I need help choosing a job

[farmadiazepine]

Hey,

So I was making $63/hr at CVS. I left and worked at an independent making $60/hr in cash. Now here I am, having left the independent in very good terms, and looking for a new job.

I got a job at a state hospital, union, it's a staff position, 4pm to 12:30am, and it's paying $45/hr and change. It's such a paycut. 15 days vacation, 12 days sick, a 403 plan.

I got offered a gig from Rite Aid. It pays around $55/hr. I can do full or part time.

I found another place, a growing specialty pharmacy, which may be paying $70/hr. I'm hesitant because I don't want to work there for X amount of time only for the business to close, or to miss out on getting a solid year of hospital experience under my belt.

Any advice? I pretty much know what I am going to do, but it would be nice to read some thoughts from others. I'm not making decisions solely based on what I read here, but it would be nice to get input. Thanks!

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[Momus]

$8/hr difference from Rite Aid. Is it because you were working graveyard shifts? That's why CVS pays premium? That's a huge different hourly from a different chain @$16k.

$30k paycut from CVS but hospital job, although again... sh1tty hours.
or
Specialty pharmacy at 140k/yr.

I'd compare benefits and work environment and go from there.

 

[Lnsean]

i'd take the specialty pharmacy....this is a no-brainer.

 

[ExpressMaiL]

What type of specialty pharmacy is it? Most specialty pharmacies are the way to go...

$45 per hour WTF? What state is this? Is it down the street from where you live?

 

[Digsbe]

$45 per hour is extremely low, even for hospital. Lowest I've ever really seen in hospital was around $52 per hour. If it was me I'd take the specialty job unless you have a passion for one of the other jobs. Are all these offers in the same city/area?

 

[Son_Goku]

It's either CVS or Walgreens at this point.

 

[Sparda29]

$45/hr is the usual rate for new hospital pharmacists in NYC. That's how much I made at first, but now my offers start around $52-55/hr.

 

[gwarm01]

That's a common starting hospital rate in Florida too. Insulting as it is.

 

[El Trombopag]

47 an hour here

 

[FarmD711]

45 an hour is my per diem rate at the hospital.

 

[alprazolamborghini]

I would def choose specialty pharmacy. 70 bucks/ hr??? thats a gig. y did you leave independent pharmacy? $60 cash is very good deal. Where are you located? I am from NJ, PA area

 

[alprazolamborghini]

45 an hour is my per diem rate at the hospital.

PER DIEM and its 45? what a rip off. even RNs with experience easily make that

 

[FarmD711]

PER DIEM and its 45? what a rip off. even RNs with experience easily make that

Yep I don't pick up shifts there any more bc I'm making 63 in retail. Can't justify the difference

 

[Digsbe]

I can't believe hospitals in other areas actually pay that low, I'd find it even more laughable if these are positions that want PGY1 trained pharmacists too. Even if I hated retail I don't think I could justify that big of a pay cut.

 

[BMBiology]

At least you still have CVS stocks.

 

[farmadiazepine]

These are rates in Northern NJ and NYC area. The hospitals are in Northern NJ. Yes, I still have a lot of CVS stocks..

..and yes $60/hr cash is great, but our owner who has been in business for 40 years sold the pharmacy to Walgreens for $3 million, and we closed last week. No, I couldn't have bought it or sought partnership because by the time I met him a couple years back, the contracts were already signed to Walgreens and they began building their store. This has been going on for a little under 2 years, and now we are closed, so here I am figuring out the next step!

My decision is between doing the hospital, and getting my foot in the door, train and stay for 1 year and see how I like it and where I am and where I can go..

Or.. meet with specialty sometime next week and see exactly what they are offering.

I'll keep you all updated, but any other advice would be great!

 

[type b pharmD]

Specialty at the moment is in explosive growth phase prior to seeing the full impact of ACA and mandatory managed care .. it is the high risk high reward choice .. if you have any stock options offered or partner potential I would take the spec. In a heartbeat .... That said , from my limited time in managed care I saw specialty pharmacies that were being bought out by the big 3 insurers and also big 3 retail chains left and right .. some rph lost their job. Thus the risk . Specialty is a cash cow at the moment for pharmacist owners and employees , the drugs are already expensive enough , it is juicy low hanging fruit for M&A .

you have the money to open your own specialty pharmacy ? Maybe buy in? That would be worth it. I knew some pharma guys who were quitting to open their own spec. Pharmacy and their napkin calculations would put even the most profitable regular Rph independent owners to shame.

