out Your Nutritionist Cover Letter
Now you know how to structure your nutritionist cover letter, let’s break down each section to see what exactly you should be including for the employer.
#1 – Include Your Contact Information On A Cover Letter For A Nutritionist Position
We’ll keep this short, as this section shouldn’t take much space. This information should go at the top right-hand side of the page and should include the following:
- Full name
- Address
- Email address
- Phone number
It has also become common to include your LinkedIn profile in the contact information section. However, you should only do this if you’ve spent a lot of time on it, and it’s at a standard you’re happy with.
#2 – Employer Contact Information Should Be On Your Nutrition Cover Letter
You may also want to include the employer’s contact information. However, whether you include this depends on how you’re submitting your application.
If you’re sending your CV as a physical copy through the post, you should include this information. But if you’re sending it via email or an online portal, this isn’t as necessary.
If you include this information on your cover letter for nutritionist roles, you should cover the following:
- Employer’s name
- Company name
- Company address
- Date
Including this information, even on a digital copy of your nutritionist cover letter, shows you’ve taken the time to research where you’re applying.
#3 – Begin Your Nutrition Cover Letter With The Right Salutation
In a cover letter, a salutation is simply how you address the person you’re writing to, usually the recruiter or hiring manager. While you may not need to know who to address, getting a name is important.
Avoid using the generic ‘To whom it may concern’ or ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ as much as you can. This can make it look like you haven’t put any effort into learning more about the employer, and may negatively affect your chances.
Try your best to find and use the full name of the person you’re reaching out to in order to maintain professionalism.
This can commonly be found through the list of staff on their LinkedIn page, or as part of their nutritionist bio on their website. Alternatively, you could call the office directly and ask for the name of the HR manager.
#4 – The First Paragraph Of Your Nutrition Cover Letter Should Grab Attention
The first paragraph in the body of your cover letter for any nutrition position will let the employer know:
- What position you’re applying for
- Why you’re applying for it
- Where you saw the job posted
- When you’re able to start
This is your chance to grab the reader and get their attention. Summarise some of the main nutrition skills and qualities that make you perfect for the position while only offering focused, specific information relating to the role you’re applying for.
Check out our sample cover letter for nutrition assistant positions:
#5 – Highlight What You Have To Offer In The Second Paragraph Of Your Nutrition Cover Letter
This is where you show what you have to offer the potential employer. Highlight any relevant qualifications or previous experience, such as if you have become a personal trainer. Draw on the most key competencies from your CV, but don’t copy it word for word.
While you can become a nutritionist without a degree, you will still need some formal qualifications to gain employment. If you don’t have a degree, you’ll still have completed formal vocational training.
Along with your relevant qualifications, you should use this section of your nutrition cover letter to talk about any relevant work experience you’ve undertaken.
An easy way to nail this section is to look at the experience required in the job listing and find a way to make your experience and skills match what they’re after.
For example, in the job posting below, you could find phrases like ‘work effectively in teams’ and ‘peer-to-peer support’ and come up with examples from your own experience:
Check out this section below of a sample cover letter for nutrition assistant positions. In the letter, you’ll notice the examples given are linked back to the role you’re applying to, by giving concrete examples of skills that can be transferred to multiple roles:
Even if you don’t have experience in the same field, you can always find an example from previous employment, university, or volunteering experience.
When writing this section, try to use a PEE structure (Point, Evidence, and Explanation). This means you make a point, provide an example supporting your claim, then explain how and why this experience makes you the best choice for the role.
You want to show your passion for nutrition in the cover letter, so the more experience you have under your belt, the more you can use in this section!
You don’t want to simply copy and paste your work experience section from your actual resume, as this is just a chronological list of your employment history. Instead, you want to pick out the most impressive and relevant parts of your experience and put them in the spotlight.
Whether you’ve completed your Level 5 Advanced Sports Nutrition Course or are currently training, this should always be mentioned in this section of your nutritionist cover letter, alongside any relevant university degrees.
If you’ve taken any Continuous Professional Development Courses (CPDs), this is the place to highlight your most relevant ones.
– – – –
To help make your nutritionist cover letter stand out to employers, you’ll want some impressive qualifications. These articles below will help increase the chances of securing your dream career and ensure it’s the right one for you:
- How To Get Clients As A Nutritionist: 11 Top Tips
- 17 Nutritionist Interview Questions And Answers
- Pros And Cons Of Being A Nutritionist in 2022
#6 – In The Third Paragraph Of Your Nutritionist Cover Letter, Demonstrate Company Knowledge
While your second paragraph focused on your own skills and experience, your third paragraph should show your knowledge of the company you’re applying to work with.
You want to demonstrate to the hiring manager you’ve done your research and know how you can contribute to the aims or mission of the business.
This section will form the bulk of a cover letter for a nutritionist with no experience, as the previous section won’t be as padded out. However, if you spoke a lot about your experience, try to keep this concise.
Here, you’ll expand on what you spoke about in the first paragraph, talking about your nutritionist skills, and how your experience makes you a good fit for the role.
