Ask the Recruiter

First of all, be aware that breaking into a specialized field like this may require that you be flexible with your location. If you are tied down to a specific area, it may limit your options.

If you can take a national scope to your search, obviously you'll want to monitor national help-wanted databases. However, you can be more proactive than that. Make five lists of potential employers to approach:

• Major food producers
• Large restaurant/fast food chains
• Manufacturers of dietary supplements
• Colleges and universities with specialties in nutrition
• Government agencies, such as the FDA and USDA, charged with oversight of food

Reach out to each organization on these lists to find out what types of jobs they might have relevant to your background, whether there are any openings in those positions right now, and who an appropriate employment contact might be. With this information, you'll be better able to identify where and when opportunities might arise.