I'd still consider taking the spec job even without any ownership potential, but I thrive on risk. Specialty Rph dispensing is set to keep doubling over and over again probably for the rest of our careers, so the skill set will still be in demand, somewhere.

 

[alprazolamborghini]

These are rates in Northern NJ and NYC area. The hospitals are in Northern NJ. Yes, I still have a lot of CVS stocks..

..and yes $60/hr cash is great, but our owner who has been in business for 40 years sold the pharmacy to Walgreens for $3 million, and we closed last week. No, I couldn't have bought it or sought partnership because by the time I met him a couple years back, the contracts were already signed to Walgreens and they began building their store. This has been going on for a little under 2 years, and now we are closed, so here I am figuring out the next step!

My decision is between doing the hospital, and getting my foot in the door, train and stay for 1 year and see how I like it and where I am and where I can go..

Or.. meet with specialty sometime next week and see exactly what they are offering.

I'll keep you all updated, but any other advice would be great!

I am from Rutgers! Lets go jersey woohoo. And thanks for the descriptive reply

 

[farmadiazepine]

Honestly the jobs are hard to get in Northern NJ. I only got interviews by networking, networking, networking. I never even filled out applications, but instead met directly with the Directors of Pharmacy or RxSups

 

[SClENCE]

Honestly just go with whatever makes the most money.

I know hospital jobs are hard to come by for retail pharmacists and the experience would be nice for expanding future employment options but at $45 an hour I don't see the value considering your next hospital job probably won't pay much better anyways.

I'd rather have enough money saved up that I can do whatever I want as opposed to having a strong resume that could potentially grant me a nice hospital job.

 

[BidingMyTime]

Another point to consider is the rumors that CVS is looking to buy RiteAid. How would you feel if you took the job at RiteAid, then 6 months later woke up and found out you were working for CVS again?

The obviously answer is the $70 specialty pharmacy unless there are other variables making it less desirable (like, are they going to want you to work 80 hours a week and only pay you $70/hr for 40 hours?) $70/hr seems unusually high for your area, so I would want to know what the "catch" was before I took a job like that.

 

[PharmaSex]

Go with the specialty position. I've worked in specialty pharmacy as an intern and it is such a relaxing environment. Good pay as well as good environment. I would take a position in one in a heartbeat if it wasn't for the loan forgiveness I would get In a non profit setting and the differentials I get working overnight puts me at about 61/hr

 

[BMBiology]

Since you were paid cash from the independent pharmacy, are you currently getting unemployment benefits?

 

[gwarm01]

I can't believe hospitals in other areas actually pay that low, I'd find it even more laughable if these are positions that want PGY1 trained pharmacists too. Even if I hated retail I don't think I could justify that big of a pay cut.

It's insulting. I accepted an offer in the low $40's/hr because I was fresh out of school with no experience and was willing to work my way up. I managed to negotiate a few extra bucks an hour since I had an offer for more money at a less desirable location. However, they hired a pharmacist fresh out of PGY1 for the exact same position just a few months before me. I have no idea what rate she accepted, but recently (~2 years after being hired) she mentioned that she still doesn't make six figures a year.

I might add that I have recently started searching for jobs outside of Florida because I'm tired of leaving so much money on the table.

 

[Momus]

It's insulting. I accepted an offer in the low $40's/hr because I was fresh out of school with no experience and was willing to work my way up. I managed to negotiate a few extra bucks an hour since I had an offer for more money at a less desirable location. However, they hired a pharmacist fresh out of PGY1 for the exact same position just a few months before me. I have no idea what rate she accepted, but recently (~2 years after being hired) she mentioned that she still doesn't make six figures a year.

I might add that I have recently started searching for jobs outside of Florida because I'm tired of leaving so much money on the table.

