Applying to multiple pharm jobs?

[caramel334]

I have just applied to a ton of pharmacies and am hoping ( fingers crossed) to hear back from at least 1 or 2. My question is: When going in for interviews for these jobs, do you tell them that you have also applied to other pharmacies?

Sorry if this seems stupid, Ive only ever had one other job interview ( with CVS about 4 years ago), and they hired me on the spot and asked me when I wanted to start. Im over halfway through with pharmacy school, so I wanted to start working somewhere where I would actually want to work long term and as a pharmacist ( not cvs...lol)

I know its extremely difficult to get jobs right now, but Im just unsure what the most professional way to go about this is?

Thanks!

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[Unchained]

You don't tell them unless they ask. They can probably assume you are.

 

[caramel334]

You don't tell them unless they ask. They can probably assume you are.

So if you were to get hired on the spot, but youre waiting to hear from other companies, what do you say?

 

[vaughnpereira]

You take the job where they offer you a job first. This way, if you don't hear from the other places, which is usually the case 75% of the time, you will already have this job. If you get a better offer from somewhere else then tell them you got a better offer elsewhere and you will be leaving at whatever date.

 

[Unchained]

Getting hired on the spot is rare. When you receive an offer letter they usually expect to hear from you within a week. I once used the excuse I that I needed to check with my accountant concerning tax implications. I wouldn't do as suggested by another post and take one position then leave. You don't want to burn any bridges in this market.

 

[vaughnpereira]

In this market I wouldn't count on multiple offers unless you are just an outstanding person and interviewee, and with this person never being interviewed before we can't be sure of how he did... I would take the sure-fire route and accept the first offer.

BUT, like the previous poster said, if you get a letter saying you have a whole week to respond then, by all means, wait and see what happens. I wouldn't always count on having a week to accept a position though, you never know how many others they have interviewed as well...

 

[confettiflyer]

I'll have to disagree with some posts here. I would outright never say "YES!" to an on-the-spot offer unless it was your #1/dream job and the numbers were set forth already.

Ask for at least a 1-3 days to think about it and discuss, chances are if a place is that keen on throwing an offer at you, they won't do a 180 and retract the offer just because you want to take 24-72 hours. If anything, a manager/director will respect you more for wanting to do your due-diligence.

Plus, it makes you look desperate/overeager (even though you are, try not to show that) and that can shoot you in the foot later if/when you start discussing $$$.

It's like girls playing hard to get vs. droppin' panties on a first date.

Also, multiple interviews/offers aren't unheard of, even in this economy. Multiple *simultaneous* offers might be a bit rarer. It isn't as bad out there as people make it seem.

 

[Pharmacopia]

I would take the first offer that is given to you, later on, you can always look for another job if you aren't happy.

In this economy, companies aren't jumping to hire interns/grad interns/new pharmacists. They fill the position only when a position is ALREADY vacated. Which means, the positions come and go. Unlike previous years, where they hired pharmacist to keep a healthy pool of pharmacists just for flex/relief..

I sent out tons of resumes when I graduated, I only got 2 interviews. of those 2 interviews, both companies offered a position on the spot, and both companies won't guarantee the offer unless I made a decision by the end of the business day, because both companies needed positions to fill right away to the first person that met their hiring criteria, and accepted the offer.

You also don't negotiate for wages in pharmacy land. Its pretty much set, and competitive across the board in your respective regions and within the pharmacy field you are trying to get a job in (hospital vs big 3 vs grocery vs independent).

My advice is in your inteview, be as flexible to the terms set forth to you. The more flexible you are, the better your offers will be.

I apply for a floater position, and came out with a management position that didn't exist, straight out of school (although my title wasn't official until I became licensed). Basically, as I was interviewing, the company hinted that they wanted to fire a manager, and asked me if wanted to replace him. I said "sure". Once my background/drug test cleared, the old manager was fired.. Started me at the store as a grad intern, and worked under a interm pharm. manager, then gave me the position after getting license. Great location, great staff, no insane quotas, so no complaints from me. So BE FLEXIBLE at your interview.


