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FACTORS THAT AFFECT CAREER MOBILITY
AMONG MICHIGAN'S PROFESSIONALLY

QUALIFIED DIETITIANS

BY

Linda Way Richards, R.D., M.A.

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE

College of Human Ecology
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition

1974

ABSTRACT

FACTORS THAT AFFECT CAREER MOBILITY
AMONG MICHIGAN'S PROFESSIONALLY
QUALIFIED DIETITIANS

BY
Linda Way Richards, R.D., M.A.

The purpose of this study was to identify some of
reasons why professionally qualified dietitians who reside
in Michigan reveal the professional profiles they do. A
random sample of 200 Michigan dietitians who were 1973
members of the American Dietetic Association was selected
for study. The data gathering device chosen for this study
was the mail back questionnaire which was designed to
obtain descriptive information pertaining to career mobil-
ity. Analysis of the survey data was based on the 160
(80.0%) who were willing to participate.

Findings from this investigation imply that there
is need for the American Dietetic Association and educa-
tors to study current and future trends in employment
deve10pments--particu1ar1y concerning the increase in the
number of women returning to the labor force.

Evidence of increased labor force participation
among adult women suggest that the American Dietetic

Association should: (a) become more cognizant of the

U

Linda Way Richards
07

”V
3%’unemployed dietetic professionals who want to return to pro-
ho

fessional employment, (b) determine the requirements of
unemployed dietitians for return to work, (c) make adaptive
efforts, whenever and wherever possible, to change and/or
liberalize the present qualifying systems to enable
unemployed professionals to meet the required needs for
return to work, and (d) selectively andeffectively commun-
icate such needs to those professions and/or related dis-
ciplines from which c00peration and assistance is needed.

In all cases the users of each of the twelve methods
of locating employment, commonly available to dietitians,
had experienced positive results (1-3 job offers). However,
findings with regard to opportunities for qualified profes-
sionals to learn about professional job vacancies in the
field of dietetics, imply that more effective means of
informing dietitians about such vacancies should be developed.

The findings from this study also imply that lateral
positional mobility, reportedly a common occurrence among
dietetic professionals, should be viewed as a positive asset
to employing institutions. It seems reasonable to refute
existing folklore that immobilizes the professionally quali-
fied dietitian and to sanction career mobility.

Most frequently, professional dietitians leave the
labor force to accommodate or fulfill family obligations and
will eventually seek re-entry into the labor force. There

is need for educational institutions and professional

Linda Way Richards

societies to develop innovative teaching and learning
methods, such as self-instructional programs, that can
simultaneously extend higher education alternatives to pur-
suants of dietetic careers as well as provide unemployed
dietetic professionals with optimal means to prepare them-
selves for successful re-entry into the field.

From this study it is apparent that employers need
to make a concerted effort to improve career advancement
opportunities for dietitians and to make better use of their
capabilities to retain their professional services. This
can be accomplished best by eliminating as many unnecessary
obstacles to career advancement and job change as possible,
so long as activities are consistent with the maintenance
of adequate professional standards.

The highest concentration of job responsibilities,
by the majority of professionals participating in this study,
was in direct patient services. There was some evidence
that employment Opportunities for dietitians as consultants
are increasing and that dietetic positions involving direct
patient services are available and attractive to active
practitioners.

Only a few of the survey participants were of the
opinion they had been denied consideration for a better or
different position by their respective employers. This
finding suggests that within many institutions the levels

of professional expertise needed to provide essential

Linda Way Richards

dietary services are limited, and within their organiza-
tional frameworks, their real need is to employ a suffi-
cient number of qualified dietitians to meet the volume of
specialized and/or individualized dietary services required

by their respective clienteles.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author wishes to express sincere gratitude to
Dr. Grace A. Miller for her invaluable assistance during
the author's period of graduate work and during this study.

Special gratitude is extended to Miss Burness G.
Wenberg, Miss Jean McFadden and Dr. Peter Haines for their
advice in developing the survey instrument; and to Mr.
Scott Frear, 1973-1974 President of the Michigan Dietetic
Association, for providing the then current mailing list
for Michigan Dietetic Association Members.

The author gratefully acknowledges the technical
assistance provided by Mrs. Judith Pfaff and Dr. Verda
Scheifley in obtaining data derived from computer analysis
and to Dr. Gilbert A. Leveille, Chairman of the Department
of Food Science and Human Nutrition, for providing

financial assistance.

ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . .

LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter

I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . .

Definition of Terms . . . . . .

II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE . . . . . .

Labor Force Participation . . . .
Future Needs for Dietetic Services
Why Do These Shortages Exist? . .
Adjusting to the Shortages . . .
Distribution of Manpower . .

Characteristics of Women in the Labor
Force--Dietetic Profession . . .
Development for Women . . . . .
A Positive Approach to Women in

Management . . . . . . . .

III. METHOD OF INVESTIGATION . . . . .

Sampling Procedure . . . . . .
The Survey Instrument . . . .

Personal- Professional Characteristics

Locating Professional Employment .
Job Characteristics: Current and
Previous .

Professional Employment in the Field of

Dietetics . . . . . . . .

iii

Page

vii

ON

FJH
oxwxooxm

17

20
21
21
22
22
24
24

24

Chapter

IV. ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY DATA . . .

Composition of the Sample . . . . .

Personal-Professional Characteristics .
Personal Information . . . . . .
Professional Information . . .

Relationship Between Employment Status
and Parental Responsibility According
to Ethnic Group Membership . . .
Locating Professional Employment . . .
Learning About Professional Job

Opportunities . .
Locating Professional Employment
Opportunities . . . . . . .
Characteristics of Current and Previous
Jobs . . . . . . . . . . .
Current Job . . . . . . . . .

Previous Job . . .
Professional Employment in the Field of

Dietetics . . . . . . .

Type and Location of Employing Institu-
tion, Agency or Business Firm . .

Categories of Professional Job Titles

Number of Hours Worked per Week . .

Weekend and Holiday Work Requirements

Percentage of Time Devoted to Eight
Professional Activities . . . .

Years of Dietetic Work Experience . .

Career Advancement Experiences . . .

V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS . .

Summary of Survey Findings . . . . .
Personal-Professional Characteristics
Locating Professional Employment . .
Characteristics of Current and Previous

Jobs . . .
Professional Employment in the Field of

Dietetics . . . . . . . .

Conclusions and Implications . . . .
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . .
APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . .

iv

Page
27
27
28

28
32

38
41
41
42
46
46
52
55
56
57
58
60
61
68
68
74
75
75
77
78
79
82
88

92

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1. Geographic Distribution of 1973 Michigan
Dietetic Association Members (Lower Peninsula)
for the Parent Population and for the Sample
Selected for Survey . . . . . . . . . 23

2. Respondents' Children: Number of Children for
Each Respondent Summarized According to
School-Level Age Range . . . . . . . . 31

3. Comparison Between the 1972 National Figures
for Michigan and the One Hundred Fifty-Two
Survey Participants for this Study . . . . 36

4. Relationships Between Employment Status and
Parental Responsibility According to Ethnic
Group Reported . . . . . . . . . . . 39

5. Locating Professional Employment Opportunities:
Methods Used, Number of Job Offers Received
and Reasons for Not Using Methods Reported
by Survey Respondents . . . . . . . . 43

6. Comparative Influence of Eleven Factors in
Current Job Acceptance Decisions of Michigan
Dietary Professionals . . . . . . . . . 50

7. Rank Order of Importance for Eleven Factors

Which Influenced Job Choice for Michigan

Dietitians (most to least) . . . . . . . 51
8. Reasons for Leaving Previous Job . . . . . . 54

9. Type of Employing Institution, Agency or
Business Firm . . . . . . . . . . . 56

10. Categories of Professional Job Titles: Current
and Previous Jobs . . . . . . . . . . 59

11. Number of Hours Dietetic Professionals Work Per
week 0 O O O O O O O O O O I O O 6 0

Table

12.

13.

14.

15.

Page

Weekend and Holiday Work Requirements . . . 61
Types of Professional Activity Involvement:
Percent of Group Response for Current and

Previous Jobs . . . . . . . . . . 67

Years of Dietetic Work Experience Prior to
Job Acceptance . . . . . . . . . . 69

Patterns of Progression from Former Job Title

to Current and/or Previous Job Titles for
Dietetic Professionals . . . . . . . 71

vi

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1. Percentage Comparison of Ages of Survey
Respondents and Decades of Initial American
Dietetic Association Membership Application . - 34

2. Percentage Comparison of Respondents Devoting

Time to Professional Activities for Current
and Previous Jobs . . . . . . . . . 63

vii

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

In January of 1970, the Commission on Dietetics was
formed upon the joint request of the Executive Board of the
American Dietetic Association and the Governing Board of
the American Dietetic Association Foundation to study all
aspects of dietetic practice, education and professional
organization. After nearly two years of comprehensive
study, the Commission reported its findings and recommenda-
tions to the American Dietetic Association and its Founda-
tion (25).

According to the Study Commission, there is a great
deal of discussion about shortages of health professionals
and dietitians are not exceptions. Evidence provided by
the Commission indicates that the number of available
dietitians are insufficient to meet the needs for dietetic
services now and in the foreseeable future. Hospital
administrators report difficulty in recruiting therapists
and government agencies report a 20 percent vacancy of
budgeted positions for dietitians.

As reviewed by the Study Commission, the national
supply of dietary professionals currently practicing

1

numbers 30,000 individuals and, of these, 16,000 (53.5%)

are members of the American Dietetic Association. In
December 1971, analysis of the 23,000 members of the
Association revealed that of the 16,000 practicing members,
67 percent were engaged in dietetic activity involving
direct patient services, 25 percent were employed as
managers of quantity food services, and 8 percent were
involved in teaching, research, production and development.
Seven thousand (30.4%) of the association's members in

1971 were professionally inactive.

Predictions of the Study Commission indicate that
dietetic practice in the future will be altered by changes
in the expectations of society and by demands in the modifi-
cations of health care delivery systems. By 1980, the
Commission estimates there will be need for an additional
25,000 dietitians in clinical practice, and an additional
7,500 dietitians in food service management.

Members of the dietetic profession have sought and
are continually seeking means to provide quality services,
despite the limited number of professionals available. One
way to attempt to alleviate the current shortage is to con-
centrate on recruiting dietitians who have left the profes-
sion and/or those who, for a variety of personal reasons,
may have completed their formal education and training but
never entered the profession. This approach, although sound

and often fruitful, necessitates the completion of refresher

courses to update professional knowledge and dietary prac-
tices to insure successful entry or reeentry into the field.
For some, the time and activities required to attain pro-
fessional entry may be personally impractical.

In addition to recruitment, concerted efforts must
also be made to extend the services of dietitians currently
employed. Moreover, the current systems of educating and
training individuals for entry into and advancement within
the profession are in need of serious review to identify
and activate changes in the systems which will attract more
persons to the field and encourage retention of those
already in the field.

In November 1972, 896 Michigan members of the
American Dietetic Association were surveyed concerning
their professional employment status. Findings from this
study were strikingly similar to those reported in the
national study by the Commission on Dietetics. Of the 832
members who responded to the Michigan inquiry, 628 (75.5%)
were actively working in the field of dietetics, and 204
(24.5%) were not. Of those who were in active practice,

62 percent were engaged in dietetic activity involving
direct patient services, 24 percent were employed as
managers of quantity food services and 14 percent were

involved in teaching, research, production and development

(2).

Relatively little is known about the factors which
influence qualified dietitians to change positions within
the field or to leave the profession. Identification of
these factors and their relative influence on individuals
would provide insight for educators who are concerned with
increasing the supply of dietitians and employers who are
in need of expanding their dietary services but are finding
it difficult to employ qualified professionals to adequately
support their needs.

The purpose of this study was to attempt to identify
some of the reasons why professionally qualified dietitians
who reside in Michigan reveal the professional employment
profiles they do. The primary objectives of the mail
survey were to:

1. To extrapolate and identify those variables

that contribute to the professional inactivity
of Michigan members of the American Dietetic
Association.

2. To identify those factors that contribute to

the diverse mobility of Michigan members of
the American Dietetic Association.

The underlying assumption for the design of the
questionnaire was that the central problem of career
mobility is that employment of dietitians leads to a cul-de-
sac which offers minimal recompense for experience, intelli-

gence and energy, and that better utilization of employed

dietitians depends largely upon improving career advance-

ment.

Definition of Terms

 

For the purpose of this study the following

definitions were adopted:

1.

Dietitian: A professionally trained person

 

who translates the science of nutrition into
the skill of furnishing optimal nourishment to
people, no matter what their role or the
purpose of the employing institution (25).

Pure Positional Mobility: An emergence from

 

one position to another within the same
institution (11).

Assignment Mobility: To remain in the same

 

position with additional special or task force
assignments within the same institution.
Often substituted for positional mobility (11).

Lateral Positional Mobility: An emergence from

 

one position to a similar one in a different
institution (ll).

Super-mobile: One who becomes a department

 

head before the age of 40 in either the same

institution or in a different institution (11).

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Labor Force Participation

 

There is a great deal of discussion about shortages
of dietitians as reported in 1972 by the Study Commission
on Dietetics. At the time of the study there were over
30,000 individuals practicing dietetics and, of these,
approximately 16,000 were members of The American Dietetic
Association. The Association had about 23,000 members,
thus, indicating that 7,000 members of the Association were
not in active practice. In the judgment of the Commission
members, the number of professionally active dietitians was
insufficient to meet the needs for dietetic service in 1972
and in the foreseeable future (25).

