Recruiting RDN Top Talent

Natalie Filippone, RD, has spent the last five years recruiting top talent for several industries. As a talent acquisition specialist for Sodexo, she has found a fulfilling blend of her interest in nutrition with her passion for recruiting.

“I love what I do,” says Natalie. “And to be able to recruit dietitians? I thought, ‘What better way to make an impact in my field than by pairing great talent and positions with the biggest private employer of dietitians in the country?’” 

Natalie began recruiting healthcare professionals for a staffing agency and was inspired to pursue her dietetics credential by the unique opportunities available to dietitians.  

“You can do so much with a dietetics credential,” she says. “It doesn’t point you in one specific direction. You can become whatever you’d like!”

Natalie points out the various routes a career in dietetics can take someone: from personal health coaches to dietitians in government services who ensure military personnel get the right support for the high intensity of their work. “You can have a lot of different interests and go into dietetics and satisfy those interests,” she says. 

Recruiting dietitians for Sodexo, Natalie has seen the value the organization places in the dietitian talent of its teams.  

“At Sodexo we really value our dietitians and their career growth,” says Natalie.

Natalie sees dietitians’ direct impact on improving quality of life for Sodexo guests. “They’re able to assist with so many situations – whether addressing a special dietary need or making sure a student has access to food that reminds them of home, that dietitian can help make people feel safe and comfortable in case of food allergies and intolerances.” 

“Because I get to see the impact of dietitians across so many different segments I’m reminded how valuable it is to have a dietitian on site. The amount of information that a dietitian can provide to the community — and the extent to which that dietitian can support the community — is so valuable.”

Natalie is particularly proud of how well-rounded a talented dietitian becomes through their course work. “For any question related to nutrition and allergens or food safety and sanitation, the dietitian is an expert in all of those areas and can speak to what Sodexo does to serve our guests,” she says. 

As for advice to up-and-coming dietitians planning their career path, Natalie recommends the Sodexo Dietetic Internship program.  

“One of the great things about the internship program is you rotate through so many different segments,” she says. In these different rotations, the people you meet along the way are often avenues for success. “Dietitians love to network and it’s important to build those relationships. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the people you meet along the way. And seek out opportunities that interest you.”

“One of our major focuses in talent acquisition is on diversity, equity and inclusion, and as clinical recruiters we need to work on finding ways to grow the diversity of our field, which starts at the very beginning- with kids in schools,” says Natalie. “I’d like to continue working on this effort by finding ways to reach students and to communicate how exciting and important the field of nutrition is as a potential career.”

For Natalie, nutrition has always been a keen interest. This March, as we celebrate National Nutrition Month, Natalie says this is a great opportunity to re-focus on nutrition. “It’s a good reminder that nutrition can change so many aspects of your life and bring you so much closer to your wellness goals,” she says. “It can have an impact on your personal life, your mental life; it can help you sleep better and improve your stress levels.”  

In a time of quarantining and social distancing, Natalie says it’s a perfect time to remember nutrition. “A lot of people are confined to their houses and they maybe have a tendency to order take out and reach for comfort food, and maybe they’re not prioritizing nutrition,” she says. “More than ever before National Nutrition Month is important in reminding people to focus on their wellness goals, what ever they are.”