As many of you may already know there are countless schools and programs which you can attend mostly for a fee upwards of $3,000-$30,000 plus dollars. I hope you didn't waste any money yet because you can easily obtain a career in this field without any experience or certification almost entirely free.
I spent about a year researching "how to become a pharmacy technician" with little to no leads or help. I constantly came across blogs and comments which vaguely talked about the process however no one seemed to go into detail about how they got their jobs. I want to answer all of your question over the next few posts I plan to do on my Pharmacy Technician series.
I am first going to give you my own background so you can see were I am coming from and then I will give you some advice and tips on how to get into the field.
I was unemployed technically for almost a year. I had worked a few sales and cleaning jobs in-between that I ended up quitting because they were scammy or simply wouldn't work out. I became very interested in going to college and had considered enrolling in my community/junior college. However I was unfortunately unable to attend because I could not obtain financial-aid. So I began looking into the Pharmacy Technician program which was very costly and wasn't covered by financial aid. I then heard about WIOA which was essentially a program to help get those who are unemployed new skills to put them back into the workforce. The program was great but I stupidlyleft it because of a false lead by Walgreen's for a position as a Pharmacy Technician. I accepted the offer with the hopes of being a technician but was told that I would be a cashier and could work my way to the back end of the store as a technician which never happened. You can read my story here......
I began searching the web for Pharmacy Technician programs and came across Ashworth College which I feel very indifferent towards. Anyway I stayed at Walgreen's for almost a year before unexpectedly quitting my job. I enrolled in college online at another university that I plan to transfer to next year and landed a job at CVS Health/Pharmacy (or whatever they want to be called today and tomorrow). I am forever grateful for my job but I wish I knew what I know now.
I myself just like you probably have, read about doing the pharmacy technician training program at a retail store but could never find an opening, job position nothing. Everything I could find either rejected my application or wanted me to have years of experience which I lacked.
After I quit Walgreen's I spent all of my time watching Forensic Files, applying to random jobs and reading about pharmaceutical medications and what-not. Towards the end of July while watching prank videos on YouTube I was interrupted and had received an unknown phone call (which ended up being from CVS that they were interested in interviewing me. I was ecstatic!
I could not believe it. After all of the time I wasted working at the corner of unhappy and unhealthy I had a shot once again at their competitors location. I arranged an interview for that Friday and did great. After about a month of orientations, texts and calls I was finally hired and ready to start. I will make another post that will go into more detail about the hiring interview and orientation process.
So! Now that we have gone over my background a bit; let's get to the good stuff!
You should definitely read up on your medications and fully understand the job. This is a professional field and you are playing a major role in the health care of patients from all over the world and specifically those who come into your store. Peoples lives are in your hands. The job can be tedious and stressful. You have to have a thick skin and great communication and critical thinking skills and abilities.
Below I have listed 10 Steps that you should follow to land a job as a pharmacy technician.
You can watch my YouTube video on this topic as well here
What to Expect at Your New Job as a Pharmacy Technician
Step #1
Buy a few books on Pharmacy studies. Purchase at least 1 pocket guide on medications and 1 general book on being a Pharmacy Technician. You can use these as a reference guide for your studies.
You do not have to read the whole book, but try to skim over it and get to know the basics. You can purchase books on pharmaceutical studies on both Amazon.com or Walmart.com
If this isn't possible consider borrowing from your library or simply take notes from a book at your local book store library.
Upon being hired you will receive a pocket guide and your co-workers and "know-it-all patients" will help you memorize drug names and their various purposes so don't stress over it too much!
TIP:
The most commonly prescribed medications will be known as "fast-movers" within your pharmacy and will generally have their own section stupidly mixed in-between the "slow-movers". Different stores will have different locations and the medication may vary.
Depending on the size of your pharmacy (and how busy it is) the fast-movers section may also be larger and include other miscellaneous medications such as Viagra.
Step #2
Create an award winning resume. Make sure that your resume is professional and focused on your soft skills and knowledge of what it's like being a pharmacy tech. You want the Pharmacists, HR or whoever is responsible for hiring you to see your resume and instantly fall in love. They should be confident in hiring you after reading your resume.
Make sure that your resume is job specific. You shouldn't have information about McDonald's or JCPenney on a resume for a pharmacy technician position. If you have experience at another drug store even if it's just a cashier position like mines at Walgreen's it's worth noting and you can exaggerate a bit and even brag about your familiarity of the chaos that goes on in pharmacy and that you are ready to take on the challenge. They want to make sure that you are someone that can multitask and handle stressful and busy environments.
