Here are some valuable pharmacy technician job interviewing tips that will make your interview stress free.
When hiring a pharmacy technician, I have the “perfect” person in mind.
The Perfect Pharmacy Tech Resume
I am looking for someone who is nationally certified, with 2-3 years of experience. This object of perfection would have a resume that not only says that I walk on water, but also gives all the reasons why.
The perfect technician would have letters of recommendation that gives validity to their resume. Please know that I will call your reference and someone your reference refers me to.
It has been my experience that technicians trained by the military are extraordinary, so that would also have an influence on my hiring tendency. Few applicants will ever match up exactly so go for it. You may be the closest to perfect that the interviewer can find.
Pharmacy Technician Job Interviewing Tips
OK, so now you have made it to an interview. When you arrive, I am looking for a neatly and professionally dressed person. If you don’t care enough to dress for the occasion, I will think you will do everything else in a similar manner. You shouldn’t come in immediately after running your daily mile and you shouldn’t douse yourself in French perfume.
- “Why did you leave your last job?”
- “Tell me about a time when you had a run-in with a patient or a doctor or a pharmacist.”
- “What are your faults?”
There are very good answers to these questions and they can also be found online.
A Promising Future as a Pharm Tech
Naturally, as a pharmacy technician, you will want to set goals and follow a career path that is interesting, fulfilling and pays the bills. It is my opinion that most pharmacy technicians who work in chain and grocery pharmacies become insurance agents. This is rewarding to some and they are great at it and they manage to do very well.
Beyond Chain and Grocery Pharmacies: Specialization
You need to know that many other opportunities exist. There are pharmacy technicians who practice in the field of oncology, sterile products, nuclear and others who assist clinical pharmacists or manage operations and some who do automation.
As a rule, pharmacy technicians who are specialized make much more than those who are not and pharmacy techs who work for a military installation are paid very well compared to a technician working in a community or chain pharmacy. There are as many opportunities as you can imagine. You only need to think and believe and work hard to make it happen.
Photo credit: Amy Hirschi.
Stan Illich has 41 years of pharmacy experience that includes practicing in chain-store pharmacies, owning a drugstore, and as vice president/COO of a community health center.
In addition to his pharmacy education background, he also has a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration. He has also served as an army pharmacy officer and Program Director of the Army’s Pharmacy Technician School. Stan currently practices in Mississippi.