In an earlier study (1963) the shortage of profes-
sionally qualified dietitians was recognized by Tatge (26).
Conclusions of this study suggested that during the next
five to ten years the estimated demand for dietitians would

greatly exceed the current annual rate of supply.

Future Needs for Dietetic Services

 

According to the Study Commission on Dietetics (25),

in the area of clinical practice the demand for therapeutic

dietitians will increase. This growth will be in response
to a growing population, a greater equality of access to
medical care for all social and economic groups, and the
discovery that more and more illness and disabilities are
related to nutritional problems.

The Commission further stated that, although it is
more difficult to make predictions in the area of food
service management, there are signs that the dietitians
as a food service manager is being challenged to a degree
not experienced by the therapeutic dietitians. Home econo-
mists are trained in quantity cooking and management as are
dietitians, graduates of hotel and restaurant management
schools are appearing in growing numbers, and more hospitals
are contracting with commercial food service firms. In
such firms, management positions may be filled by both
dietitians and other professionals of quite a different
training and experience. Although the dietitian may not be
essential for all food service management positions, the
field does involve translating the science of nutrition
with the overall objective of providing Optimal nourishment
to people. To these investigators it seemed that the
number of dietitians required as food service managers
would remain nearly constant, hence, the Commission
estimated future need for food service managers at the
current level of 7,500. The needs in food service manage—

ment can perhaps be best met by the dietitian as a

consultant and not bogged down in the day-to—day minutiae
of operating a very complex system.

Commercial firms employ dietitians in a large
variety of activities, ranging from management to product
and technique development. However, their activities are
largely shaped by the nature of the commercial enterprise
which employs them. As the enterprise changes, the number
of dietitians employed and the tasks they perform will also
change. Increasing urbanization, growing industrialization,
and the nation becoming more sensitive to the question of
both the purity and the nutritional value of the food which
it buys will bring further commercialization to the food
industry. The demand will be for manpower with greater
skill and capabilities rather than for increased numbers
of individuals.

In the view of the Commission, it seemed likely that
the need for research dietitians will increase markedly as
the importance of nutrition in human growth and development,
in the prevention of disease, and in the maintenance of
health is recognized. Furthermore, participation of dieti-
tians with experience in the area of mass education and
communication is essential for the purpose of accurately
translating new knowledge as it relates to the importance
of nutrition and health. Perhaps this specific need for
professional dietitians can be met by a few hundred prOperly

trained individuals. However, future manpower needs in

these areas may prove these estimations grossly conserva-
tive because they are dependent upon expansion of the
educational system and the ability of the dietetic profes-
sion to recruit and prepare increased numbers of qualified

practitioners (25).

Why Do These Shortages Exist?

In order to gain insight as to why these shortages
exist, at least three questions come to mind. Why do some
persons who successfully complete dietetic internships or
traineeships fail to find employment in the field of
dietetics? Of those who actually achieve employment in
the field of dietetics, why do many leave the field for
other types of employment or elect to become unemployed?
Why are not more college students majoring in dietetics?
The literature contains a few references concerning this
perplexing problem.

The findings reported in 1971 by Sanford, McKinley,
and Scruggs (20) from their investigation of the employ-
ment status of 561 recent dietetic internship graduates
revealed that 108 (19.3%) had either already left the
field of dietetics or after completion of their pre-planned
training, had never entered the field. Of these 80 (74.1%)
indicated personal reasons, such as family responsibility

or pregnancy, for leaving or not entering the labor force.

10

The most important factors that make dietitians

leave the profession found by Kirk (13) in her 1959 study

were:

(a)

(b)

(C)

(e)

(f)

(g)

(h)

Higher salaries are available outside the
hospital field.

Dietitians believe that professional and
personal advancement are either lacking or
extremely limited.

Pressure and criticism are fairly constant.
Rightly or not, many a dietitian rates her job

as a thankless one in comparison with the

acclaim given to other members of the hospital
staff. Frequently, dietitians are not suffi-
ciently recognized as highly trained professional
personnel.

In large cities especially, the employment of
low caliber kitchen employees results in a
constant turnover of the labor force, and this
in turn requires continuous retraining.

Although a 40-hour work week may be stipulated,
longer hours are the rule. A dietitian's
responsibilities require that she be away from
home at meal times and this presents a problem
for the married dietitian. Week-end and
holiday duty is disliked.

Many dietitians must work under several
administrators and, in addition, are on the
receiving end of much unsolicited advice.

The constant meeting of deadlines, a necessary
part of a dietitian's job, is a work feature
that especially irks the younger dietitian.

The total independence of food processors today
results in many incorrect or shorted orders--an
additional frustration for the dietitian.

As to why more college students are not majoring

in dietetics, findings reported in Kirk's 1959 study indi-

cate five reasons that are still relevant today:

11

(a) Dietetics is an unfamiliar field.

(b) Information about the profession fails to reach
groups at the apprOpriate age level.

(0) The fifth year of internship training is a
deterring factor.

(d) Discouraging word-of-mouth publicity about
hospital dietitians has had an unfortunate
effect upon recruitment.

(e) The rapidly rising rate of early marriages
among college students is having an adverse
effect upon the dietetics profession (13).

Data reported by Tatge (26) suggest that the
dietetic profession is losing ground in its fundamental
responsibility of recruitment whereas the nursing profes-
sion is consistently cited for success in recruitment, as
well as attracting men. This is perhaps due to their
contact with high school students, which is accomplished
through teas, sorority rush parties, candy stripe programs,
and to say the least, the time and money spent on recruit-
ment. In part, these ingredients foster their success in
attracting young people to the nursing profession. By
comparison, dietitians are generally less aggressive--
perhaps because they are less "clubby" than dedicated.

Other findings reported by Tatge (26) lend unified
support to some of the other reasons cited regarding college
students not majoring in dietetics. Hospital administrators
believe that current efforts to attract high school students

do not vaguely approximate a purposeful objective. For

instance there are attempts to glamorize the profession--

12

this is impossible. Being a dietitian is hard work,
requiring mental agility, patience, and a strong back.
Another approach—-appealing to a sense of dedication to
one's fellow man and community--has missed the mark because
it falls on the deaf ears Of the younger generation.

This investigator (26) also compared the recruiting
efforts of the nursing and the dietetics professions.
Although both are allied health professions whose services
are equally important to the functions Of a health care
team, the comparisons presented are not conclusive Of
either, one profession's failure (dietetics) or another's
success (nursing). There are at least two fundamental
differences which can be offered to explain this occurrence.
It takes more education to become a registered dietitian--
four to five years Of study compared to the Options of
either a two; three; or four-year programs required to
become a registered nurse.

Another possible difference is relativity Of the
length of time each profession has been in existence.
According to the World Book Encyclopedia (16, 17) nurses
were first organized in groups during early Christianity
although nursing, as we know it today, began in the 1850's.
Interest in dietetics only began in the late 1800's.

The writings of West, Wood, and Harger (27) indi-
cate that today, more Often than not, nutritional care is

provided by professionally qualified dietitians, however,

13

this aspect Of dietetic practice is an outgrowth Of a
function that was traditionally performed by nurses-—Often

shared with doctors.

Adjusting to the Shortages

In View of the reported shortages and future needs
of dietetic professionals the literature contains numerous
references which propose strategy to alleviate, cope with
and/or adjust to this perplexing problem (25, 22, 13, 20,
9, 1, 14, 26, 3, 17).

To maintain high standards and to achieve the
objectives of the profession, it is imperative that compe-
tent people be attracted to and retained in the field.
Sound employment practices, salaries commensurate with
education and responsibilities, and good employment condi-
tions are essential for recruitment. In addition, upgrading
employment and salary standards will be an incentive for
more effective utilization Of present manpower. In 1971
The American Dietetic Association (11) recommended stand-
ards for salaries and employment conditions for its members.
These guidelines, developed for use by members of the
Association and by their employers, should help to improve
the practice Of the profession.

As early as 1959, eight suggestions and comments
were received by Kirk (13) when dietitians Offered advice
on what hospitals could do to gain and retain their pro-

fessional dietetic personnel:

(a)

(b)

(C)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(g)

(h)

14

Hospitals should attempt to increase the
salaries Of hospital dietitians so that these
salaries are commensurate with professions
requiring five years of pre-study.

Every attempt should be made tO develOp better
interdepartmental relationships.

Hospital administrators might consider the
advantage of allowing more time Off-duty to
enable dietitians tO attend conferences,
workshops and professional conventions.

The present experiment with food service super-
visors and dietary clerks should help relieve
the hospital dietitian Of routine tasks which
now Often prevent her from fulfilling her

major responsibilities.

Many dietitians in the U.S. Army and in
Veterans Administration hospitals are apparently
more content than those employed elsewhere.

Many college students who expect later to
qualify as dietitians seek summer employment
in hospital dietary departments.

Hospitals and medical groups might well con-
sider the advantage of offering scholarships
to persons interested in pursuing dietetic
internship training after graduation from a
college in their particular area.

Hospital administrators and dietetic associa-
tions should not lose sight of the fact that
there is keen competition from other fields

for the services Of career-minded home economists.

These suggestions and comments strongly assert that hospitals

and colleges can accomplish more when they work together--a

cooperative spirit is a strong force for successful achieve-

ment.

Unemployed professionals stated three requirements

for their return to the work force: (a) refresher workshops,

(b) flexible working hours, and (c) adequate babysitting

arrangements (22).

15

The most important efforts to alleviate the short—
age Of dietitians, as expressed by Hubbard and Donaldson
(10), must be in the area of extending the services Of
dietitians currently practicing. This concept involves
developing and exploring career ladders within dietetics
in order to fully utilize support personnel when possible.
This would allow dietitians to spend the maximum portion

of their time in activities for which they are educated.

Career mobility.-—Hatch (9) reported there is

 

general agreement that to meet the manpower needs, we must
fully utilize the people already employed and find ways

to employ well qualified persons who are effectively
excluded from the health manpower labor market by formal
academic requirements, e.g., "medics" from Vietnam return-
ing to civilian life. We must also employ proficiency and
equivalency testing to evaluate each individual's abilities,

without regard for how he attained them. Proficiency test-

 

1ng assesses technical knowledge and skills, pertinent to
the performance requirements of a specific job. Equiva-

lency testing evaluates knowledge acquired through alter-

 

nate learning experiences as a substitute for established
academic requirements. Hatch believes there is no reason
why such mechanisms cannot be used in systems of accredita-
tion and certification for allied health personnel. Better

utilization and retention Of employed personnel depend

l6

largely on improving career mobility, both vertically and
horizontally. This can be accomplished only by removing
as many Of the artificial or unnecessary Obstacles to
advancement and change as possible, consistent with the

maintenance of adequate professional standards Of service.

Distribution Of Manpower

 

Another concern cited by Hatch (9) is distribution
of manpower. There are visible excesses Of manpower in some
occupational categories in certain geographic areas. In
the same area, in some parts of the country, the need is
sufficiently great that institutions feel they must estab-
lish new training programs to retrain available manpower.

_An issue which bears heavily on the dietetic pro-
fession is the proliferation of new occupational categories
and the continued trend toward specialization. It is hoped
that new occupational categories can be kept to a minimum
to meet legitimate requirements for effective health care
delivery, to conserve scarce educational resources, and to
maximize Opportunities by not locking individuals into
narrow specialties. Moreover, it is anticipated that as
new levels of personnel, such as dietary technician, develop,
some of the same mistakes regarding excessive professional
domination and control will not be repeated.

One other suggestion Offered by Kline and Dowling

(14) is to utilize dietary support personnel, such as diet

l7

clerks, dietary technicians and qualified food service
supervisors, to assume selected responsibilities and
relieve the dietitians of routine and repetitive tasks,
so the dietitian can be more available for functioning as
a part Of the medical team.

Characteristics of Women in the
Labor Force--Dietetic Profession

 

The literature suggests that women experience some
common difficulties in planning and carrying out their
work experiences around the goals of marriage and the
family.

Historically, women in the labor force have
exhibited work characteristics different from men. Since
World War II, a period in which the proportionate number of
women in the work force has been rapidly expanding, the
literature on women workers-~their characteristics and
their motivations-~has increased greatly (8). When sociol-
ogists have considered work participation and sex roles
they have found differences in the extent Of employment,
career commitment, and in societal norms and values (8,
23). Although social changes are occurring in work pat-
terns and attitudes, available data suggest that women
have relatively low career commitments, discontinuous work
careers, and are inclined to work primarily for monetary
rather than professional reasons. While such character—

istics may inadequately describe the dietetic professional,

18

it is likely that the goals Of marriage and family do
measurably influence career planning and work participation.

The field of dietetics and nutrition is associated
with the achievement Of significant societal goals surround-
ing health and well-being, and is likely to experience
increased demands for manpower in the near future (17). In
recognition of this, and its interest in adequately trained
and utilized professionals, the American Dietetic Associa—
tion designated areas of planning priorities. A study
(21, 22) was conducted in the spring Of 1970 by the
Washington State Dietetic Association and the Health Man-
power Project Of the Washington State Department of Social
and Health Services to provide data which bear on some Of
these priorities--in particular, the extent Of labor
participation and its implications for planning.

A discernable pattern of labor participation
emerged from this study Of Washington State's professional
dietetic manpower. The findings reported indicate that
the dietetic professional is very likely to participate
in the labor force. If unemployed, the chances are high
the professionally trained dietitian intends to return
eventually to employment. Primary reasons for unemployment
are connected with the temporal obligations revolving
around children.