Step #3
If possible make connections. If you happen to know a pharmacists or a friend or even an associate who is a technician express serious interest in becoming a tech. You'd be amazed at how easily you might be able to find a position without having to do much work. Try to befriend or get to know people who may already have positions in your chosen field. They can provide you with tips and tricks if nothing else. Most of the new hires in pharmacies are friends or relatives of a current technician or the pharmacist his/herself.
Step #4
Make some calls. While it may not lead to an interview it is very much indeed possible. You have to be confident and have some faith in yourself! Call all of the local retail pharmacies, clinics and hospitals. Ask for the pharmacists and tell them that you are interested in becoming a technician (ask if they're hiring). Put your best foot forward and sound professional. If it helps you can write or type some notes so you don't get nervous or freeze up during your conversations (like I always do). It can be easy to forget what you wanted to ask or say.
You will have some rude so called professionals shoot you down, but that's okay too! It's a learning experience and besides you wouldn't want to work for a jerk anyway!
Step#5
Find an internship or an externship this is arguably the easiest way to get your foot in the door especially if you are already a college student. While you will not get paid you can gain a lot of experience and this can easily help you to land a job because now you have more references. Job related experience and more knowledge of the job. Hands on experience is the best that there is!
TIP: As I briefly noted before I did tryout Ashworth College online since I used them in the past. They offer an externship program at your choice of CVS or Walgreen's. It's not worth the money since it can be obtained the certification can be obtained faster and easier through a community college or for free through a pharmacy but if there seems to be no other way and you've really tried, I would go through this program as a last desperate resort and find a way to make the monthly payments or get the exact dollar amount needed for tuition as you will not be allowed to "graduate" the program until you have paid for it in it's entirety (I personally still owe them money!).
Step #6
Practice and prepare for your interview. You don't have to have one lined up nor do you need an offer on the table to act as though you have one. Get together a nice clean and neat interview outfit.
Ladies I will start with you! Your outfit should be professional and conservative and so should you! No short skirts or dresses. Clothing should NOT be fitted your tits should not be popping out of your turtleneck.
Men same for you! Keep it clean and professional! The interviewer should not be able to see your underwear or streaks. Wear a tie please!
TIP:
Nothing's worse than being thrown off guard by an unexpected question. Look at practice questions. Take control of the interview and try to have somewhat lengthy answers dance around with bringing up similar topics and subjects.
Step #7
Always thank the interviewer using their name and shaking their hand. If necessary ask for their name again and for a timeline as to when you should expect to hear back from them regarding the possible job offer. Stay optimistic fill out some more applications. Never give up!
Step #8
If you don't get the job or can't seem to land an interview update your resume by getting volunteer experience or participating in a free pharmacy technician program such as WIA or WIOA (a quick Google search will reveal location near you). WIOA specializes in helping people gain employment by providing you with workshops and free education courses to advance in your career or to find job placement. There are requirements to join but the staff is generally very understanding and can be flexible.
Step #9
Consider accepting a position at a retail pharmacy as a team member/associate. While this is obviously not the position that you may want; it gives you experience working in a similar environment which can help create a great resume and make the interview process. I honestly think my previous experience at Walgreen's and my awesome cover letter (it really was) is what got me this job.
Step #10
Don't be so hard on yourself! Once you have landed an interview they are or at least should be aware that you do not have any experience or certification and that's okay. Remember they still chose to continue in the hiring process and selected you as a candidate to interview out of the hundreds or thousands of potential applicants that they could have chosen from. Sell them on your customer service and ability to multi-task and catch on to things quickly. They will work with you and teach you everything that you need too know. You will constantly be training as medications and company policies and procedures are constantly changing. Have confidence and believe in yourself!
TIP: After about 6 months of continuous employment retail pharmacies generally pay for you to take the national certification test PTCB one time only! You will also attend various trainings and will receive several packets and books to help you study. You will have hours of online training on a monthly basis and hands on "training" during every shift that you work.
Of course remember like any job being a Pharmacy Technician whether it is your career plan or just a college job keep in mind that you will have days in which you hate your job, will feel over worked blah blah blah. Honestly you get what you put in and what you pay for. You can choose to be as happy or as miserable as you'd like to be.
