How long did you take you to find your first job?

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rxglasshalffull

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We all know the market sucks these days, especially in saturated area. How long did it take you to find your first job? And where is your first job? Rural American, saturated metropolitan area, etc?

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Hired about 2-3 weeks before graduation (june 2012), started applying in April though
Work at a small 250-bed community hospital in rural southwest GA
 
Copy/paste from the PGY1 thread last year:
Area = SF Bay Area. Employed immediately after PGY1 - July 2013.


Here's my final tally, started sending out applications January 2013.

55 = total applications submitted & CV's delivered via network
10 = total # of interviews/offers for interviews/contact initiated by institution
(phone, in-person, e-mail)
2 = total # of interviews declined prior to interview
8 = in-person/phone interviews
3 = did not get position (assumed if no further contact)
1 = still technically pending
4 = offers tendered
2 = offers declined
2 = offers accepted

Overall yield (interview/contact : total applications) = 18% response rate
Yield from direct networking (5 contacts : 5 interviews) = 100% response rate
Yield from internet only applications (50 applications : 5 interviews) = 10% response rate

Offers tendered resulted from: 3/4 = direct networking; 1/4 = internet application

Other anecdotal notes:
1) All 3 rejections were, in sequence, my first, second, and third interviews.
2) First application was released January 12, actual first contact from an employer or agent was April 26.
 
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Didn't match to residency and had no backup plan with minimal intern experience. Started applying as soon as I was finished with scrambling (so probably beginning of April?).

Went on three job interviews, the third was a week after my graduation. The hospital called a few days after the interview and offered me the position which I'm still at to this day.

Rural America…confessions of a 2012 graduate
 
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Copy/paste from the PGY1 thread last year:
Area = SF Bay Area. Employed immediately after PGY1 - July 2013.


Here's my final tally, started sending out applications January 2013.

55 = total applications submitted & CV's delivered via network
10 = total # of interviews/offers for interviews/contact initiated by institution
(phone, in-person, e-mail)
2 = total # of interviews declined prior to interview
8 = in-person/phone interviews
3 = did not get position (assumed if no further contact)
1 = still technically pending
4 = offers tendered
2 = offers declined
2 = offers accepted

Overall yield (interview/contact : total applications) = 18% response rate
Yield from direct networking (5 contacts : 5 interviews) = 100% response rate
Yield from internet only applications (50 applications : 5 interviews) = 10% response rate

Offers tendered resulted from: 3/4 = direct networking; 1/4 = internet application

Other anecdotal notes:
1) All 3 rejections were, in sequence, my first, second, and third interviews.
2) First application was released January 12, actual first contact from an employer or agent was April 26.

Match rates published by ASHP are only so useful. I'm going to be showing these numbers to final year students in my program; some are a little more confident about their prospects than they should be. THANK YOU.
 
Copy/paste from the PGY1 thread last year:
Area = SF Bay Area. Employed immediately after PGY1 - July 2013.


Here's my final tally, started sending out applications January 2013.

55 = total applications submitted & CV's delivered via network
10 = total # of interviews/offers for interviews/contact initiated by institution
(phone, in-person, e-mail)
2 = total # of interviews declined prior to interview
8 = in-person/phone interviews
3 = did not get position (assumed if no further contact)
1 = still technically pending
4 = offers tendered
2 = offers declined
2 = offers accepted

Overall yield (interview/contact : total applications) = 18% response rate
Yield from direct networking (5 contacts : 5 interviews) = 100% response rate
Yield from internet only applications (50 applications : 5 interviews) = 10% response rate

Offers tendered resulted from: 3/4 = direct networking; 1/4 = internet application

Other anecdotal notes:
1) All 3 rejections were, in sequence, my first, second, and third interviews.
2) First application was released January 12, actual first contact from an employer or agent was April 26.

Damn I was lucky

first job 2004- applied to 5 places (retail/industry)
received 5 offers - medium size midwest city - had job offer in hand 3 months prior to graduation

Last time around - major metro area in southeast
Applied to 5 retail pharmacies
received offers from all 5
Applied to 5 hospitals
Interviewed at 4
Received offers from 4
 
Match rates published by ASHP are only so useful. I'm going to be showing these numbers to final year students in my program; some are a little more confident about their prospects than they should be. THANK YOU.

They have a right to be confident if their network is excellent, or that their network actually perceives them to be strong candidates (you won't believe how many students come through and talk about their network, but their work ethic/performance says otherwise).

Otherwise.... creek, meet boat, no paddle.
 
Damn I was lucky

first job 2004- applied to 5 places (retail/industry)
received 5 offers - medium size midwest city - had job offer in hand 3 months prior to graduation

Last time around - major metro area in southeast
Applied to 5 retail pharmacies
received offers from all 5
Applied to 5 hospitals
Interviewed at 4
Received offers from 4

As I pretty much said in another thread... 2004 might as well be 1985, and you're Marty McFly with a DeLorean listening to Huey Lewis and the News.
 