In assessing the pool of inactive manpower and its

relationship to the current supply within the profession,

19

it is important to understand the expected duration and
nature of the inactivity (22). Most of the inactive
respondents intend to return to work. One third specified
that their return would occur within five years. Other
studies of dietetic manpower have found even greater
percentages specifying a return to employment within five

years.

DevelOpment for Women

 

According to Brenner (5) the 1960's saw the develop-
ment of an increasing concern in this country that all
members of the society have an Opportunity to pursue their
desired educational, social, and vocational goals without
reference to their race, religion, sex, age, or other
demographic characteristics. One recent aspect of this
concern for equality of Opportunity involves the occupa-
tional Opportunity Of women.

Brenner further states that increasing the occupa-
tional opportunity of women, like increasing Opportunities
for other groups, encounters many barriers: well-developed
stereotypes, deeply-held role expectations, and thoroughly
internalized behavior patterns. These factors, among
others, have made women's participation in many occupations
very difficult. One of the areas in which these factors

have had their greatest influence is in management.

20

A Positive Approach to Women
in Management

 

In the Opinion of Kay (12) through the years women
have experienced difficulty in moving up the managerial
hierarchy. Admittedly, part of the reason is their
reluctance to prepare for executive level positions and tO
assume the responsibility that top jobs require. More
insidious, however, is the resistance Of many employers
to make such positions available without regard to race,
religion, sex, color, or national origin. While civil
rights legislation and federal contract compliance guide-
lines have forced managements to examine their actions
regarding the advancement Of women, changes in their atti-
tudes are more difficult to influence. Including a woman
in their ranks, regardless of her qualifications, is still
looked upon as fulfilling an Obligation rather than a
positive action that will contribute to the organization's
success in more than an "image-making" way. Certainly
women must welcome any Opportunity for promotion, regard-
less Of the reason. It would be nice, however, to have a
more realistic response to the recongition of ability as

the criterion for advancement.

CHAPTER III

METHOD OF INVESTIGATION

A random sample of 200 professionally qualified
dietitians who were 1973 members Of the Michigan Dietetic
Association was selected for study. Upon request, the
Michigan Dietetic Association provided the investigator.
with their 890-member alphabetized mailing list as a valid

source from which to choose the sample population.

Sampling Procedure

 

Based on a zip code analysis Of the Michigan
Dietetic Association 1973 membership list, only 8 of the
Michigan members were located in the Upper Peninsula.

Due to the sparse population Of dietitians in this geo-
graphic area, members residing in the Upper Peninsula were
precluded from the mailing list which limited the number
from which the study sample was drawn to the 882 members
residing in the Lower Peninsula.

In order to Obtain a representative sample of
dietitians the reduced membership list was then sub-divided
into eight proximal zip code areas. To further insure a

homogeneous representation throughout the Lower Peninsula,

21

22

a frequency count and percentage of the Michigan Dietetic
Association membership list were computed for each zip

code area classification. This provided a basis for the
ratio method of random selection for the 200 persons that
were invited to participate in the study. The geographical
distributions of the 1973 members Of the Michigan Dietetic
Association living in the Lower Peninsula, tabulated
according to zip code area, frequency count and percent of
total, for the parent population and for the selected

sample are shown in Table l.

The Survey Instrument

 

The data gathering device chosen for this survey
was the mail back questionnaire which included both Open
end and closed response questions. The majority Of ques-
tions were structured to facilitate uniform coding Of the
responses, electronic data processing and analysis. The
seven page questionnaire was divided into four parts.

I. Personal-Professional
Characteristics

 

 

This part Of the questionnaire was designed to
elicit descriptive responses concerning personal, pro-
fessional and employment factors that would help character-
ize the respondents and facilitate subgroup classifications
to permit meaningful inter- and intra-subgroup data com-

parisons.

23

TABLE l.-—Geographic Distribution Of 1973 Michigan Dietetic
Association Members (Lower Peninsula) for the
Parent Population and for the Sample Selected
for Survey.

Michigan Dietetic Association Members

 

Michigan

Zip Code Areas Parent Populat1on Sample Selected

 

 

No. % No. %

 

Area (1)

48000 Detroit

48100 Detroit

48200 Detroit 419 47.5 95 47.5
Area (2)

48400 Flint

48500 Flint 62 7.0 14 7.0
Area (3)

48600 W. Saginaw

48700 E. Saginaw 40 4.5 9 4.5
Area (4)

48800 E. Lansing

48900 Lansing 97 11.0 22 11.0
Area (5)

49000 Kalamazoo 53 6.0 12 6.0

Area (6)

49100 Jackson
49200 S. Bend, Ind.
(Mich. Post Office) 22 2.5 ' 55 2.5

Area (7)

49300 Gr. Rapids

49400 Gr. Rapids

49500 Gr. Rapids 154 17.5 35 17.5
Area (8)

49600 Cadillac 35 4.0 8 4.0

 

 

TOTALS 882 100% 200 100%

 

24

II. Locating Professional
Employment.

 

The questions in this part were designed to (a)
gather the Opinions of respondents regarding Opportunities
for learning about professional vacancies in the field of
dietetics and (b) identify the methods they used and to
what extent they had used each when trying to locate
professional employment.

III. Job Characteristics:
Current and Previous

This part Of the questionnaire pertained to selected
characteristics Of the respondent's current and previous
jobs which may have affected career advancement.

IV. Professional Employment in
the Field Of DTetetics

 

Questions in this section related only to profes—
sional jobs which the respondents have held within the
field Of dietetics. The items of inquiry were designed
to Obtain descriptive data concerning the types of current
and previous positions held, the conditions of employment
of each, and their experiences concerning Opportunities for

professional advancement.

The survey instrument and the accompanying cover
letter were pre-tested by eight professionally trained

dietitians and evaluated by the investigator's five member.

25

guidance committee. The materials were examined for
appropriateness of content, clarity of statements and
general structure. Changes were made to incorporate the
suggestions of all reviewers. COpies Of the revised cover
letter and questionnaire which were sent to the selected
sample members are included in the Appendix, pages 93
through 101.

The returned questionnaires were inspected by the
investigator tO determine their usefulness for this study.
Only those questionnaires returned unanswered were dis-
carded.

A coding frame was developed to facilitate uniform
handling of responses to both closed and Open questions.
The coding systems for responses to all closed questions
were established at the time Of questionnaire develOpment
and printed on the survey instrument. Responses tO Open-
end questions were either classified into code response
schemes or hand tabulated by the investigator according to
the response received. All codified response data were
manually recorded on standard 80-column data coding forms
and then key-punched on cards for computer processing.

After carefully considering various statistical
designs, the investigator developed a descriptive list Of
calculations needed to analyze the response data for each
question. Types of calculations needed for meaningful com-

parisons included frequency counts, percentages of total

26

group response, number of unused Observations, cumulative
frequencies and cumulative percentages of total group
response.

The services Of a statistical consultant were
Obtained for assistance in (a) the identification and
application of appropriate computer programs for routine
analyses, (b) the design of special programs to Obtain
selected itemized percentage comparisons, (c) preparing and
verifying the response data for processing, and (d) accu-
rate interpretation Of the answers obtained on the computer
print-out sheets. All data were processed on the Control
Data Corporation High Speed Computer, Model 6500, located

in the Michigan State University Computer Center.

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY DATA

Composition Of the Sample

 

On January 12, 1974, questionnaires with intro-
ductory cover letters were mailed to 200 randomly selected
Michigan members of the American Dietetic Association from
eight Michigan zip code area classifications. The major
geographic area included in each zip code classification
and the system used to select the sample members are
detailed in Table 1, Chapter III, p. 23.

Sample members were given four weeks to return the
completed questionnaires. Eighty (40.4%) were returned in
less than two weeks and by the deadline 43 (21.5%) addi-
tional questionnaires had been returned, yielding an
initial return Of 123 (61.5%).

On February 18, duplicate questionnaires with
reminder cover letters were mailed to the 77 non-respondents
with an extended deadline of three weeks for return. There
were 43 responses to the follow-up mailing, thus, yielding
a total Of 166 (83.0%) returns.

Although 166 questionnaires were returned, 6 (3.6%)

were unanswered with notes attached to explain their

27

28

reasons for not participating in this study. Five members
felt they had nothing to contribute because they were
retired and one questionnaire was returned blank by a pro-
fessional colleague for a deceased addressee. The remain-
ing 160 returned questionnaires were checked for complete-
ness and all were considered usable. All analyses Of the
data are, therefore, based on the 160 professionals who

were willing to participate.

Personal—Professional Characteristics

Personal Information

 

In order to develop a general profile of dietetic
professionals in Michigan, respondents were asked to
identify five personal characteristics: sex, age, marital
status, number and ages Of children, and minority group

membership.

Sex.--Analysis Of the data related to sex indicated
that Of the 160 study participants 9 declined to respond
to this question. Of the 151 who did respond, 148 (98.0%)
were female and 3 (2.0%) were male. These findings are in
general accord with thOse reported in 1972 by the American
Dietetic Association for Michigan members which revealed

that 99 percent Of their survey respondents were female (2).

Age.--Nine of the 160 respondents declined to

answer this question. Of 151 answering, less than 2.0

29

percent (1.4%) of the respondents were under 25 years of
age and only 12.8 percent over 54 years Of age. The number
of respondents in each of three middle age ranges were
nearly evenly distributed, 28.4 percent in the age range

of 25 to 34, 31.8 percent in the age range of 35 to 44,

and 25.7 percent in the age range Of 45 to 54.

Findings further indicate that 29.8 percent Of the
respondents were under 35 years Of age which can be inter‘
preted as one possible indication for an increased future
supply Of dietitians in Michigan, especially when paralleled
with future predictions for additional dietitians needed as
reported by the Study Commission on Dietetics (25). These
data are also encouraging because in a 1969 New Jersey
study (21) Of the dietitians and nutritionists it was
reported that only 15 percent of the respondents were under
age 30 and these researchers noted that these findings
could pose a problem for the future supply of professionals

in these areas.

Marital status.--Eight Of the 160 respondents

 

declined to answer this question but of the 152 who did
respond, approximately 71.0 percent were married, 22.0 per-
cent single, 4.5 percent separated or divorced, and 2.5

percent widowed.

Number and age ranges Of children.—~Twenty-six

 

(16.3%) of the 160 persons responding to the survey did not

30

complete this question. Of the 134 who did, 100 (74.6%)
indicated they had one or more children in at least one Of
six age ranges coordinated with the generally accepted age
levels for education. The remaining 34 respondents were
childless. Data pertaining to the number Of children for
each of the six designated age ranges for the 100 respond-
ents are detailed in Table 2.

As shown in Table 2, the 100 respondents with
children had a total of 267 distributed among all school-
1eve1 age ranges. When school levels are combined, 106
(39.7%) children were 10 years Of age or younger (pre-
school and elementary), 72 (26.9%) were 11 to 17 years of
age (junior and senior high), and 89 (33.3%) were 18 years
Of age or older. Among the 100 respondents, more Of them
had one or more children Of pre-school or elementary
school age (36 each classification) than was true for any

other single category.

Minority group membership.--According to Strauss

 

and Sayles (24), minority employment is perhaps the most
urgent and perplexing personnel problem faced by manage-
ment in the second half of the twentieth century. Dieti-
tians as well as other professional groups faced with this
challenge have made modest progress but have not eliminated

the impact Of past discrimination.

31

 

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mmmHHoouumom .G

N.HH om o H o . mH mm Hmumms HmumHv

OHMSCMHU HOUCD
IIOOOHHOU .m

k.mH m. o o o mH NH km Hmnmm» kHIVHc
Hooaom anm HoHcmm ..

m.HH om o o H m pH mm Hmummm MHIHHV
Hoocom swam Hoflssh .m

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Hoosom humucmEmHm .N

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Hoonomlwum .H

w .02 m a m m H H.021
mmmcmm mmd
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Hobos mpcwpsommmm

roam

MOM cmupaflau mo HOQESZ

 

 

UONHHOEEDm ucmpcommmm comm HOW COHUHHSU mo HOQEDZ

 

 

.Hmucmpcommmu coauzv

.mmcmm mam HO>OHIHOOQOm Op mafipuooofl
"COHOHHEU .mucmpcommmmll.m mamae

32

This study did not intend to explore the cause and
effect of minority employment problems, however, it should
not be construed that such problems do not exist within
this professional group. For this reason the investigator
felt it might be useful to isolate and compare career pro-
files among the ethnic representations of this study with
the intent Of attaining a more precise assessment Of career
advancement. All respondents were asked to check yes if
they were members of a minority group and no if they were
not. Those responding ye§_were asked to identify their
minority group. Of the 145 (90.6%) responding, 127 (87.6%)
checked no and 18 (12.4%) checked yes. Of the 18 who are
minority group members, 14 (77.8%) are Black/Afro American,
2 (11.1%) are Oriental, 1 (5.6%) is Spanish American and
l (5.6%) is American Indian. Fifteen (9.4%) chose not to

answer this question.

Professional Information

 

The professional data which collectively characterize
the respondents' membership in the American Dietetic Asso-
ciation included the year the reSpondent joined the Asso-
ciation, current membership classification, and how he/she
fulfilled the membership eligibility requirements. In
addition, respondents were asked to indicate their current
employment status. In order to facilitate sub—group classi-
fications that would permit meaningful inter- and intra—

sub-group data comparisons, respondents were asked to

33

indicate their extent of employment, if currently employed
inside or Outside the Dietetic Profession, and reasons for

current employment status if unemployed.