2.) Dress inappropriately (first impressions are lasting impressions!)
3.) Give up (be patient you will find a position)
2.) Dress professionally and appropriately
3.) Study at least 50-100 of the most popular medications prescribed (try to remember at least 10 so you can trick them into thinking you know your stuff, again don't worry you will go through real training later)
4.) Focus on the experience you do have(customer service skills, attention to detail, fast learner, great at multi-tasking)
Find volunteer work at a clinic or hospital
The greatest part about the job is the experience you get working in the medical field as well as the possibility to move to a hospital or a high paying location (that is if you started out at a retail pharmacy setting). You are usually allowed paid vacation, health insurance, sick days, and a stable schedule. I personally work Monday-Friday and I get off work no later than 7PM . I also average close to 40 hours a week. The work day flies by because I stay busy there is always something to do.
You are essentially doing all of the grunt work for the pharmacists but the job is more secure than your average retail position having the licensure and certification looks great on resumes many people are very impressed when I tell them that I am a pharmacy technician.
You do not have to spend any money whatsoever to become a pharmacy tech. There is no need to go to college, attend any programs, or put yourself in debt! You can get the job and certification almost for free (you will have to purchase a license which is about $40 depending on which state you live in).
Keep filling out applications, submitting resumes, and applying for jobs. It may take time but it will all be worth it especially once you get started on your career as a pharmacy technician! Stay positive, study, and look for internships, externships or volunteer opportunities.
Share with everyone your experience as a pharmacy technician! How did you get your job? Are you new to this? Have you even gotten an interview or phone call back yet? How did you become interested in becoming a technician? Do you have any tips you'd like to share?
I spent about a year researching "how to become a pharmacy technician" with little to no leads or help. I constantly came across blogs and comments which vaguely talked about the process however no one seemed to go into detail about how they got their jobs. I want to answer all of your question over the next few posts I plan to do on my Pharmacy Technician series.
I am first going to give you my own background so you can see were I am coming from and then I will give you some advice and tips on how to get into the field.
I was unemployed technically for almost a year. I had worked a few sales and cleaning jobs in-between that I ended up quitting because they were scammy or simply wouldn't work out. I became very interested in going to college and had considered enrolling in my community/junior college. However I was unfortunately unable to attend because I could not obtain financial-aid. So I began looking into the Pharmacy Technician program which was very costly and wasn't covered by financial aid. I then heard about WIOA which was essentially a program to help get those who are unemployed new skills to put them back into the workforce. The program was great but I stupidlyleft it because of a false lead by Walgreen's for a position as a Pharmacy Technician. I accepted the offer with the hopes of being a technician but was told that I would be a cashier and could work my way to the back end of the store as a technician which never happened. You can read my story here......
I began searching the web for Pharmacy Technician programs and came across Ashworth College which I feel very indifferent towards. Anyway I stayed at Walgreen's for almost a year before unexpectedly quitting my job. I enrolled in college online at another university that I plan to transfer to next year and landed a job at CVS Health/Pharmacy (or whatever they want to be called today and tomorrow). I am forever grateful for my job but I wish I knew what I know now.
I myself just like you probably have, read about doing the pharmacy technician training program at a retail store but could never find an opening, job position nothing. Everything I could find either rejected my application or wanted me to have years of experience which I lacked.
After I quit Walgreen's I spent all of my time watching Forensic Files, applying to random jobs and reading about pharmaceutical medications and what-not. Towards the end of July while watching prank videos on YouTube I was interrupted and had received an unknown phone call (which ended up being from CVS that they were interested in interviewing me. I was ecstatic!
I could not believe it. After all of the time I wasted working at the corner of unhappy and unhealthy I had a shot once again at their competitors location. I arranged an interview for that Friday and did great. After about a month of orientations, texts and calls I was finally hired and ready to start. I will make another post that will go into more detail about the hiring interview and orientation process.
So! Now that we have gone over my background a bit; let's get to the good stuff!
You should definitely read up on your medications and fully understand the job. This is a professional field and you are playing a major role in the health care of patients from all over the world and specifically those who come into your store. Peoples lives are in your hands. The job can be tedious and stressful. You have to have a thick skin and great communication and critical thinking skills and abilities.
Below I have listed 10 Steps that you should follow to land a job as a pharmacy technician.