Not really, that's normal rate for a lot of hospital outside CA. Don't like it? Go to retail, see if you like that one better for $10 extra...

 

[gwarm01]

Where in FL? Asking for a friend who is moving

South Florida, Ft. Lauderdale area. We actually have a position posted if you want to PM me.

 

[bacillus1]

$45/hr is the usual rate for new hospital pharmacists in NYC. That's how much I made at first, but now my offers start around $52-55/hr.

52-55 in NYC??? But NYC is so expensive, why is the pay so low? No wonder I'm seeing jobs in DC/NYC/Northern NJ for about 52-54 bucks an hour...These areas are just as expensive as Silicon Valley, and I'm getting more here with my salary actually considered pretty low for the area.

 

[Momus]

52-55 in NYC??? But NYC is so expensive, why is the pay so low? No wonder I'm seeing jobs in DC/NYC/Northern NJ for about 52-54 bucks an hour...These areas are just as expensive as Silicon Valley, and I'm getting more here with my salary actually considered pretty low for the area.

Got a friend making 75/hr in the sh1t city. Cost of living for 1 bedroom $450 LOL. Metro/good place = low pay. Sh1t hole = highest pay. Employers don't care about your cost of living, they just care about supply and demand for the area.

 

[maria1oh]

Maybe see if walgreens will hire you since they bought the pharmacy you worked at.
Or try a new cvs store. Not all 24/7 stores are terrible.

 

[Sparda29]

52-55 in NYC??? But NYC is so expensive, why is the pay so low? No wonder I'm seeing jobs in DC/NYC/Northern NJ for about 52-54 bucks an hour...These areas are just as expensive as Silicon Valley, and I'm getting more here with my salary actually considered pretty low for the area.

Honestly I don't know. The most I get is $60/hr from my per-diem hospital staff pharmacist job in the Bronx but I've been told the full-time staff pharmacists there usually start at $50/hr.

If you make $55/hr and are full-time (36.25 hours/week), that's $103,675 before taxes are taken out. Me for example, I take home about $5000/month. IBR student loan payment comes to around $800/month. A 1 bedroom apartment in a nice part of Queens will run you at least $1,500/month, make that a luxury apartment in Queens, you're looking at $2300/month. My car costs $500/month and I pay $320/month for car insurance, and $300/month for gas. Leaves me with about $1,580 if I were renting that $1500/month apartment.

 

[pezdispenser]

Honestly I don't know. The most I get is $60/hr from my per-diem hospital staff pharmacist job in the Bronx but I've been told the full-time staff pharmacists there usually start at $50/hr.

If you make $55/hr and are full-time (36.25 hours/week), that's $103,675 before taxes are taken out. Me for example, I take home about $5000/month. IBR student loan payment comes to around $800/month. A 1 bedroom apartment in a nice part of Queens will run you at least $1,500/month, make that a luxury apartment in Queens, you're looking at $2300/month. My car costs $500/month and I pay $320/month for car insurance, and $300/month for gas. Leaves me with about $1,580 if I were renting that $1500/month apartment.

Dang! So from that $1,580, if you then subtract:
- utilities--electric, heat, water, trash
- internet/TV/Netflix/cell phone
- food
- car registration/tolls/parking/maintenance/tires

do you have any left to have some fun in NYC?

 

[Sparda29]

Dang! So from that $1,580, if you then subtract:
- utilities--electric, heat, water, trash
- internet/TV/Netflix/cell phone
- food
- car registration/tolls/parking/maintenance/tires

do you have any left to have some fun in NYC?

Well, I don't have an apartment. I'm staying at home and helping my mom pay down this mortgage faster, 800/month instead of $1500. Plan is to own that property, get another house and then rent this one out.

 

[Momus]

Honestly I don't know. The most I get is $60/hr from my per-diem hospital staff pharmacist job in the Bronx but I've been told the full-time staff pharmacists there usually start at $50/hr.