Year joined the Association.--All 160 respondents

 

were members of the American Dietetic Association, however,
nine (5.6%) did not answer this question. As shown in
Figure 1, all of the 151 respondents joined the Association
between 1934 and 1973. Based on two twenty-year periods,
34 percent joined between 1934 and 1953, and 66 percent
became members during the period of 1954 through 1973.
Within the limits of this study, it appears that the number
Of Michigan dietitians joining the American Dietetic
Association between 1954-1973 has increased appreciably.
However, when this twenty—year period is divided into two
decades, findings indicate a gradual decrease in the number
Of dietitians joining the Association from decade 3
(1954—1963) to decade 4 (1964-1973).

In order to determine if the Michigan pattern of
membership, as demonstrated by a significant portion of
Michigan dietetic professionals, is reflective Of a gradual
decline in the number of persons joining the Association,
the four decades were compared with the four age ranges
previously indicated by the 151 professionals surveyed.
Upon comparison, the percentage of respondents for each Of

the four decades appears to be distributed in a manner

34

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OHSmquEOE OOHHOHOOmm¢ Oflumumflo cmoHHmE< HwHuHcH mo mmpmoma
can mucmpcommmm >m>Hsm wo mmmm wo cemflummeoo mmmucmoummll.a musmflm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mmpmomm mmmcmm mm<
H m m w H m m w
mvma mmma momfi mnma +mm vmlmv 37mm. mm o
lemma Ivvma lemma Ivoma HOUCD I
mm .IIOH
me I
llom
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wOm u rl.om
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wom
[low
¢Q< UOQHOO mpoomo mmmcmm ova .Ilom
llooa

 

 

useoumm

35

similar to the distribution of group percentage representa-

tion in each of the four age ranges.

Membership classification.--The American Dietetic

 

Association inaugurated registration Of its members on a
voluntary basis in 1969. The registry was initiated to
protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public by
encouraging high standards of performance Of persons prac-
ticing in the profession (10).

Eight (5.0%) Of the 160 respondents declined to
indicate their membership classification. Of the 152
respondents, 140 (92%) were active registered members and
12 (8%) were not. Of the twelve that were not registered,
5 were active members, 4 were life members and 3 were
retired members. Findings from this study closely parallel
the figures reported for Michigan members in the 1972
national study (2) Of the American Dietetic Association

(see Table 3).

Eligibility requirements met.——Eight respondents

 

declined to answer this question. Of the 152 who did
respond, 88.8 percent qualified for membership in the
American Dietetic Association by completing an internship
after earning a bachelor degree, 6.6 percent qualified for
membership through the pre-planned supervised experience
plan after receiving a bachelor degree, 3.3 percent quali—

fied for membership with a masters degree plus approved

36

TABLE 3.--Comparison Between the 1972 National Figures for
Michigan and the One Hundred Fifty-Two Survey
Participants for this Study.

 

 

 

 

 

Michigan From This Study ADA Study - 1972
Membership
Classifications NO. % NO. %
Active-Registered 140 92.0 808 90.0
Active--Not Registered 5 3.0 45 5.0
Life 4 3.0 34 4.0
Retired 3 2.0 8 .89
Honorary __0 0.0 __l .11
TOTALS 152 100.0 896 100.00

 

experience, and 0.7 percent qualified for membership with
an earned doctoral degree.. Only 0.7 percent met the
qualifications for membership by completing a coordinated

undergraduate program in dietetics.

Current employment status.--This question was

 

designed to ascertain the respondents' extent Of employment,
reasons for employment outside the dietetic profession, and
reasons for current unemployment.

Among the 160 respondents, 75.1 percent were cur-
rently employed in the field of dietetics, 56.3 percent

full-time and 18.8 percent part-time. Of those remaining,

37

2.5 percent were employed outside the field of dietetics
and 22.5 percent were unemployed.

Four (2.5%) Of the respondents reported that they
were employed full-time outside the profession Of dietetics
and, collectively, indicated six reasons for this. Three
reasons mentioned, each by two of the four respondents, were
higher salaries available outside the dietetic profession,
more advantageous fringe benefits and a scarcity Of jobs
for dietitians in their locality. The three other reasons
cited, each by at least one of these four respondents, were
present job is more challenging, better Opportunity for
personal advancement, and fewer evening, weekend, and holi-
day work hours required.

Thirty-six (22.5%) Of the respondents who indicated
they were unemployed at the time of this survey identified
seven different reasons for this. Twenty-two (61.1%) were
full-time homemakers not seeking employment, eight (22.2%)
were attending graduate school full-time, five (13.9%) were
retired and not interested in further employment and four
(11.1%) were physically unable to work. The three remain-
ing reasons reported, temporarily out of work-actively
seeking employment, the scarcity Of full-time job Oppor-
tunities for dietitians and the scarcity Of part-time job
Opportunities for dietitians, were each mentioned by one

respondent Of the unemployed group.

38

With regard to the major reason for unemployment Of
professionally qualified dietitians, the data Obtained in
this survey appear to support the findings of Sanford,
McKinley, and Scruggs (20) in which 80 (74%) of 108 unem-
ployed dietitians stated that personal reasons such as
family responsibilities or pregnancy would not permit them
to work. Findings of other research workers (22, 13, 26)
also indicate that the presence and responsibility of young
children is one major reason for unemployment among pro-
fessional dietitians.

Relationship Between Employment Status

and Parental Responsibility According
to Ethnic Group Membership

 

 

Response data pertaining to employment status and
parental responsibility are summarized by ethnic group
membership and presented in Table 4. Examination Of the
relationships between employment status and parental
responsibilities within and between minority group members
and non-minority group members revealed the following
comparisons:

A. Ethnic group membership as disclosed by 145

(90.7%) of the 160 study participants revealed
that 18 (11.3%) of the respondents were members
Of one Of four minority groups and 127 (79.4%)
were not minority group members. (Fifteen study
participants chose not to respond to this

particular question.)

I39

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40

B. With respect to employment status, 17 (94.5%)
of the 18 minority group members were employed
and only 1 (5.6%) was not. In contrast only 93
(73.2%) of the 127 non-minority respondents were
employed whereas 34 (26.8%) were not.

C. With respect to parental responsibility, 13
(72.2%) of the minority respondents had children
and 5 (27.9%) did not. Of the non-minority
group members 75 (59.1%) had children and 52
(40.9%) did not.

D. Comparisons of employment status and parental
responsibility revealed that of the minority
group respondents 13 (72.2%) of those employed
had children and 4 (22.3%) did not. The one
remaining respondent of the minority group was
both unemployed and childless. On the other
hand, of the non-minority respondents 48 (37.8%)
Of those employed had children and 45 (35.4%)
did not; of those who were unemployed, 27
(21.3%) had children and 7 (5.5%) did not.

Although it is acknowledged that the source of

these data is limited (145 [16.4%] Of the 882 members Of the
American Dietetic Association residing in Michigan in 1973)
these findings do provide some evidence that, among Michigan
ADA qualified dietitians, minority professionals with

family responsibilities are more likely to be active

41

practitioners than their non—minority counterparts. Further-
more, this higher percentage of non-minority dietary pro-
fessionals (as Opposed to minority dietary professionals)

who were unemployed at the time Of this survey may be indica-
tive Of a variety of personal priorities and/or situational
factors which collectively influenced the employment status

of these professionals.

Locating Professional Employment

 

The questions in this part of the study were designed
to gather Opinions Of the respondents regarding Opportunities
for learning about professional vacancies in the field of
dietetics. In addition, respondents were asked to (a) iden-
tify the methods they had used, (b) indicate their effective-
ness, and (c) for any method(s) they had not used, indicate
the reason(s) why.

Learning About Professional
Job Opportunities

 

 

Respondents were asked to check one Of four state-
ments which in their Opinion best described their oppor-
tunities for learning about job vacancies in the field Of
dietetics. Nine survey participants declined to indicate
their Opinions regarding this question. Of the 151 who did

respond, two (1.3%) indicated excellent and eighty-five

 

(56.3%) indicated good. Although not a majority, sixty-four

(42.4%) Of those surveyed felt their Opportunities in this

42

regard were poor to very poor (poor = 46 [30.5%], very poor

 

= 18 [11.9%]). From these findings it appears that more
effective means Of informing professional dietitians of
job vacancies should be developed in an effort to attract
more persons to the field and to encourage those already
in the field to remain.

Locating Professional Employment
Opportunities

 

 

From a list Of nine methods commonly available to
dietitians when searching for professional employment,
respondents were asked to indicate which of these methods
they had used and the number of jOb offers they had received
by each method. A list of six reasons sometimes given by
professionals for ngg_using certain methods to locate job
Opportunities was also developed to ascertain why respondents
in this study had not used certain methods when trying to
locate employment. For each method not used, respondents
were asked to indicate why by either identifying the reason(s)
from the list provided or by writing in additional reasons.
The response data are summarized by method in Table 5.

A prerequisite for analysis Of these data is an
understanding of the limitations inherent in them. This
survey did not request the number of times a single method
has been used, the frequency of job search, nor the combina-

tions in which job seekers used the methods. Absence of

43

 

 

 

 

 

 

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44

such information inhibits calculation of a true measure Of
job search intensity. The data from this investigation
show only the extent tO which the respondents used the

job-seeking methods usually available.

A. Methods used.--Tabulation of the response data

 

indicated that each of the methods listed had been used by
some members of the survey group. As shown in Table 5, the
most frequently indicated method (57.5% Of the respondents)
was to telephone or send letters Of inquiry to potential
employers. The second most frequently used method (reported
by 45.0% of the respondents) was to inquire among former
classmates and/or professional colleagues. Percentages of
respondents indicating their usage Of the seven remaining
methods ranged from 27.5 percent to 2.5 percent. Of these,
college placement services, public employment agencies, and
advertising in professional journals had been used by less
than 10 percent of the persons reporting. These findings
are in accord with those reported by the Monthly Labor
Review (4) where the most frequently used jobseeking method
was applying directly to potential employers.

Twelve (7.5%) of the 160 respondents wrote in three
other methods they had used to locate professional employ-
ment. Seven participants had used the American Dietetic Assoc-
iation Placement Service, four had contacted their respective

internship directors and responded to job availability

45

announcements received by these directors, and one had con-
tacted a friend of the family. In every case, one or more

job Offers had been received by using these methods.

B. Job Offers received.--The comparative effective—

 

ness of the methods used by the survey participants for
locating professional employment is readily apparent from
the data presented in Table 5. For all methods listed, a
high percentage Of the survey respondents who used each
method experienced positive results with the range of l to 3

job Offers predominating.

C. Reasons methods not used.--The reason most fre-

 

quently indicated by respondents for not using a particular
method for locating professional employment Opportunities
was that it had not been personally necessary. Among
methods, this response ranged from 89.2 to 95.8 percent

(see Table 5). The frequency of mention for each of the
other five reasons cited by respondents varied considerably
among methods. In every instance, however, the frequency of
mention of a single reason did not exceed 5.5 percent of
those reporting they did not use the method.

Judging from the data submitted by the respondents
in this study it appears that because of the continuing
shortage of qualified dietitians in Michigan and the
increased public need for dietetic services, locating

employment Opportunities has not been a difficult problem

46

for the majority of professionals who participated in this
survey. In recent years the burden Of "search" for quali-
fied persons to provide dietary services appears to affect
employers more than individuals desiring employment.

Characteristics of Current
and Previous Jobs

 

 

This part of the questionnaire pertained to those
characteristics Of one's current and previous jobs which
may affect career advancement. At the time the survey was
taken 36 (22.5%) Of the 160 respondents were not currently
employed. Therefore, the number of respondents on which
the current job data analyses are based is 124. The data
relative to previous jobs are based on 147 respondents
because 13 (8.1%) of the 160 survey participants were still

in their first jobs.

Current Job

 

Length Of employment.--With respect to length of

 

employment in the current job, 36.3 percent Of the respond-
ents had been in their current positions for less than 3
years, and 37.9 percent had had their jobs for 3 to 10 years.
The remaining respondents (25.9%) reported lengths of
employment ranging from 10 years to over 25 years (17.9%
for 10 to 20 years and 8.0% for 20 years or more).

This large proportion Of respondents (74.2%)

employed in their current position for less than ten years

47

is not uncommon in the field of dietetics because women
comprise the major portion Of professionals in Dietetic
Departments. Findings of one researcher in the field of
dietetics (22) have indicated that marriage and family
responsibilities were major reasons reported by graduates

for either not entering or for leaving the field.

Current job ratings.--When asked to rate their

 

current job, attitudes expressed by 82.3 percent Of the

respondents indicated a rating Of excellent to good (23.4%

 

excellent, 58.9% good). Ratings Of fair were indicated by
12.9 percent of the survey participants and only 4.8 per-

cent rated their current job as poor (4.0%) or very poor

 

(0.8%). Within the limits Of these data is appears that,
in general, Michigan dietitians are satisfied with their

current positions as professionals.

Plans to remain at current jOb.--Responses to this

 

question revealed that over half (53.2%) Of the survey
members were planning to stay on their present jobs
indefinitely and another 14.5 percent planned to remain
until retirement. On the basis Of these responses it seems
likely that two-thirds of those surveyed viewed their
current employment as personally stable. On the other hand,
one-third Of the respondents (32.3%) indicated they were
contemplating a personal change within 5 years or less. Of

these, 13.7 percent planned to change within 5 years, 5.7

48

percent within 2 to 3 years, 10.5 percent within 1 to 2
years and 2.4 percent within a few months.