You can watch my YouTube video on this topic as well here
What to Expect at Your New Job as a Pharmacy Technician
How to Become a Pharmacy Technician
Step #1
Buy a few books on Pharmacy studies. Purchase at least 1 pocket guide on medications and 1 general book on being a Pharmacy Technician. You can use these as a reference guide for your studies.
You do not have to read the whole book, but try to skim over it and get to know the basics. You can purchase books on pharmaceutical studies on both Amazon.com or Walmart.com
If this isn't possible consider borrowing from your library or simply take notes from a book at your local book store library.
Upon being hired you will receive a pocket guide and your co-workers and "know-it-all patients" will help you memorize drug names and their various purposes so don't stress over it too much!
TIP:
The most commonly prescribed medications will be known as "fast-movers" within your pharmacy and will generally have their own section stupidly mixed in-between the "slow-movers". Different stores will have different locations and the medication may vary.
Depending on the size of your pharmacy (and how busy it is) the fast-movers section may also be larger and include other miscellaneous medications such as Viagra.
Step #2
Create an award winning resume. Make sure that your resume is professional and focused on your soft skills and knowledge of what it's like being a pharmacy tech. You want the Pharmacists, HR or whoever is responsible for hiring you to see your resume and instantly fall in love. They should be confident in hiring you after reading your resume.
Make sure that your resume is job specific. You shouldn't have information about McDonald's or JCPenney on a resume for a pharmacy technician position. If you have experience at another drug store even if it's just a cashier position like mines at Walgreen's it's worth noting and you can exaggerate a bit and even brag about your familiarity of the chaos that goes on in pharmacy and that you are ready to take on the challenge. They want to make sure that you are someone that can multitask and handle stressful and busy environments.
Step #3
If possible make connections. If you happen to know a pharmacists or a friend or even an associate who is a technician express serious interest in becoming a tech. You'd be amazed at how easily you might be able to find a position without having to do much work. Try to befriend or get to know people who may already have positions in your chosen field. They can provide you with tips and tricks if nothing else. Most of the new hires in pharmacies are friends or relatives of a current technician or the pharmacist his/herself.
Step #4
Make some calls. While it may not lead to an interview it is very much indeed possible. You have to be confident and have some faith in yourself! Call all of the local retail pharmacies, clinics and hospitals. Ask for the pharmacists and tell them that you are interested in becoming a technician (ask if they're hiring). Put your best foot forward and sound professional. If it helps you can write or type some notes so you don't get nervous or freeze up during your conversations (like I always do). It can be easy to forget what you wanted to ask or say.
You will have some rude so called professionals shoot you down, but that's okay too! It's a learning experience and besides you wouldn't want to work for a jerk anyway!
Step#5
Find an internship or an externship this is arguably the easiest way to get your foot in the door especially if you are already a college student. While you will not get paid you can gain a lot of experience and this can easily help you to land a job because now you have more references. Job related experience and more knowledge of the job. Hands on experience is the best that there is!
TIP: As I briefly noted before I did tryout Ashworth College online since I used them in the past. They offer an externship program at your choice of CVS or Walgreen's. It's not worth the money since it can be obtained the certification can be obtained faster and easier through a community college or for free through a pharmacy but if there seems to be no other way and you've really tried, I would go through this program as a last desperate resort and find a way to make the monthly payments or get the exact dollar amount needed for tuition as you will not be allowed to "graduate" the program until you have paid for it in it's entirety (I personally still owe them money!).
Step #6
Practice and prepare for your interview. You don't have to have one lined up nor do you need an offer on the table to act as though you have one. Get together a nice clean and neat interview outfit.
Ladies I will start with you! Your outfit should be professional and conservative and so should you! No short skirts or dresses. Clothing should NOT be fitted your tits should not be popping out of your turtleneck.
Men same for you! Keep it clean and professional! The interviewer should not be able to see your underwear or streaks. Wear a tie please!
TIP:
Nothing's worse than being thrown off guard by an unexpected question. Look at practice questions. Take control of the interview and try to have somewhat lengthy answers dance around with bringing up similar topics and subjects.
Step #7
Always thank the interviewer using their name and shaking their hand. If necessary ask for their name again and for a timeline as to when you should expect to hear back from them regarding the possible job offer. Stay optimistic fill out some more applications. Never give up!