Let’s say you’re applying for the position below:
To get more information on the company, you can visit their Indeed page or go directly to the ‘About’ section of their website where you can find the history and ethos of the brand:
If you were writing a cover letter for a nutrition internship with this company, you could say something along the following lines:
As you can see, the wording here demonstrates not only have you taken the time to look into the company, but you have identified common goals and ethics which would allow you to work well within the role.
You always want to relate statements back to yourself and discuss how your own passions and values align with the business you’re applying for.
#7 – End The Final Paragraph Of Your Nutritionist Cover Letter Effectively
Similar to a personal trainer cover letter, you should end your nutritionist cover letter with a brief summary of why you should be hired for the position. This is your last chance to make a positive impression and make it worthwhile.
Reiterate the main points from the rest of the cover letter, focusing on the most unique ones. However, don’t just repeat what you’ve already said. Keep it concise so the hiring manager remembers it more easily.
You want to round this section of your cover letter for nutrition jobs off by thanking the recruiter for taking the time to read your application and including a ‘call to action’. This prompts the recruiter to reach out to you.
This call to action could be stating when you’re available to interview or simply an invite for them to contact you by phone or email at any time. This encourages a response from the potential employer.
An example of this for your nutritionist cover letter is below:
#8 – Sign Off Your Cover Letter For Nutritionist
Your sign off is the formal closing of your cover letter for the nutrition job. If you used the employer’s name in the salutation, you should use ‘Yours sincerely’ as your sign off.
If you don’t know their name and instead opted for a general salutation, you should use ‘Yours faithfully’ as your sign off.
When sending a physical copy of your resume, you should also include your signature above your typed name. However, if you’re submitting via email or online portal, this isn’t necessary.
Step 4: Ensure Your Cover Letter For Nutritionist Positions Looks The Part
Now we’ve covered what to include in your nutrition cover letter, you want it to be formatted correctly and to a professional standard. This is just as important as the content of your cover letter, as hiring managers won’t even read through your CV if it looks messy or unprofessional.
Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re formatting your cover letter:
- Paragraphs: Indent to the left or leave a line between each paragraph for good spacing. You don’t want your paragraphs all chunked together – you want to make it as easy to read as possible for the recruiter.
- Font: Classic fonts such as Times New Roman, Calibri, and Arial are best as they’re easy to read and look professional.
- Font Size: Use 16pt for your titles and 12pt for the main body of text.
- Continuity: Match the style of your cover letter to the rest of your CV. If you’ve used colours, use the same ones. Use the same font and sizing as well as this maintains the theme throughout your CV.
5 Tips For Perfecting Your Nutritionist Cover Letter
Knowing how to write a nutritionist cover letter can be a daunting task. However, by following our simple tips, you’ll be able to construct an effective cover letter to help secure a rewarding job.
#1 – Check Your Spelling And Grammar In Your Nutrition Cover Letter
You should proofread your nutrition cover letter multiple times before sending it. Having spelling and grammar mistakes makes your nutritionist cover letter look unprofessional and sends the message to recruiters you don’t really care about.
If you aren’t fantastic with writing or editing, consider using software like Grammarly to ensure your writing is clear and effective. You should also have a trusted family member or friend check over your writing.
#2 – Throughout Your Nutritionist Cover Letter, Provide Examples
As we spoke about earlier, you should use the PEE method throughout your writing to make sure you’re backing up your claims with examples.
As anybody can say ‘I am organised’ or ‘I work well within groups’, you need proof to highlight what you’re saying in your cover letter for nutrition internships or full-time positions is true.
For example, if you say you have experience helping those with chronic pain, back up this statement with work experience or evidence of completing a Level 5 Lower Back Pain Management Course.
#3 – Your Cover Letter For A Nutritionist Position Should Be Concise
While you may feel you want to put as much information into your nutritionist cover letter as possible, this isn’t the best move. Recruiters have to get through a lot of resumes and will be less likely to read what you’ve written if there’s a large chunk of text for them to get through.
Keep your cover letter within one side of A4, only mentioning the most relevant things. You’ll have your CV to go into more detail.
#4 – Show Off Your Personality In Your Nutritionist Cover Letter
Your experience and qualifications aren’t the only things prospective employers look for in a cover letter. They also want to know who you are as a person to ensure you’ll fit in with other co-workers and the culture of the company.
Use your passion for nutrition in cover letters and let your creativity and confidence shine through. Your writing style can provide a flair of personality. However, you should always keep it professional.
#5 – Consider Following Up After Sending Your Nutrition Cover Letter
The work isn’t quite over once you’ve sent in your application! Depending on the position, you may see a time frame of when you should hear back from a company. The standard time to hear back after applying is one to two weeks, so keep that in mind.
If you haven’t heard back from them within this time, it’s worth reaching out to the hiring manager by phone or email to find out what’s happened.
If you didn’t land the job without giving a reason, this is a great chance for you to ask for feedback you can use to improve your nutrition cover letter.
Before You Go!
By following our tips and advice about writing a great nutritionist cover letter, you’re sure to impress employers and secure your dream job.
With our award-nominated Personal Training Diploma, you’ll certainly make your cover letter one to remember, and can combine private training sessions with tailored diet plans.
Download our course prospectus here to see how else you can make your nutritionist cover letter stand out further.