If you make $55/hr and are full-time (36.25 hours/week), that's $103,675 before taxes are taken out. Me for example, I take home about $5000/month. IBR student loan payment comes to around $800/month. A 1 bedroom apartment in a nice part of Queens will run you at least $1,500/month, make that a luxury apartment in Queens, you're looking at $2300/month. My car costs $500/month and I pay $320/month for car insurance, and $300/month for gas. Leaves me with about $1,580 if I were renting that $1500/month apartment.

I personally give a rat a55 about cars as long it gets me from A to B with a cold AC. But wow, are you driving 100k car or what? Living beyond your means LOL.

 

[SClENCE]

Some people do it for the lifestyle in places like NYC... I personally hate the lifestyle. It's a win-win for me.

Did you accept any of the offers yet?

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

How can your car insurance possibly cost $320 per month? My wife and I both have speeding tickets and accidents and I pay like $1300 per year for 2 cars.

 

[type b pharmD]

How can your car insurance possibly cost $320 per month? My wife and I both have speeding tickets and accidents and I pay like $1300 per year for 2 cars.

This is sparda.


Also factor NYC , and he definitely owns a car that is statistically used for street racing and is at high theft risk.

I pay $120/month for 2 cars 2 drivers.. it's that marriage bonus again !

 

[SClENCE]

Marriage is a great financial move until you have kids

 

[Dr Wario]

Wow, 320 is more than I pay every 6 months for car insurance, how many accidents/tickets have you had? It is so amazing that people with similar incomes can have vastly different surpluses at the end of the month.

 

[ExpressMaiL]

Honestly I don't know. The most I get is $60/hr from my per-diem hospital staff pharmacist job in the Bronx but I've been told the full-time staff pharmacists there usually start at $50/hr.

If you make $55/hr and are full-time (36.25 hours/week), that's $103,675 before taxes are taken out. Me for example, I take home about $5000/month. IBR student loan payment comes to around $800/month. A 1 bedroom apartment in a nice part of Queens will run you at least $1,500/month, make that a luxury apartment in Queens, you're looking at $2300/month. My car costs $500/month and I pay $320/month for car insurance, and $300/month for gas. Leaves me with about $1,580 if I were renting that $1500/month apartment.

I feel you. I use about $350 a month on gas. I get about 12 mpg, lol.

 

[Sparda29]

I personally give a rat a55 about cars as long it gets me from A to B with a cold AC. But wow, are you driving 100k car or what? Living beyond your means LOL.

I'm actually driving a 2015 Ford Taurus SHO. Paid zero out of pocket, pretty much a sign and drive kinda thing. Price was initially like 400/month with 1k down but I got them to roll that into it and roll the taxes and fees and whatnot into the payment. Also getting 15k/year on the lease.

Some people do it for the lifestyle in places like NYC... I personally hate the lifestyle. It's a win-win for me.

Did you accept any of the offers yet?

I'm staying full-time at the independent. Owner just opened his 3rd store so I'm supervising that one. I didn't get the oncology job, would have taken it if I had gotten it. Wasn't feeling the temp job (lack of job security since no guarantee that I'll get position when temp contract is over), and the overnight job was just too far of a commute.

How can your car insurance possibly cost $320 per month? My wife and I both have speeding tickets and accidents and I pay like $1300 per year for 2 cars.

It's NYC, and since it's a lease I have to get full comprehensive + collision + liability insurance. I haven't had a speeding ticket conviction since 2011, my last accident was in 2012 but I got rear ended so it wasn't my fault. My Scion FR-S got hit pretty bad when I was parked, guy just left and didn't leave info, insurance claim was like 10k to repair the body.

I feel you. I use about $350 a month on gas. I get about 12 mpg, lol.

Ehh, I get like 18-20 but it's a big tank.

 

[type b pharmD]

I'm actually driving a 2015 Ford Taurus SHO. Paid zero out of pocket, pretty much a sign and drive kinda thing. Price was initially like 400/month with 1k down but I got them to roll that into it and roll the taxes and fees and whatnot into the payment. Also getting 15k/year on the lease.
.