Although it is generally postulated that an
important underlying cause of high turnover rates in employ-
ment is a person's failure to achieve the desired job satis-
faction, the data from the dietetic professionals partici-
pating in this study indicate that this premise may be

correct for only one—third of these respondents.

Whereabouts of respondents'ppredecessors.--In order
to assess intrinsic mobility of dietary professionals within
the employment unit, survey participants were asked to
select which Of eight possible answers best explained the
whereabouts of the person whom they had replaced. In
responding 31.5 percent indicated working at another
institution, agency or business firm, 24.2 percent had no
predecessor, 12.9 percent did not know, 12.1 percent checked
retired, 5.7 percent checked deceased, 4.0 percent checked
working at the same institution but in an advanced position,
4.0 percent checked has left the profession, 0.8 percent
checked attending graduate school full-time, and 4.8 percent
wrote in responses that had not been provided for in the
list given. Write-in responses relative to the precedessors
of these six respondents included: has left town, is working
at the same institution in a lower position, is working as

my assistant at the same institution but is not a member Of

49

the American Dietetic Association, and married--not working

but still very active in the Association.

Importance Of factors in current job acceptance.--
Respondents were asked to indicate the relative importance
of eleven factors in their decision to accept their current
job. Percentages of group response for four degrees Of
importance for each Of the eleven selected factors are
detailed in Table 6. Percentages of group response for ygpy.

important and quite important have been added together to

 

 

ascertain the relative importance among factors. The rank
order of importance (most to least) for these eleven factors
is presented in Table 7.

At least 40.0 percent of the respondents felt that
environmental factors and advancement Opportunities were
significant in deciding to accept their current job. The
setting in which the job places the dietitian--1ocality/
climate, although noticeably of lesser importance than both
professional and compensation factors for the study
respondents, is the third strongest influence upon job
acceptance. It is also realized that for women in the field
Of dietetics, environmental factors which may influence the
dietitian's job choice are Often predetermined by the
employment Opportunities of the spouse.

Findings from a 1967 study (6) Of employment

mobility among college professors indicated that

50

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51

TABLE 7 .--Rank Order of Importance for Eleven Factors
Which Influenced Job Choice for Michigan
Dietitians (most to least).

 

 

 

Rank Percent of
Order Group Responding*

1. Challenging assignment 80.7

2. Reputation of employer 1 70.2

3. Salary 67.0

4. Working hours 64.5

5. Future salary prospects 61.3

6. Fringe benefits 56.5

7. Additional income 45.2

8. Locality/Climate 43.5

9. Advancement Opportunities 41.2
10. Bored with staying home 21.8
11. Research opportunities 21.0

h

* .
Percent indicating very important or quite

important (N=124).

 

 

environmental factors in general were not important in job
choice decisions among academicians. In ranking order of
importance such factors as cultural Opportunities, congeni—
ality of colleagues, nearness to graduate school, proximity
Of friends and relatives and climate crowd the bottom Of
the list. More than any other Of the seventeen factors

listed, professors were willing to sacrifice their

52

preferred environment in order to attain other advantages
Of a given job.

The smaller degree Of influence of advancement
Opportunities on dietitians' for accepting employment can
perhaps be explained in part by findings reported earlier
in this study. Respondents were asked to indicate how long
they planned to remain on their current jobs and one-third
(32.3%) Of the 124 currently employed professionals indi-
cated they were contemplating a personal change within 5
years or less. It is apparent that women do not have as
strong an attachment to the labor force as men and may Often
be contemplating change in professional jobs due to the
career mobility Of the spouse. Two factors affecting far
fewer respondents (less than 22.0%) when making the
decisions to accept their current job were bored with stay-

ing home, and research Opportunities.

Previous Job

 

Two questions pertaining to employment immediately
prior to the job currently held (or last job if currently
unemployed) sought information about (a) the number of
years study participants had been on their last jobs, and
(b) their reasons for leaving those jobs. Thirteen (8.1%)
of the 160 persons surveyed were unable to complete these
questions because they were still in their first jobs. The

response data reported here, therefore, are necessarily

53

limited to the 147 persons who were able to furnish the

requested information.

Length of employment.—-Of the 147 persons reporting,

 

112 (76.2%) had left their previous jobs before they had
completed 5 years of service: 25 (17.0%) within 1 year

or less, 64 (43.5%) within 1 to 3 years and 23 (15.7%)
within 3 to 5 years. Of the 35 (23.9%) remaining, 17
(11.6%) had departed after 5 to 10 years Of service, 11
(7.5%) after 10 to 15 years and 7 (4.8%) after 15 or more
years. Within the limits of these data, less than one-
fourth (23.9%) Of the Michigan dietitians surveyed had
accumulated a service record Of more than 5 years with their

previous employer.

Reasons for leaving previous job.—-Respondents

 

were presented with a list of 13 reasons commonly expressed
by dietary professionals to explain why they have changed
jobs. Each person was asked to check as many reasons as
applied to their situation and encouraged to write-in
additional reasons if desired.

The number of responses given by the 147 partici-
pants totaled 235 with no additional reasons cited. A
summary of the responses received, ranked according to
frequency of mention, is presented in Table 8.

From these data it is apparent that the 5 most

frequently indicated reasons for changing jobs all relate

54

TABLE 8.-—Reasons for Leaving Previous Job (N=147).

 

Percent Group

 

 

giggr Reasons for Leaving Response
No. %
1. Family Obligations 46 31.3
2. More challenging job Opportunity
came along 36 24.5
3. Moved to a different city 35 23.8
4. Personal——other reasons 31 21.1
5. Professional advancement outlook poor 29 19.7
6. Dissatisfied with salary 13 8.8
7. Position terminated--became unemployed 12 8.2
8. Personal-physical reasons 10 6.8
9. Returned to college for advanced study 7 4.8
10. Dissatisfied with employment benefits 6 4.1
11. Early retirement 6 4.1

12. Change in dietary management--from
institution Operated to contract
food management company 3 2.0

13. Mandatory retirement 1 0.7

 

to the accommodation and/or fulfillment of family obliga-
tions and a desire for professional advancement. Since a
high percentage of the study participants are married women

with children, this finding is not surprising considering:

55

(a) their dual roles as homemakers and professionals, and
(b) the immediate and long-range benefits derived from
additional family income.

Although cited with less frequency, the remaining
8 reasons suggest the variety and, perhaps, the probability
Of multiple factors which have influenced these Michigan
dietitians to change employers.

Professional Employment in the
Field of Dietetics

 

 

In an effort to assemble a general profile Of
dietary positions held by Michigan professionals, survey
participants were asked to report on eight characteristics
descriptive of their current and/or previous positions in
the field of dietetics. The information requested
included the following:

1. Type and location of employing institution
agency or business firm.

2. Categories Of professional job titles.

3. Number Of hours dietetic professionals
work per week. .

4. Weekend and holiday work requirements.

5. Percentage of time devoted to eight
professional activities.

6. Years of dietetic work experience prior to
job acceptance.

7. Salary commensurate with demonstrated
abilities for assigned duties.

56

8. Career advancement—-promotion received
versus salary increase, former job title,
and denial of consideration for better
or different job.

Type and Location Of Employing
Institution, Agency or
Business Firm

 

 

 

As shown in Table 9, the respondents reported a
variety of settings in which they were or had been pre—
viously employed. For both current and previous jobs, the
majority are (were) employees of hospitals (65.8% currently,
74.6% previously). Other employment settings reported for

current and previous jobs are (were) non-hospital health

TABLE 9.--Type Of Employing Institution, Agency of
Business Firm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Job Previous Job
Type Of Employer
NO. % NO. %
Hospital 79 65.8 97 74.6
Non-Hospital Health Care
Facility 21 17.5 9 6.9
Public School 7 5.8 2 1.5
College University 5 4.2 12 9.2
State Agency 3 2.5 -- —--
Commercial Business 5 4.2 7 5.4
Sub-total 120 100.0 127 97.6

NO Response 0 -- 3 2.3

TOTAL 120 100.0 130 99.9

 

57

care facility, public school, college/university, and com-
mercial business. A very small percentage (2.5) of
respondents are currently employed in a state agency

whereas none had had a previous job in a state agency.

Geographic mobilipy.--Eighty-one (67.5%) Of the 120

 

dietetic professionals currently employed in Michigan were
previously employed in the state Of Michigan, 24 (20.0%) had
previously been employed in sixteen other states, and 2
(1.6%) had come to Michigan from other countries. Thirteen
(10.8%) did not indicate the geographic location of their
previous job.

Categories Of Professional
Job Titles

 

 

Dietitians are (were) engaged in a wide variety Of
professional assignments as indicated by the job titles
reported. The majority (70.7% for current job and 67.8%
for previous job) reported job assignments which involved
responsibilities for direct patient services. The second
category Of professional assignments most frequently indi-
cated was responsibility for the management of food service
Operations (25.0% for current job and 25.4% for previous
job). Considerably fewer respondents (4.2% for current
job and 6.7% for previous job) reported titles indicating
college/university teaching, consumer services or research

assignments. The thirteen specific professional titles

58

reported by the respondents (120 for current job and 130

for previous job) are detailed in Table 10.

Number Of Hours Worked per Week

 

The number of hours worked per week, as reported
by dietetic professionals, were identical in rank order of
frequency for current and for previous jobs. As shown in
Table 11, over half Of the survey respondents are (were)
engaged in professional dietetic activity 31-40 hours per
week (55.8 percent for current job and 70.0 percent for
previous job), a decrease Of 14.2 percent from previous to
current jobs. When compared with respondents' previous jobs
there is a 6.9 percent increase Of dietitians who currently
work less than 21 hours per week, an increase of 4.0 percent
who work over 40 hours per week, and a 2.9 percent increase
of dietitians who work 21-30 hours per week.

These reported differences imply that some dieti-
tians are working fewer hours per week on their current
job, than on their previous job. Earlier findings in this
study concerning job titles also revealed that there were
signigifantly more consultant dietitians practicing on
current jobs than were practicing on previous jobs. Accord-
ing to one study the consultant dietitian (19) is an
advisor and may Opt to work anywhere from less than half-
time to more than full-time, depending on his/her personal
desires and the needs of the institution as agreed upon with

the administrator.

59

TABLE 10.--Categories Of Professional Job Titles:

and Previous Jobs.

Current

 

Professional Assignment

Current Job

Previous Job

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NO. % NO. %
Patient Service Dietitians:
Chief Therapeutic 4 3.3 5 3.8
Head Therapeutic 13 10.8 7 5.4
Generalist (Therapeutic and
Administrative) 6 5.0 8 6.2
Teaching (In-Service, School
Of Nursing) 3 2.5 8 6.2
Public Health/Community Service 7 5.8 7 5.4
Consultant 21 ggpg _2 _912
Sub-Total 85 70.7 88 67.8
FOOdeprvice Management
D1et1t1ans:
Chief Dietitian/Director 15 12.5 12 9.2
Assistant Director 5 4.2 4 3.1
Food Production/Administrator 19 .912 ll lgyl
Sub-Total 30 25.0 33 25.4
Other Assignments
College/University Teaching 1 0.8 5 3.8
Consumer Services 2 1.7 3 2.1
Research _3_ .111 _l .919
Sub-Total _§_ _4;2 _g_ .911
TOTAL 120 99.9 30 99.9

 

60

TABLE ll.--Number Of Hours Dietetic Professionals Work Per
Week.

 

Current Job Previous Job Differences*

 

 

Range of Hours

 

 

 

NO. % NO. % %
Less than 24 hours 24 20.0 17 13.1 (+) 6.9
21-30 Hours 10 8.3 7 5.4 (+) 2.9
31—40 Hours 67 55.8 91 70.0 (-)14.2
Over 40 Hours 15 12.5 11 8.5 (+) 4.0
NO Response __4 3.3 __4 3.1
TOTAL 120 99.9 130 100.1

 

*
Differences shown for current job.

Weekend and Holiday Work
Requirements

 

 

The data reported by dietetic professionals regard-
ing weekend and holiday responsibilities of their current
and previous jobs are summarized in Table 12.

These findings clearly indicate that the survey
participants are working fewer weekends and holidays, confirm-
ing the possibility that duties once performed by dietitians
are to some extent delegated to dietary supportive personnel.
The writingscflleine and Dowling (14) lend unified support
to the use Of dietary supportive personnel such as diet
clerks, dietary technicians, and qualified food supervisors

to assume responsibilities that would relieve dietitians Of

61

TABLE 12.—-Weekend and Holiday Work Requirements.

 

 

Current Job

Previous Job

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Responsibilities
NO. % NO. %
Weekend
Yes 41 34.2 81 62.3
NO 77 64.2 42 32.3
NO Response __2_ 1.7 __1_ 5.4
TOTAL 120 100.1 130 100.0
Holiday
Yes 34 28.3 59 45.4
NO 81 67.5 50 38.5
NO Response __5 4.2 _21 16.2
TOTAL 120 100.0 130 100.1

 

routine and repetitive tasks.

Two major advantages Of this

approach are (a) it would make the dietitian available for

functioning as a part of the medical team, and (b) better

utilization of dietitians would help to alleviate the short-

age Of dietitians.

Percentage Of Time Devoted to

 

Eigpt Professional Activities

 

Respondents were asked to indicate the percentage

of employed time, for their current and previous jobs, they

devoted to each Of eight professional activity areas:

62

(a) administrative duties, (b) nutrition counseling
(therapeutics), (c) food production and service (manage—
ment), (d) inservice staff and/or employee training,

(e) product develOpment, (f) classroom teaching, (g) manage-
ment consulting, and research. Figure 2 shows a compara-
tive analysis Of the percentage group response reported for
six time percentage ranges for each professional activity
for current and previous jobs.