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As I pretty much said in another thread... 2004 might as well be 1985, and you're Marty McFly with a DeLorean listening to Huey Lewis and the News.
I agree completely (although the "last time around was 08), it is just depressing to think about it, I am only 25% through my career (worked 10 and 30 more to go)
 
Copy/paste from the PGY1 thread last year:
Area = SF Bay Area. Employed immediately after PGY1 - July 2013.


Here's my final tally, started sending out applications January 2013.

55 = total applications submitted & CV's delivered via network
10 = total # of interviews/offers for interviews/contact initiated by institution
(phone, in-person, e-mail)
2 = total # of interviews declined prior to interview
8 = in-person/phone interviews
3 = did not get position (assumed if no further contact)
1 = still technically pending
4 = offers tendered
2 = offers declined
2 = offers accepted

Overall yield (interview/contact : total applications) = 18% response rate
Yield from direct networking (5 contacts : 5 interviews) = 100% response rate
Yield from internet only applications (50 applications : 5 interviews) = 10% response rate

Offers tendered resulted from: 3/4 = direct networking; 1/4 = internet application

Other anecdotal notes:
1) All 3 rejections were, in sequence, my first, second, and third interviews.
2) First application was released January 12, actual first contact from an employer or agent was April 26.

What kind of jobs were these? Completely staffing jobs, hybrid staffing-clinical, or pure clinical?
 
Staff for both mine. Convert to clinical Tho after experience there.

Does converting to clinical happen for everyone? Or are there places where you start as staff and end up stuck there?
 
Does converting to clinical happen for everyone? Or are there places where you start as staff and end up stuck there?

From my experience, the majority of staff does not convert to clinical. The purely clinically jobs go to those with years of experience in that area or residency training.
 
Copy/paste from the PGY1 thread last year:
Area = SF Bay Area. Employed immediately after PGY1 - July 2013.


Here's my final tally, started sending out applications January 2013.

55 = total applications submitted & CV's delivered via network
10 = total # of interviews/offers for interviews/contact initiated by institution
(phone, in-person, e-mail)
2 = total # of interviews declined prior to interview
8 = in-person/phone interviews
3 = did not get position (assumed if no further contact)
1 = still technically pending
4 = offers tendered
2 = offers declined
2 = offers accepted

Overall yield (interview/contact : total applications) = 18% response rate
Yield from direct networking (5 contacts : 5 interviews) = 100% response rate
Yield from internet only applications (50 applications : 5 interviews) = 10% response rate

Offers tendered resulted from: 3/4 = direct networking; 1/4 = internet application

Other anecdotal notes:
1) All 3 rejections were, in sequence, my first, second, and third interviews.
2) First application was released January 12, actual first contact from an employer or agent was April 26.

Did you go back after you graduated to do a residency? idk y i thought you graduated in 2004 lol
 
Did you go back after you graduated to do a residency? idk y i thought you graduated in 2004 lol

Nope went straight to PGY-1. I had an inpatient offer on the east coast prior to graduation, but took a chance and went back to California.

I literally certified my match card with a few hours to spare, haha.
 
What kind of jobs were these? Completely staffing jobs, hybrid staffing-clinical, or pure clinical?

A mix of hybrid-clinical and pure clinical -- in California, very rarely are there "pure staffing" jobs available, pretty much every job posted has a "clinical" component. In fact, "staffing" and "clinical" are kind of anachronisms in the state. (Almost) every job is clinical now, with a "staffing" portion built in to the job description.
 
Does converting to clinical happen for everyone? Or are there places where you start as staff and end up stuck there?

This is a problem with pharmacy schools. There is nothing wrong with being "stuck" as a staff pharmacist. The staff pharmacist is essential for operating the pharmacy, and ultimately, filling the needs of the pharmacy department. The "clinical people" would not exist/function without well trained, experienced staff pharmacists. You should be so lucky.
 
As I pretty much said in another thread... 2004 might as well be 1985, and you're Marty McFly with a DeLorean listening to Huey Lewis and the News.

So, how would you define 1994? That's when my employer promoted me directly from technician to pharmacist.
 
would like to know whether the jobs are FT/PT and location
 
I graduated in September 2009. I applied at 4 places and was offered employment at all 4.
1. CVS far northern Chicago burbs
2. Walgreens rural Illinois
3. Small 150 bed hospital far northern Chicago burbs
4. 450 bed trauma center 60 miles north of Miami,FL

I accepted the trauma center position. I felt fortunate to get into a place like that directly out of school. I guess they liked me enough in the interview. lol. They were willing to wait for me to get licensed and what not. Hired in September, started in November. After being out in the work force a year I began to realize it was all about networking and getting real life experience that would determine how far I went!
 
Graduated in 2010. Accepted a position as a clinical pharmacist to begin after I graduated when I was on my second rotation. Most people in my class had plans prior to graduation as far as where they were going to work. I don't think anyone waited any longer than maybe a week or two before they knew where they were headed after graduating.
 
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