Teresa Marterer, BSc

Key data

Job description: Dietician
Company: Radkersburger Hof GmbH & Co KG
I've worked here since: December 2018

What I do:

• Nutritional consultations on a range of topics
• Holding talks and workshops
• Personalised meal plans in cases of intolerances, allergies...

Why I love my job:

Each client or consultation is unique - this is what makes the job so varied and interesting. I also have the chance to be creative. After all, the profession of dietetics encompasses a very broad field of activity. I also like to collaborate as part of an interdisciplinary team (speech therapy, healthcare, kitchen...).

What I don't like so much about my job

The fact that patients and clients sometimes perceive us in our profession as ‘killjoys’. Our primary goal is not to impose bans but rather to enhance quality of life and well-being and provide patient-focused and practical support.

Important skills in my job:

• Social skills - respectful interaction with people
• Providing complex specialist expertise in a clearly comprehensible manner
• Enthusiasm for further training

My greatest experience

It’s the best experience of all when patients are enthusiastic about the improvements to their well-being and say thank you for the advice.

How I found my current job:

I completed one of my internships at the Radkersburger Hof spa hotel and I was inspired by the services and fantastic team there. At the end of 2018, a colleague retired and I was able to take over her role.

What I learned for this job during my studies:

The course equipped me with the latest nutritional recommendations and a scientific basis. The mandatory internships allowed me to learn from colleagues in a practical environment. This combination of theory and practice gave me confidence in pursuing my own independent professional practice.

Job prospects in my field:

Permanent positions of 40 hours per week are relatively rare. Nevertheless, all of the graduates on my course managed to find a job relatively quickly. The possibilities are also virtually endless when it comes to freelancing. I hope that health insurance funds will be required to cover the cost of nutritional consultations in the future. This would emphasise the value of dietetics in both prevention and treatment.

I am:…

• communicative
• creative
• goal-driven