It doesn't sound like a sports car , because the word "taurus" .. but I guess insurance companies see right through that lol . Damn such a sweet car for the $

 

[Sparda29]

It doesn't sound like a sports car , because the word "taurus" .. but I guess insurance companies see right through that lol . Damn such a sweet car for the $

Yeah, at first they quoted me at $170/month when I said I was getting a Ford Taurus. Then when they added the actual VIN#, it jumped to $320/month. When you first sit in the car, it seems like an average modern family cruiser until you hit the accelerator and you hear the turbo spooling before it rockets you away.

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

Yeah, at first they quoted me at $170/month when I said I was getting a Ford Taurus. Then when they added the actual VIN#, it jumped to $320/month. When you first sit in the car, it seems like an average modern family cruiser until you hit the accelerator and you hear the turbo spooling before it rockets you away.

I always loved those cars. My friend's Dad had one when I was a kid. Way too expensive for me though.

 

[pezdispenser]

I picked up a per diem hospital job in South Florida for $45/hr. My hospital friends are telling me that that is the going rate for all new hires right now. I'm still doing it to get some hospital experience, and I've paid off all my loans and mortgage so I'm not desperate for money anyway.

But I would say the outlook is very bleak if you're a student who only wants to do hospital pharmacy. You would have to spend 8 years and $150k+ to get a PharmD. Then compete for, and move anywhere in the country to do PGY-1/2 while only getting paid $40k/yr. Then compete again for a hospital pharmacist job and you might even end up in BFE. All for a $94k salary, and don't forget the payments on your $160k+ loan (with capitalized interest) will take a big chunk out of that.

 

[gwarm01]

I picked up a per diem hospital job in South Florida for $45/hr. My hospital friends are telling me that that is the going rate for all new hires right now.

That's an average rate for a full time position with benefits, but per diem is usually $50 down here. Maybe they're just getting even cheaper.

 

[farmadiazepine]

I am going with the $45/hr hospital job in NJ. I decided not to take the specialty pharmacy job in Manhattan. The commute is minimum 2 hours each way, so 4 to 5 hours of my life would be lost every day unless I moved to the Upper East Side, and f*ck no I don't want to pay $3500 for a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom in Manhattan. So I'm giving up this $70/hr specialty pharmacy job. If anyone is interested in it, let me know. The company is going places, and they are growing huge. It's private, but it's dispensing in states all over the country. $200 million in sales over the past 3 years, and about $6 million in profit a year! I haven't ever seen a place like this before. The power of marketing and networking and having sales leaders, unbelievable!

Anyways, hospital job for me. 8 hours a day. Close to home. I have a life. Maybe I'll go back into retail or specialty one day, but not in the next year. Thanks for all the advice on here.

 

[alprazolamborghini]

well if its 2hrs of commuting, its not worth it i think. Good choice! good luck to you

 

[BMBiology]

If the specialty is paying $70 an hour and the hospital is paying $45 an hour, that is $25 an hour difference or $52 k a year. Surely you can use that money for a nice apt in Manhattan or what you are saying doesn't add up.

Anyways, this is your 3rd job in a year? Better make this work. You are going to run out of opportunities soon.

 

[farmadiazepine]

If the specialty is paying $70 an hour and the hospital is paying $45 an hour, that is $25 an hour difference or $52 k a year. Surely you can use that money for a nice apt in Manhattan or what you are saying doesn't add up.

Anyways, this is your 3rd job in a year? Better make this work. You are going to run out of opportunities soon.

I don't like Manhattan, no matter how awesome it may seem. Housing is grossly expensive, an extra $52k after taxes is really $33k after taxes (35% tax bracket). and housing would be minimum $22k in North Harlem-ish area which is considered cheap. That leaves only around $11k after taxes. Plus, everything is just way more expensive from the milk and the eggs to the beers, drinks, food, and anything! I like going to my bar here in NJ and paying $1 for a Miller instead of $5 for a Miller.

Plus, I already own a house in Northern NJ, so I plan to stay in that area.

3rd job? Eh, its more like I was at CVS for 3 years, left CVS, went to independent for 1 year which just got sold, and now starting hospital job. I got full time offer from RAD and WAG, as well as approached by 2 people to open up a store in the Bronx area, which I love that area, but decided hospital is the way to go for me.

Yes, I still have CVS stock, all time high $110/share. Got em at $32/share. Thanks for reminding me hah