Step #8
If you don't get the job or can't seem to land an interview update your resume by getting volunteer experience or participating in a free pharmacy technician program such as WIA or WIOA (a quick Google search will reveal location near you). WIOA specializes in helping people gain employment by providing you with workshops and free education courses to advance in your career or to find job placement. There are requirements to join but the staff is generally very understanding and can be flexible.
Step #9
Consider accepting a position at a retail pharmacy as a team member/associate. While this is obviously not the position that you may want; it gives you experience working in a similar environment which can help create a great resume and make the interview process. I honestly think my previous experience at Walgreen's and my awesome cover letter (it really was) is what got me this job.
Step #10
Don't be so hard on yourself! Once you have landed an interview they are or at least should be aware that you do not have any experience or certification and that's okay. Remember they still chose to continue in the hiring process and selected you as a candidate to interview out of the hundreds or thousands of potential applicants that they could have chosen from. Sell them on your customer service and ability to multi-task and catch on to things quickly. They will work with you and teach you everything that you need too know. You will constantly be training as medications and company policies and procedures are constantly changing. Have confidence and believe in yourself!
TIP: After about 6 months of continuous employment retail pharmacies generally pay for you to take the national certification test PTCB one time only! You will also attend various trainings and will receive several packets and books to help you study. You will have hours of online training on a monthly basis and hands on "training" during every shift that you work.
In case you forgot!
The main piece of advice is to simply not give up like I did. I was not expecting to get this job. I spoke to a lot of rude people who were upset about me calling them regarding landing a job, I had no real experience, I was broke, bored, lonely and unemployed. Just keep applying fill out those resumes and applications read about medications. Gain as much knowledge about the job you plan to have.Of course remember like any job being a Pharmacy Technician whether it is your career plan or just a college job keep in mind that you will have days in which you hate your job, will feel over worked blah blah blah. Honestly you get what you put in and what you pay for. You can choose to be as happy or as miserable as you'd like to be.
DON'T
1.) Pay for a Pharmacy Technician Program (you can get the job for free, don't become desperate and try to pay for a course like I did unless you absolutely have to, be patient)2.) Dress inappropriately (first impressions are lasting impressions!)
3.) Give up (be patient you will find a position)
DO
1.) Prepare a good cover letter and resume (this is the first thing your employer will see this will represent you and set the pace and course of your interview)2.) Dress professionally and appropriately
3.) Study at least 50-100 of the most popular medications prescribed (try to remember at least 10 so you can trick them into thinking you know your stuff, again don't worry you will go through real training later)
4.) Focus on the experience you do have(customer service skills, attention to detail, fast learner, great at multi-tasking)
Find volunteer work at a clinic or hospital
The Pro's & Cons
The Highlights
The greatest part about the job is the experience you get working in the medical field as well as the possibility to move to a hospital or a high paying location (that is if you started out at a retail pharmacy setting). You are usually allowed paid vacation, health insurance, sick days, and a stable schedule. I personally work Monday-Friday and I get off work no later than 7PM . I also average close to 40 hours a week. The work day flies by because I stay busy there is always something to do.
The Reality
The biggest cons to the job is the stress of making errors, attention to detail required for each individual prescription and conversations with patients, and that there is technically no room for advancement.You are essentially doing all of the grunt work for the pharmacists but the job is more secure than your average retail position having the licensure and certification looks great on resumes many people are very impressed when I tell them that I am a pharmacy technician.
You do not have to spend any money whatsoever to become a pharmacy tech. There is no need to go to college, attend any programs, or put yourself in debt! You can get the job and certification almost for free (you will have to purchase a license which is about $40 depending on which state you live in).
Keep filling out applications, submitting resumes, and applying for jobs. It may take time but it will all be worth it especially once you get started on your career as a pharmacy technician! Stay positive, study, and look for internships, externships or volunteer opportunities.
Check out my YouTube channel too! You can watch my Pharmacy Technician series there.
Share with everyone your experience as a pharmacy technician! How did you get your job? Are you new to this? Have you even gotten an interview or phone call back yet? How did you become interested in becoming a technician? Do you have any tips you'd like to share?
Stay Tuned!
Please Subscribe to my Blog and Follow Me on my other social media pages.
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/CoMicninetyfive/videos
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/CoMicninetyfive/videos
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Comic95?lang=en
Thank you so much for your post. This post really help me a lot and I have learnt some new things from your blog.
ReplyDeleteMedical Careers
Thank you so much for reading Victoria! I'm glad I could help you.
ReplyDelete