Percents of group response indicating employed time
devoted to eight types of professional activity in current
and in previous jobs are detailed in Table 13. Differences
in group percentage responses between current and previous
job data are also shown.

From these summary data it is apparent that some
respondents are currently and/or were previously involved
in all eight Of the professional activities listed. It's
also apparent that the assigned combination Of duties Of
dietary responsibilities depend upon the particular require-
ments Of the positions they hold and the Operational needs
Of the institutions, agencies or businesses which employ
them.

Within the limits of these data it appears that in
current jobs fewer respondents are involved in activities
related to food production and service than was true in
previous jobs. All other activities listed indicated an

increase in percent Of group participation for current jobs

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68

over previous jobs. The greatest gains are evident for the
activities of inservice staff/employee training, management
consulting and research.

Years of Dietetic Work
Experience

 

 

Responses pertaining to the years of work experi-
ence in the field of dietetics when the survey participants
accepted their current and previous jobs, detailed accord-
ing to percent of group response for six time ranges, are
reported in Table 14. Among those reporting, the highest
percentage of group response for both current and previous
jobs was in the combined experience range of 5 years or
less (53.5% for current and 73.1% for previous). The data
presented in Table 14 appears to indicate that a high
proportion of the survey members have been actively engaged
in dietary practice during their respective working years

and, upon entry into the profession, have remained.

Career Advancement Experiences

 

Salary commensurate with demonstrated abilities.--Of
the 120 currently employed respondents 5 (4.2%) did not
answer this question, and of 130 previously employed respon-
dents 3 (2.3%) did not answer the question. Slightly fewer
currently employed respondents indicated that their salary
was commensurate with their demonstrated abilities than did

previously employed respondents. Seventy-seven (64.2%)

69

TABLE l4.--Years of Dietetic Work Experience Prior to Job

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acceptance.
Current Job Previous Job
Years of Experience
No. % No. %
None 13 10.8 29 22.3
Less than 3 years 21 17.5 34 26.2
3 to 5 years 30 25.0 32 24.6
More than 5 years, but
less than 10 years 21 17.5 17 13.1
10 to 20 years 28 23.3 13 10.0
Over 20 years 7 5.8 5 3.8
TOTAL 120 99.9 130 100.0

 

indicated yes and 38 (31.7%) indicated ng_for current job.
Ninety (69.2%) indicated yes and 37 (28.5%) indicated no_

for previous job.

Promotion received versus salary increase.--Of 120
currently employed dietetic professionals 8 (6.7%) did not
respond and of 130 previously employed professionals 4 (3.1%)
did not reSpond. There were slightly more professionals who
received a promotion accompanied by a salary increase on their
current job than on their previous job, however neither
exceeded 40.0 percent. For current job 47 (39.2%) indicated
yes and they had received a promotion and 65 (54-2%) indicated

no they had not. Of the 47 currently employed respondents that

70

indicated yes, 18 (38.3%) had received a salary increase,
29 (61.7%) indicated no they had not. Of the 42 previously
employed respondents that had received a promotion, 14 (33.3%)

had received a salary increase and 28 (66.7%) had not.

Former job title.--Forty-seven (39.2%) of the 120

 

currently employed professionals and 42 (32.3%) of the 130
previously employed professionals received a promotion
which resulted in a change of job title. See Table 15 for
patterns of progression from former job title.

Thirty-two (68.0%) of the 47 currently employed
professionals that had received a promotion progressed from
the job title of patient service dietitian, 8 (16.9%)
progressed from food production, 3 (6.4%) progressed from
director of dietetics, and 4 (8.5%) progressed from
generalist (patient service and food production). These
professionals progressed to a variety of dietetic positions
with consultant dietitian being the most frequently men-
tioned--by 36.2 percent of the professionals.

Twenty-one (50.0%) of the 130 previously employed
professionals that had received a promotion also progressed
from the job title of patient service dietitian, 10 (23.8%)
progressed from food production, 4 (9.5%) progressed from
patient service head, 4 (9.5%) progressed from patient
service head, 4 (9.5%) progressed from generalist (patient

service and food production), and 3 (7.2%) progressed from

TABLE

71

15.--Patterns of Progression from Former Job Title to
Current and/or Previous Job Titles for Dietetic

Professionals.

 

FROM:
TO:

Former Job Title
Current and/or
Previous Job Titles

Current Job*

 

No.

%

Previous Job**

 

NO.

%

 

FROM:

Patient Service

 

TO:

FROM:

Consultant

Patient Service Head

Food Production

Food Service Director

Chief Therapeutic
Dietitian

Teaching (In-Service
Education)

Sub-Total

Patient Service Head

 

TO:

FROM:

Food Production
Teaching (In-Service
(Education)

Sub-Total

Food Production

 

TO:

FROM:
TO:

FROM:

Patient Service

Consultant

Patient Service Head

Asst. Director of
Food Service

Director of FOOd
Service

Sub-Total

Director of Food Service

Consultant
Patient Service
Food Production

Sub-Total

Generalist (Patient

 

TO:

Service & Food Prod.)

 

Food Service Director
Patient Service Head

Sub-Total
TOTAL

bub-CDC)

.5

ll
wllw

A
\lhl-‘w

oo
UlUlObJ

 

I
...IHN.

.5
NbI-‘UJ

-a
O O
are

\0
O
U"

 

100.0

 

*
**Current Job N=47
Previous Job N=42

72

director of food service. These professionals progressed
to a variety of dietetic positions with patient service
head being the most frequently mentioned (31.0%) and

closely followed by patient service dietitian (23.8%).

Denial of consideration for better or different

 

jgb,--Ten (8.3%) of the 120 currently employed professionals
surveyed declined to answer this question. Only 4 (3.3%)

of the currently employed group stated they had been denied
consideration for a better (or different) job in the

dietary department of their employing institution, agency

or business firm. Previous job response data for this
question (130 respondents) indicated that 13 (10.0%) did

not complete the question, and 13 (10.0%) reported they had,
been denied consideration for a better (or different) job

by their previous employers.

These findings suggest that only a very small per—
centage of the participants of this study had encountered
unfair employment practices with respect to available job
opportunities within their respective places of employment.
Even though 54.2 percent of the 120 currently employed
dietitians had not received promotions from their respective
employers, only 3.3 percent felt they had been denied con-
sideration for a better or different position within the
organization. Although the percentages were slightly

higher, the same was generally true for the 130 participants

73

who reported on their previous job situations; 64.6 per—
cent had not received promotions but only 10.0 percent
felt that they had been denied consideration for available

job changes within their employing organization.

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The purpose of this study was to identify some of
the reasons why professionally qualified dietitians who
reside in Michigan reveal the professional employment pro-
files they do. It was hoped that identification of these
factors and their relative influence on the individuals
surveyed would provide insight for educators who are con-
cerned with increasing the supply of dietitians and for
employers who are in need of expanding their dietary ser-
vices but are finding it difficult to employ qualified
professionals to support their needs adequately.

The underlying assumption was that the central
problem of career mobility for professionally trained
dietitians leads to a cul-de-sac which offers minimal
recompense for experience, intelligence and energy, and
that better utilization of employed dietitians depends
largely upon improving career advancement Opportunities.

The data gathering device chosen for this survey
was a seven-page mail-back questionnaire which included
both Open-end and closed questions. The primary objec-
tives were:

74

75

1. To extrapolate and identify those variables
that contribute to the professional inactivity
of Michigan members of the American Dietetic
Association, and

2. To identify those factors that contribute to
the diverse mobility of Michigan members of
the American Dietetic Association.

An initial sample of 200 professionally qualified
Michigan dietitians who were 1973 members of the American
Dietetic Association residing in the Lower Peninsula was
randomly selected for study. Usable returns were received
from 160 (80.0%) of those contacted. Questionnaire item
analyses were based on the total number of responses
received for each question. For ease in reporting, the
study findings reported parallel the sub-divisions used
in the design of the survey instrument (Appendix, pp. 93

to 101).

Summary of Survey Findings

 

Personal-Professional Characteristics

 

In order to develOp a general profile of dietetic
professionals in Michigan, respondents were asked to
identify five personal characteristics, professional data
which collectively characterize the respondents' member-
ship in the American Dietetic Association, and their
current employment status. Tabulations of these data

indicated that:

76

Ninety-eight percent of the respondents were
female and only two percent were male.

The majority (85.8%) of the respondents were
nearly evenly distributed over the age ranges
of 25 to 34, 35 to 44, and 45 to 54. Less
than two percent were under 25, 30 percent
were under 35, and 13 percent were 55 or over.

Seventy-one percent of the respondents were
married, 22 percent single and seven percent
separated/divorced/widowed.

Seventy-five percent of the respondents had
one or more children in at least one of six
age ranges that were coordinated with the

generally accepted age levels for education.

There were 18 (12.4%) minority group members
which included Black/Afro American, Oriental,
Spanish American, and American Indian.

Based on two 20-year periods, 34 percent of
the reSpondents joined the American Dietetic
Association between 1934-1953, and 66 percent
became members during the period of 1954-1973.

The majority (92.0%) of the respondents were
active registered members of the American
Dietetic Association. Of the 12 who were not
registered, five were active members, four
were life members and three were retired.

The majority (88.8%) qualified for American
Dietetic Association membership by completing
an internship after earning a bachelor degree.

The majority (75.1%) of respondents were
currently employed full—time or part-time in
the field of dietetics, 2.5 percent were
employed outside the field of dietetics, and
22.5 percent were unemployed. The three major
reasons mentioned by those employed outside
the field were: (a) higher salaries available
outside the dietetic profession, (b) more
advantageous fringe benefits, and (c) a
scarcity of jobs for dietitians in their
localities.

10.

ll.

77

The major reason indicated for unemployment
was that the respondents were full-time home-
makers--not seeking employment. To a far
lesser degree some were attending graduate
school, a few were retired, and a few were
physically unable to work.

Among Michigan's professionally qualified
dietitians, minority professionals with
family responsibilities are more likely to be
active practitioners than their non—minority
counterparts.

Locating Professional Employment

 

Respondents were asked to give their opinions

regarding opportunities for learning about professional

vacancies in the field of dietetics, the methods they had

used to find employment, the number of job offers

received from each of these methods, and why they had not

used some of the other methods suggested by the researcher.

Responses to these questions revealed that:

1.

Over half (57.6%) of the respondents

felt their opportunities for learning about
professional job vacancies in the field of
dietetics were excellent to good. Slightly
less than half (42.4%) felt their opportuni-
ties in this regard were poor to very poor.

A total of twelve methods commonly available

to dietitians when searching for professional
employment were cited by the survey respondents.
Two of the most frequently mentioned methods
used by the survey participants were telephoned
and/or sent letters of inquiry to potential
employers (57.5%) and inquired among former
classmates and/or professional colleagues
(45.0%).

In all cases, the users of each of the twelve
methods had experienced positive results
(1 to 3 job offers).

78

The reason most frequently indicated by
respondents for not using a particular method
to locate employment opportunities was that
it had not been personally necessary (89.2%-
95.8% for each method).

Characteristics of Current

 

and Previous Jobs

 

Findings relevant to the characteristics of the

respondents' current and previous jobs which may affect

career advancement resulted in the following:

1.

A large proportion (74.2%) of the respondents
had only been employed in their current jobs
for less than 10 years. Of these, nearly half
had completed less than three years of service.

A very high percentage (82.3%) of the reSpond-
ents rated their current job as excellent or
good.

 

Two-thirds of those surveyed viewed their
current job situation as personally stable:
53.2 percent planned to remain on their
current job indefinitely and 14.5 percent
planned to remain until retirement. One-third
revealed they were contemplating a personal
change within five years or less.

The majority (80.7%) of the survey partici-
pants indicated four explanations for the
where-abouts of their predecessors (the
person whom they replaced). Thirty-one and a
half percent indicated--working at another
institution, agency or business firm, 12.9
percent indicated--they did not know, 12.1
percent indicated--their predecessor had
retired, and 24.2 percent indicated--they had
no predecessor.

It is realized that job choice for women in

the field of dietetics is often pre-determined
by the employment opportunities of their spouse.
In ranking order, the six factors which influ-
enced job choice most, as reported by over 50
percent of the respondents, were:

79

(a) challenging assignment, (b) reputation
of employer, (c) salary, (d) working hours,
(e) future salary prospects, and (f) fringe
benefits.

The majority (76.2%) of the respondents had
left their previous or last job before com-
pleting five years of service. Of the
remaining 23.8 percent, 11.6 percent had
terminated their employment after 5 to 10
years of service, 7.5 percent after 10 to 15
years and 4.8 percent after 15 or more years
of service.

The five most frequently indicated reasons for
previously employed professionals to change
jobs relate to the accommodation and/or ful-
fillment of family obligations and a desire
for professional advancement, namely: (a)
family obligations, (b) more challenging job
opportunity came along, (c) moved to a dif-
ferent city, (d) personal--other reasons,

(e) professional advancement outlook poor.

Professional Employment in the

 

Field of Dietetics

 

Respondents provided descriptive data concerning

the types of current‘and previous positions held, the

conditions of employment for each, and their opportunities

for career advancement.

l.

The majority of respondents (83.3% for current
jobs and 81.1% for previous jobs) were employed
in hospitals or non-hospital health care
facilities.