Btw, I speak of my own experience, your mileage may vary......

 

[confettiflyer]

and both companies won't guarantee the offer unless I made a decision by the end of the business day, because both companies needed positions to fill right away to the first person that met their hiring criteria, and accepted the offer.

Negotiation is a two-way street. The point of the "must answer by today" line is to generate urgency and when you generate urgency, people tend to agree and make decisions without fully thinking it through.

Kind of like TV infomercials claiming that you need to call within 15mins or the offer is gone foreverrrrrr.
[/quote]

You also don't negotiate for wages in pharmacy land. Its pretty much set, and competitive across the board in your respective regions and within the pharmacy field you are trying to get a job in (hospital vs big 3 vs grocery vs independent).

Only suckers don't negotiate. Even in retail land, most of the people I know who got offers negotiated extras. Granted, it wasn't very much ($1-2/hr), or it was benefit based (extra week of vacation or something), but everything in life is negotiable, even if it says "not negotiable."

There's a difference between negotiating, and negotiating well. You can't just meekly ask for stuff, you need to dance around it and back up why you're asking for it.

My advice is in your inteview, be as flexible to the terms set forth to you. The more flexible you are, the better your offers will be.

Okay I can agree with this point.

I apply for a floater position, and came out with a management position that didn't exist, straight out of school (although my title wasn't official until I became licensed). Basically, as I was interviewing, the company hinted that they wanted to fire a manager, and asked me if wanted to replace him. I said "sure". Once my background/drug test cleared, the old manager was fired.. Started me at the store as a grad intern, and worked under a interm pharm. manager, then gave me the position after getting license. Great location, great staff, no insane quotas, so no complaints from me. So BE FLEXIBLE at your interview.

Management position.... man I hope you negotiated new terms after you got your promotion and worked for a while. But yes, lesson is to keep your eyes/ears out and keep hitting the pavement for opportunities even though they may seem crappy (floater position at a chain = crappy), who knows what might be beyond that.

Just don't take it up the ass and be afraid of pushing back at the negotiating table.

 

[Pharmacopia]

sorry, my post wasn't towards your previous post if it seemed as it was. Just relating my own personal experience.

I agree with you on most points though, but remember my post is just my own experience hense the "your mileage may vary". Also, my currently work for one of the big 3 chains, so that means a good number of graduates will be interviewing soon or already have. As for me,I could not negotiate on the pay. The pay they offered was already higher than what my pharmacy buddies were already getting at other chains, and institutional settings.
Here was my offer: normal grad; 61 /hour, pharmd Manager; 63 per hour+ bonus. As for my other job offer it was: 56 per hour (which is on par with what my pharmacy buddies are getting paid). Currently, for my interns who are going to graduate at 2012, they will only be offered 58/hour if they want to continue to work for my employer, and none of my interns who received that offer has turned it down. As for me, there is no way I would ask for more money after what I know now. My employer will not budge on price.

I did negotiate on location, hours, and position (relative to pay), which I agree is important. Location, they gave me what I wanted. Hours, as the pharmacy manager I set the hours, and position (manager position is better than floating). I couldn't negotiate on benefits, b/c it is dictated by the union.

Btw, I have only been licensed for a few months.... I graduated, waited a month for my ATT, got hired a week after that, took 1 month off to study for Naplex and an extra week for MPJE, worked like 2 weeks as a grad intern, took 4 weeks off for CPJE, waited maybe a month to be finally licensed. So I had less than 2 months of real world experience...not exactly negotiation material even if I wanted to negotiate.

 

[SWSF]

Here was my offer: normal grad; 61 /hour, pharmd Manager; 63 per hour+ bonus. As for my other job offer it was: 56 per hour (which is on par with what my pharmacy buddies are getting paid). Currently, for my interns who are going to graduate at 2012, they will only be offered 58/hour if they want to continue to work for my employer, and none of my interns who received that offer has turned it down. As for me, there is no way I would ask for more money after what I know now. My employer will not budge on price.

This sounds like a CVS offer. What's the location, if you don't mind me asking?