I wouldn't listen to all these people. You are non-traditional. I'm' guessing you are in your late 20's, or 30's or 40's. You have a real job and are going to pharmacy school to start another career. Continue what you are doing to support yourself. When you are at IPPE and APPE, make sure you network, and get to know the hiring managers and the bosses. Tell them what you do, talk about your passion (obviously you are passionate enough to make a career change and take a non-traditional route), and explain to them what job you do now to support yourself. They will listen.
People can hire any monkeys. A monkey who worked at CVS for 10 years as a tech and student, and is still and idiot will not be a pharmacist. A monkey who can learn and adapts, and is quick and smart and energetic will be the one someone hires.
You want to do yourself a favor? Get a job, and work there one day a week every single week until you graduate. Then you will have a 2, or 3, or 4 years of pharmacy experience by the time you graduate. That's doable, and that's the smart thing to do.
Getting a job is all about who you know. You have to know people. People means not only hiring managers, not only bosses, not only DMs or RxSups or PDMs, but also other pharmacists and other pharmacy students, because 5 years down the line these pharmacists and pharmacy students will be bosses and pharmacists, and you want people who can also vouch for you or recommend you.
I been working retail for 4 years now. I have zero hospital experience. Never ever once worked in a hospital. I made an IV once. I'll be hired at a big academic teaching hospital soon. It's all about knowing people and showing you are smart, capable, passionate, and willing to learn. So stay at your current job to support yourself. $10/hr is huge, especially when its $25/hr verus $15/hr.