Geographic mobility across Michigan State
boundaries was experienced by 24.3 percent of
respondents from their previous to their
current job. The majority (75.7%) of the
currently employed respondents had held pre-
vious jobs in Michigan, 22.4 percent had moved
from 16 other states, and 1.9 percent had come
from two other countries.

80

Although the survey respondents had had a
variety of job titles, the three categories

of professional assignment most frequently
stated for current and previous jobs were:

(a) patient services, (b) food service manage-
ment, and (c) consulting. There was a marked
percentage increase of consultant dietitians
from previous jobs (6.9%) to current jobs
(22.5%).

Over half of the respondents were engaged in
professional dietetic activity 31-40 hours per
week, 55.8 percent for current jobs and 70.0
percent for previous jobs. Of the remaining
respondents, 28.3 percent worked 30 hours per
week or less for current jobs--18.5 percent
for previous jobs and 12.5 percent worked

over 40 hours per week for current jobs and
8.5 percent for previous jobs.

Among those reporting, fewer were required to
work weekends and holidays on their current
jobs than had been true on their previous jobs
(or last job if currently unemployed).

Comparisons of the percentages of on-the-job
time devoted to eight types of professional
activities by the respondents in their current
and their previous (or last) job indicated
that:

a. Fewer were involved in activities related
to food production and service in their
current job than had been true in their
previous (last) job.

b. For each of the seven remaining activity
areas, more of the respondents reported
involvement in their current job than had
been true in their previous (last) job.
Percent of group increases revealed by the
comparative data for each of these activity
areas were: inservice staff/employee
training—~14.5 percent, management con-
sulting--12.l percent, research--6.3 per-
cent, classroom teaching--5.6 percent,
administrative duties—~3.3 percent, product
development—~O.4 percent and nutrition and
diet counseling--O.2 percent.

 

10.

ll.

81

Findings relative to the number of years of
dietetic work experience the respondents had had
prior to acceptance of their current job and
their previous (last if unemployed) job revealed
that in both cases more than half had five years
or less professional experience (53.5% for

their current job and 73.1% for their previous
job).

About two-thirds of the survey participants
felt that their salary was commensurate with
their demonstrated abilities in their current
job or in their previous (last if unemployed)
job (64.2% with respect to current jobs and
69.2% with respect to previous [last] jobs).

Less than 40 percent of those reporting indi-
cated that in their current job or in their
previous (last if unemployed) job promotions
had been accompanied by an increase in salary
(38.3% with respect to current jobs and 33.3%
with respect to previous [last] jobs).

Among those respondents who had received promo-
tions, 68 percent of those currently employed
had progressed from positions involving only
therapeutic nutrition and patient care respon—
sibilities to positions requiring a broader
range of professional responsibilities and
consultant services. With respect to their
previous (last if unemployed) jobs about 50
percent of the respondents who had received
promotions had been advanced to division head
or supervisory assignments ‘within therapeutic-
patient care units.

With reSpect to both current jobs and previous
(last if unemployed) jobs, relatively few
survey participants were of the opinion they
had been denied consideration for better or
different jobs by their respective employers
(3.6% reporting about their current employers
and 11.1% reporting about their previous [last]
employers).

82

Conclusions and Implications

 

The findings of this study appear to support the
underlying assumption and the two objectives formulated.
From this attempt to ascertain some of the factors that
affect career mobility among Michigan's professionally
qualified dietitians, some of the determinants evolve.

Findings from this investigation indicate that the
majority of Michigan dietetic professionals (98.0%) are
female and that 22.5 percent of these professionals are
presently unemployed. This evidence implies that there is
a need for The American Dietetic Association and educators
to study current and future trends in employment develop-
ments-~particu1arly the increase in the number of women
returning to the labor force.

Findings from this investigation concerning unem-
ployment, paralleled with current trends of increased labor
force participation among adult women, suggest that The
American Dietetic Association should:

a. become more cognizant of these unemployed

dietetic professionals that are desirous
of returning to work,

b. determine the requirements of unemployed
professionals for their return to work,

c. make adaptive efforts, whenever and wherever
possible, to change and/or liberalize the
present qualifying systems to enable the
unemployed professionals to meet the required
needs for return to work, and

83

d. selectively communicate such required needs
to those professions and/or related disciplines
from which cooperation and assistance is
needed.
All twelve methods of locating employment commonly
available to dietitians had been used by some of the study
participants. In all cases the users of each of the twelve

methods had experienced positive results (1-3 job offers).

However, findings with regard to Opportunities for qualified

 

professionals to learn about job vacancies in the field of
dietetics imply that more effective means of informing
dietitians about such vacancies should be developed. It

is conceivable that such efforts could attract more persons
to the field of dietetics and encourage those already in
the field to remain.

Among the currently employed professionals sur—
veyed there is very little indication that they were dis-
satisfied with their jobs. Two—thirds of those surveyed
viewed their jobs as personally stable whereas only one-
third revealed that they were contemplating a personal
change within five years. For women, this phenomenon (the
contemplation of a change in employment) occurs more often
when the pursuance and/or continuation of employment is
dependent upon the employment stability of the spouse and
the priority demands of the family.

The findings from this study imply that lateral
positional mobility, reportedly a common occurrence among

dietetic professionals, should be viewed as a positive

84

asset to employing institutions. It seems reasonable to
refute existing folklore that immobilizes the professionally
qualified dietitian and to sanction career mobility. For
some, career mobility provides an escape from provincialism,
exposure to a variety of intellectual settings, and a
critical examination of one's ideas by different audiences--
undoubtedly strengthening the preparedness and competence

of professional dietitians.

One manifestation of lateral positional mobility is
the interruption and/or change in staff composition for the
employer. On the other hand, new personnel can mean new
ideas, new orientations and new vitality from which pre-
sently employed professionals can and should benefit. Some
career mobility is good and should not be construed other—
wise. However, regardless of cause, excessive interruptions
in employment give rise to a high turnover rate which is
disruptive to organizational functions.

Most frequently, professional dietitians leave the
labor force to accommodate or fulfill family obligations.
There is reason to believe that such professionals have
only left the field of dietetics temporarily and will
eventually seek re-entry into the labor force. There is
need for educational institutions and professional societies
to develop innovative teaching and learning methods such as

self-instructional programs that can simultaneously extend

'85

higher education alternatives to pursuants of dietetic
careers as well as provide unemployed dietetic professionals
with optional means to prepare themselves for successful
re-entry into the field.

Two reasons frequently indicated by the respon-
dents of this study for leaving their previous jobs were
that more challenging job opportunities came along and that
the professional advancement outlook for them was poor.
These findings suggest that employers need to make a con-
certed effort to improve career advancement opportunities
for dietitians and to make better use of their capabilities
to retain their professional services.

The success of improving dietetic career advance—
ment opportunities may be enhanced by the efficacy of
credentialing--the recongition of a standard level of pro-
fessional competence to insure that a sufficient number of
qualified professionals have Opportunities for career
mobility. This can be accomplished best by eliminating as
many unnecessary Obstacles to career advancement and job
change as possible, so long as such activities are con-
sistent with the maintenance of adequate professional
standards. In the Opinion of this investigator, the two
modes of credentialing presently used by the American
Dietetic Association-~membership certification and regis—
tration--do not maximize the Association's potential in
addressing the career advancement Opportunity problems

encountered by active practitioners.

86

The majority of professionals participating in this
study were (or have been) employed in hospitals and/or non-
hospital health care facilities. The highest concentration
of job responsibilities were in patient services. There
was some evidence that employment opportunities for dieti-
tians as consultants are increasing. From these findings
it appears that dietetic positions involving direct
patient services and consulting are both available and
attractive to active practitioners. It is reasonable to
expect that the need for such services in the future will
grow in response to a growing population, to a greater
equality of access to medical care for all social and
economic groups, and to the discovery of more and more ill-
ness/disability relating to nutritional problems.

Only a few of the professionals surveyed were of
the opinion that they had been denied consideration for a
better or different position by their respective employers.
This finding suggests that within many institutions the
levels of professional expertise needed to provide essential
dietary services are limited. Within the organizational
frameworks, the real need is to employ a sufficient number
of qualified dietitians to meet the volume of specialized
and/or individualized dietary service requirements of the
institutional clientele. For the majority of dietary pro-
fessionals, therefore, recognition and acknowledgment of

professional service and expertise will, of situational

87

necessity, be subject to reward by raises in pay, increased

employee benefits and/or employer acclaim.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

88

10.

ll.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Literature Cited

 

American Dietetic Association. "Position Paper on
Recommended Salaries and Employment Practices for
Members of the American Dietetic Association."

J. Am. Diet. Assoc., 58: 41-42 (Jan., 1971).

American Dietetic Association. Membership Data Base
Analysis for the State of Michigan. Chicago:
American Dietetic Association, November 30, 1971.

 

 

American Dietetic Association. "The Food Supervisor."
J. Am. Diet. Assoc., 46: 183—184 (March, 1965).

Bradshaw, Thomas F. "Jobseeking Methods Used by
Unemployed Workers." Monthly Labor Review, 35: 19
(Feb., 1973).

Brenner, Marshall H. "Management DevelOpment fOr
Women." J. Personnel, pp. 165-169 (March, 1972).

Brown, David G. "The Mobile Professor." American
Council on Education, Washington, D.C., 1967.

"Dietitian." World Book Encyclopedia, 1972, Vol. IV.

Eyde, L. D. "Word Values and Background Factors as
Predictors of Women's Desire to Work." Bureau Of
Bus. Research, Ohio State Univ., Columbus, Monograph
No. 108, 1962.

Hatch, Thomas D. "The Changing Scene in Allied Health
Professions Education." J. Am. Diet. Assoc.,
63: 15-18 (July, 1973).

Hubbard, R. M. and Donaldson, B. "Identifying Pro-
fessional Manpower for Dietary Departments." J. Am.
Diet. Assoc., 53: 216-221 (Sept., 1968).

Jennings, Eugene. "The Mobile Manager." The
University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, 1971.

89

12.

13.

14.

15.

l6.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

90

Kay, M. Jane. "A Positive Approach to Women in
Management." J. Personnel, (Jan., 1972).

Kirk, Alice. "Why are There so Few Dietitians."
Hospitals, 33: 68-74 (May, 1959).

Kline, Joyca A. and Dowling, William D. "Delegation
of Duties to Hospital Dietary Supportive Personnel."
J. Am. Diet. Assoc., 60: 201-206 (March, 1973).

McFadden, Mary Catherine. "Registration in the ADA
as Viewed by Reg. Members of the Wash. State
Dietetic Assoc." M.S. Thesis, Univ. of Washington,
1972.

"Nursing." World Book Encyclopedia, 1972, Vol. XIV.

Piper, G. M. "Dietetic Manpower Trends in Education
and Training." J. Am. Dietet. Assoc., 57: 225
(1970).

Robinson, Corine H. "Normal and Therapeutic
Nutrition." The MacMillan CO., New York, 1971.

Robinson, Wilma F. "Dietitians Role in Nursing Homes
and Related Facilities." J. Am. Diet. Assoc.,
51: 130-137 (1967).

Sanford, Jeane P., McKinley, Marjorie M. and Scrugg,
Marguerite. "Graduates of Hospital Dietetic Intern-
ships." J. Am. Diet. Assoc., 63: 254-259
(Oct., 1971).

Senters, JO M. "Dietetic Professionals in Washington
State." Department of Social and Health Services,
Olympia, Washington, May, 1971.

Senters, Jo M. "The Dietetic Professional in the
Labor Force." J. Am. Diet. Assoc., 59: 368—371
(Oct., 1971). .

Siegal, A. E. and Haas M. "The Working Mother." A
Review of Research. Child Development, 34: 513
(1963).

Strauss, George and Sayles, Leonard K. Personnel
Management. Prentice Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs,
New Jersey, 1972. Chapter 21.

 

 

91

25. Study Commission on Dietetics. The Profession Of
Dietetics. Chicago: American Dietetic Association,
1972.

 

 

26. Tatge, John. "Dietitian Shortage-~Challenge and
Opportunity." Inplant Food Management, pp. 20-23
(Dec., 1963).

27. Wood, Levelle, West, Bessie B. and Harger, Virginia.
Food Service in Institutions.‘ John Wiley and
Sons, Inc., 1968.

 

Additional References

 

Brown, Robert Bruce. "Middle Manager Mobility Patterns."
Personnel Journal, pp. 878-882 (Dec., 1972).

Caplow, Theodore and McGee, Reece J. The Academic Market-
place. Anchor Books, Doubleday and Company, Inc.,
Garden City, New York, 1965.

 

 

Jennings, Eugene. "The Supermobile." (Unpublished paper,
Michigan State University, 1973), pp. 1-32.

Pennell, M. Y., Proffitt, J. R., and Hatch, T. D.
"Accreditation and Certification . . . in Relation
to Allied Health Manpower." DHEW Pub. No.(NIH)
71-192, 1971.

Pennell, Maryland Y. "Status of Credentialing for Health
Personnel." J. Am. Diet. Assoc., 63: 19-22
(July, 1973).

Springer, Ninfa Saturmino. "The Nutritionist in the
University Affiliated Center." J. Am. Diet. Assoc.,
59: 494-497 (November, 1971).

Tansiongkien, Virginia and Ostenso, Grace L., Ph.D.
"Job Satisfaction in Dietetics." J. Am. Diet.
Assoc., 53: 202-210 (Sept., 1968).

Tropman, John E. "Marital Status and Occupational
Mobility." Michigan Business Review, 25(5): 24-27.

APPENDIX

92

 

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY - East Lansing, Michigan - 48824

 

College of Human Ecology - Department of Food Science 6 Human Nutrition

January 1974

Dear Michigan Dietetic Association Member:

The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University

is conducting a study of factors which have influenced employment mobility among
200 selected professionally-qualified dietitians in Michigan. We hope you will

be willing to participate in the study.

The major purposes of this survey are (1) to identify the various factors which
have influenced Michigan Dietitians to change positions within the field or to
leave the profession temporarily or permanently, and (2) to identify the general
factors associated with the current professional inactivity of many of the members
of our State Association. .

As educators of dietitians, we are concerned with increasing the supply of
professionally-prepared dietitians for employers who are finding it increasingly
difficult to find qualified professionals to adequately support their current
and projected dietary service needs. This infbrmation, we believe, will provide
insight fbr educators and employers relative to the dominant forces which influ-
ence Career selection, job mobility, and professional employment stability among
those with expresSed interest in the field.

At first glance, this survey questionnaire may appear long and detailed. However,
a concerted effOrt has been made to design a response fbrmat to minimize the time'
required for recording your responses. Your cooperation in returning the completed
form by February 15 will be sincerely appreciated. Your responses will be kept
completely confidential. If you do not wish to participate, please return the
unanswered form in the pre-addressed enve10pe provided.

 

Sincerely yours,

4.14m

Gilbert A. Leve lle, Ph. D. Grace A. Miller, Ph.D., R.D.
Professor and airman Professor — Research

9%» fi/tfifw

Linda M. Richards, M. 8.
Teaching Assistant

PART I. PERSONAL-PROFESSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

 

a. Sex: (0) Female (1) Male
b. Age: (0) Under 25 (3) 45 to S4
(1) 25 to 34 (4) 55 +
(2) 35 to 44
c. Marital Status: (0) Single (2) Separated or Divorced
(1) Married (3) Widowed
d. Children: Number: Age of each:

 

e. Member of a minority group?

(0) Yes Which one?

 

(1) No

AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP:

a. When did you first join the Association?
(year)

b. What is your current membership classification? Check one.

(0) Active-Registered (3) Honorary
(l) Active-Not Registered (4) Retired
(2) Life (5) Other (please specify)

 

 

c. How did (or will) you meet the membership eligibility requirements? Check one.
(0) Coordinated Undergraduate Program

(1) Bachelor Degree + Internship

(2) Bachelor Degree + Preplanned Supervised Experience Program

(3) Master's Degree + Experience

(4) Doctoral Degree

(5) Honored by the Association

_—

(6) Other (please explain)

 

 

 

3. PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT: CURRENT STATUS

Directions:

This question has three parts. After you have responded
to part a, complete part b_or part 3, only if applicable.

a. Extent of employment: Check one.

(0)

(1)

(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

_—

Other

Full-Time Dietitian (30 hrs. or more/wk)
Part-Time Dietitian (less than 30 hrs./wk)
Full-Time (not in the field of Dietetics)
Part-Time (not in the field of Dietetics)

Unemployed at present

 

(please describe)

b. If currently employed outside of the Dietetic Profession, please indi-

 

cate your reason(s). Check as many as apply.
(0)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

(5)

(6)

Present job is more challenging

Higher salaries available outside the Profession

More advantageous fringe benefits

Better opportunity for personal advancement

Jobs for dietitians are scarce in my locality

Fewer evening, weekend, and holiday work hours required

Other reason(s) not covered above: (please explain)

 

c. If currently unemplgyed, please indicate the reason(s): Check as many

 

as apply.

(0)
(1)
(2)
(3)

(4)

(5)
(6)
(7)

Attending graduate school full-time
Full-time homemaker - not seeking employment
Temporarily out of work - actively seeking employment

Full-time job opportunities for dietitians are scarce in my
locality.

Part-time job opportunities for dietitians are scarce in my
locality.

Physically unable to work at present
Retired - not interested in further employment

Other reason(s) not covered above: (please explain)

 

 

PART II. LOCATING PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT

4. IN YOUR OPINION, WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS BEST DESCRIBES THE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR LEARNING ABOUT JOB VACANCIES IN THE FIELD OF DIETETICS? Check one.

(0) EXCELLENT. Vacancies are well publicized. Chances are good that dieti-

*-

(1)

(2)

(3)

tians will learn about professional vacancies for which they might qualify.

GOOD. With some effort, dietitians can learn about most professional

vacancies for which they might qualify.

POOR. Vacancies are poorly publicized. Dietitians seldom learn about
many of the job opportunities for which they might qualify.

 

VERY POOR. Dietitians rarely learn about professional job vacancies that

would interest them. Better methods of informing professional dietitians

of job vacancies need to be developed.

5. LOCATING PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

a.

Listed below are some of the methods dietitians use when searching for profession-
al employment. Which of these methods have YOU used and how effective were they?
To record your answers:

Use COLUMN A to indicate your use of each method (Yes 95_No)
Use COLUMN B to enter the number 2: job offers you have had as a result of

 

using each method

To respond to COLUMN C, see part b, below.

 

(A) (B) (C)
METHODS METHOD NUMBER REASON(S)
USED OFFERS NOT USED

 

(0)
(1)
(2)
(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)
(8)
(9)

Contacted a former/current professor ...............
Consulted a college placement office ...............
Advertised my availability in professional journals

Telephoned and/or sent letters of inquiry to
potential employers ................................

Inquired among former classmates and/or profes-
sional colleagues ..................................

Answered job advertisements in professional
journals ...........................................

Answered jobs listed in the classified section of
newspapers ..... , ....................................

Consulted a private employment agency ..............
Consulted a public employment agency ...............

OTHER (not covered above) Describe:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listed below are reasons sometimes given by professionals for not using certain
methods to locate job opportunities. For each of the methods above you have not

1.
2.
3.

 

used, please indicate why. Using Column C above, enter the identifying number(s)
of all the reasons listed that apply.

 

Too expensive 5. Did not know jobs could be found this way
Unprofessional 6. Has not been necessary for me to use this
Good jobs rarely found by method

this method 7. OTHER (describe):

 

Afraid employer would find out

 

 

This sect

PART III. JOB CHARACTERISTICS: CURRENT AND PREVIOUS

ion of the questionnaire pertains to those characteristics of your current

and previous jobs which may have affected your career advancement. If you are not pres-
ently employed, omit question 6(a-e); if this is your first job, omit question 7(a+b).

6. CURRENT JOB: (your present position)

a.

b.

C.

d.

———

At the

Approximately how long have you been in your current job? (check one)

(0) Less than 1 year _____(4) 10 to 15 years
(1) l to 3 years _____(S) 15 to 20 years
(2) 3 to 5 years ______(6) 20 to 25 years
(3) 5 to 10 years ______(7) Over 25 years

present time, how do you rate your current job? (check one)

(0) Excellent, better than I expected

(1) Good, about as good as it should be
(2) Fair, just 50-50

(3) Poor, not as good as it could be

(4) Vezy poor

How long do you plan to remain at your current job? (check one)

(0) Only a few months (4) Indefinitely
(1) l to 2 years, at most (5) Until retirement
(2) 2 to 3 years, at most (6) Other (explain)

(3) Not more than 5 years

——

 

 

Where is the person whom you replaced? (check one)

(0) Had no predecessor
(1) Working at another institution, agency or business firm

(2) Working at this same institution, agency or business firm in an
advanced position

(3) Has left the profession
(4) Attending graduate school
(5) Retired

(6) Deceased

(7) Don't know

(8) Other (please specify)

 

 

6. CURRENT JOB: (continued)

e. How important was each of the factors below in your decision to accept your
current job? (Check each factor for its degree of importance to YOU.)

 

VERY QUITE NOT VERY OF NO
FACTOR IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANCE

 

1. Salary

 

2. Future salaryypro§pects

 

3. Fringe benefits

 

4. Advancement opportunities

 

S. Locality/Climate

 

6. WorkinggHours

 

7. Reputation of employer

 

8. Research opportunities

 

9. Challenging assignment

 

10. Additional income

 

ll. Bored with stayipg at home

 

12. Other (explain)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. PREVIOUS JOB: (job before current one or last job, if currently unemployed)

a. Approximately how long were you at your previous job? (check one)

(0) Less than 1 year (3) S to 10 years
(1) l to 3 years (4) 10 to 15 years
(2) 3 to 5 years (5) Over 15 years

b. Why did you leave your previous job? (check as many as apply)

(00) More challenging job opportunity came along

(01) Dissatisfied with salary

(02) Dissatisfied with employment benefits

(03) Professional advancement outlook poor

(04) Returned to college/university for advanced study

(05) Moved to a different city

(06) Position terminated - became unemployed

(07) Change in dietary management from institution-operated to contract
food management company

(08) Personal - physical reasons

(09) Personal - other reasons

(10) Family obligations

(ll) Mandatory retirement

(12) Early retirement

lllll HIHIH

(13) OTHER: (describe)

 

 

 

PART IV. PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT IN THE FIELD OF DIETETICS
Questions in this section relate ONLY to professional jobs within the field of
dietetics.

* If your current job and the one just previous to it were in the field of dietetics,
COMPLETE qpestions 8 and 9.

 

* If your current job i§_in the field of dietetics and the one prior to it was not,
COMPLETE question 8 only.

 

* If your current job i§_not in the field of dietetics (or you are unemployed), but
the one prior to it (or your last job) was, COMPLETE question 9 only.

 

* If neither your current job nor the one prior to it were in the field of dietetics
(or if you have never worked as a professional dietitian), you have completed the
questionnaire with PART III. Thank you for your assistance with the study.

8. CURRENT JOB IN THE FIELD OF DIETETICS:

a. Institution, agency, or
business firm you work for:

 

b. What is your present job title?

 

 

c. How many hoUrs per week do you work? (hrs./wk.)
Do you work weekends? (0) Yes ........ Holidays? (0) Yes
(1) No (1) No

d. Approximately how much of YOUR time is devoted to each of the following types of
professional activity? Express your answers in % of time.

% 1. Administrative duties % 6. Classroom Teaching
% 2. Nutrition Counseling % 7. Management Consulting
(therapeutics) '

% 8. Research
% 3. Food Production 6 Service
(management) % 9. OTHER (please explain)

% 4. Inservice staff and/or
employee training

 

 

 

% 5. Product Development

 

e. How many years of dietetic work experience did you
have when you accepted this job? .................. (yrs.)

f. Do you feel your salary is commensurate with your

demonstrated ability to carry out your assigned

duties? ........................................... (0) Yes (1) No
g. In the time you have worked for this institution, agency, or business firm:

1. Have you received a promotion(s)? ............. (0) Yes (1) No

If yes, did you also receive an increase
in salary? ...... . ..... ..... ................... (0) Yes (1) No

What was (were) your former title(s)? Please indicate below.

1.

 

2.

 

3.

 

2. Have you ever been denied consideration for a better (or different) job in
the dietary department of this institution, agency or business firm?

(0) Yes (1) No

 

PREVIOUS JOB IN THE FIELD OF DIETETICS:

a. Institution, agency or business
firm you worked for:

 

 

 

(City) (State)
b. What was your job title?
c. How many hours per week did you work? (hrs./wk.)
Did you work weekends? (0) Yes ........ Holidays? (0) Yes
(1) No (1) No

d. Approximately how much of YOUR time was devoted to each of the fbllowing types ()f
professional activity? Express your answers in % of time.

% 1. Administrative duties % 6. Classroom Teaching
% 2. Nutrition Counseling % 7. Management Consulting
(therapeutics)

% 8. Research
% 3. Food Production and Service
Management % 9. OTHER (please explain)

% 4. Inservice staff and/or

 

employee training

 

% 5. Product Development
e. How many years of dietetic work experience
did you have when you accepted this job? .......... (yrs.)
f. Did you feel your salary was commensurate with your
demonstrated ability to carry out your assigned
duties? ........................................... (0) Yes (1) NO
g. During the time you worked for this institution, agency, or business firm:

1. Did you receive a promotion(s)? ............... (0) Yes (1) IMO

If yes, did you also receive an increase
in salary? .................................... (0) Yes (1) NO

What were the other job titles you had during this time of employment?
Please indicate below.

1.

 

2.

 

3.

 

2. Were you ever denied consideration for a better (or different) job in the:
dietary department of this institution, agency, or business firm?

_(0) Yes _(1) No

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH THE STUDY

 

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

 

DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND HUMAN NUTRITION EAST LANSING ' MICHIGAN ' 48824

February 18, 1974

Dear Michigan Dietetic Association Member:

You were among 200 professionally-qualified dietitians in Michigan selected to
participate in an employment mobility study which is being conducted by the
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University.

A questionnaire requesting information about your professional employment status
and your views concerning means available fer professionals to learn about job
vacancies in the field of dietetics was mailed to you on January 8. We had
hoped you would be interested and willing to participate.

To date, we have not received a response from you. In the event that our initial
mailing failed to reach you or has been mislaid, a duplicate questionnaire form
and a pre—addressed return envelope are enclosed for your convenience. Your co-
operation in completing and returning the enclosed form by March 1 will be sin—
cerely appreciated. If you have already mailed your response, please disregard
this fellow-up letter and accept our sincere thanks for helping us to make this

a more meaningful study. If you do not wish to participate, please return the
unanswered form in the pre- -addressed envelope provided.

Sincerely yours,

411,427.21...

Gilbert A. Levei e, Ph. D. Grace A. Miller, Ph. D.
Professor and Chairman Professor - Research
Linda M. Richards, R.D.

Teaching AssistantM

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