Almost 3 months since getting licensed and havent found a job?

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pharm9101

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I've been licensed since the middle of july but I haven't been able to find a job and it's October so its almost 3 months. I've only gotten 3 interviews and right now I'm starting to see less and less job postings. Is this a very bad sign? I'm worried right now and don't know if I should've landed a job by now.

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if you live in a saturated area (aka desirable areas), do yourself a favor, and start looking for jobs in places people wont want to move to, for example, cities near the border in Texas, some parts of Arizona, etc.
 
I do live in a saturated area. But people around me have been able to find good positions which frustrates me even more since they had less experience or no work but got really lucky. I've been thinking about moving but will have to then get licensed in that state and it would take more time. A lot of jobs want you to have your license already.
 
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I do live in a saturated area. But people around me have been able to find good positions which frustrates me even more since they had less experience or no work but got really lucky. I've been thinking about moving but will have to then get licensed in that state and it would take more time. A lot of jobs want you to have your license already.

well then you can keep looking in your saturated area, but you and your family are going to be okay with you being unemployed for a long time...because i have had classmates that took almost a year to find any kind of formal employment in a saturated area. why not just go rural to get some experience and money, then hopefully move back in a year or two. also are you willing to work for CVS/WAGS?
 
I am willing to work for CVS/WAGS but even they are not hiring in my area. But I feel like I have difficulty being able to get in contact with people that are in charge of recruiting.
 
contact the district manager/supervisor directly. they are the ones that do the hiring. i understand, in my area now from what i hear CVS/WAGS/RiteAid are all not hiring, they like to take transfers from other districts who have already been working for them.
 
Network & practice interviewing (network, ie join a local pharmacist association in your area, go to their meetings, and talk, talk, talk with people.) Make sure you have references that are giving you positive reviews, if you have any doubts, switch them up. Find someone you can practice interviewing with (preferable someone who actually interviews & hires people....ie do you have any friends/family in any industry that have management experience that you could practice interviewing with?)
 
I've been licensed since mid-August but I'm having the same experience you are essentially. Haven't had a single interview yet, just a few rejection emails. I've asked friends working for CVS to reach out to their DM for me but the answer is the same... they are hiring experienced pharmacists only. Currently looking into moving to another state. Is there an abundance of jobs anywhere in the Northeast?
 
I've been licensed since mid-August but I'm having the same experience you are essentially. Haven't had a single interview yet, just a few rejection emails. I've asked friends working for CVS to reach out to their DM for me but the answer is the same... they are hiring experienced pharmacists only. Currently looking into moving to another state. Is there an abundance of jobs anywhere in the Northeast?
Yeah, I've asked friends for their DM contact info and I never got any reply back. It's not like I know every DM or supervisor out there so only a few. The answer is essentially the same, they already hired all the interns that worked for them and not looking to hire outside people. It really sucks. I'm just afraid if I don't find a job soon it will look really bad that I can't land a job.
 
Network & practice interviewing (network, ie join a local pharmacist association in your area, go to their meetings, and talk, talk, talk with people.) Make sure you have references that are giving you positive reviews, if you have any doubts, switch them up. Find someone you can practice interviewing with (preferable someone who actually interviews & hires people....ie do you have any friends/family in any industry that have management experience that you could practice interviewing with?)

yup, i just joined two of my local pharmacist associations and already hung out with them a few times. it helps that they meet less than a mile from where i live, so its not like im driving for an hour to attend the meetings. im not currently looking anymore but its always important to have some contacts, you never know.
 
if you live in a saturated area (aka desirable areas), do yourself a favor, and start looking for jobs in places people wont want to move to, for example, cities near the border in Texas, some parts of Arizona, etc.
I'm n AZ from MIA. Bout ta leave this place. It sucks a** only city n AZ is Phoenix. I'm n Tucson. Everything closes early, no night life- everyone points to 4th ave, ...seriously? And in New Mexico there's really just Albequerque. N both states are overrun by retirees. I'm ready to switch fields or take a part time n South Florida just to have a f***ing life.
 
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You have to be on the right time and right place. Luck matters. Be a little persistent, don't cross off a recruiter because they are not hiring this month, keep asking next month. They will not hire until someone quits/gets fired/retires, once they have an immediate need to fill a gap, they will take someone decently competent at the right time.
 
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i used to walk into every retail store and ask for the dm contact information from them and call them up.
 
You are not alone! I've heard about people who have completed residencies and still unable to find a job for a year.
I've applied to so many jobs, I'm feeling bad for the HR departments that have to reject my applications several times a week. Meanwhile I'm doing some volunteering at a free clinic just to do some real pharmacist tasks.
I've reached out to all my preceptors and contacts and no one is hiring but suggest I search the internet and take a bad job just to get your foot in the door. A lot of places need PRN or per diem help but still make you go through a full blown interview process.
Anyway, job market is ridiculous. Rant over. I need to move.
 
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You are not alone! I've heard about people who have completed residencies and still unable to find a job for a year.
I've applied to so many jobs, I'm feeling bad for the HR departments that have to reject my applications several times a week. Meanwhile I'm doing some volunteering at a free clinic just to do some real pharmacist tasks.
I've reached out to all my preceptors and contacts and no one is hiring but suggest I search the internet and take a bad job just to get your foot in the door. A lot of places need PRN or per diem help but still make you go through a full blown interview process.
Anyway, job market is ridiculous. Rant over. I need to move.
Where are you? What state and or city?
 
I am willing to work for CVS/WAGS but even they are not hiring in my area. But I feel like I have difficulty being able to get in contact with people that are in charge of recruiting.

Please don't take offense, but perhaps you don't interview well. Read up on some interviewing techniques, make sure you are highly presentable and professional.

Also, the fact that colleagues have been hired and you haven't doesn't mean you should keep digging that hole. Branch out and look into smaller towns. The bottom line is you need a job. There are jobs out there and I guarantee if you look into a rural area you'll get hired.
 
Look for pharmacy recruiters on LinkedIn and follow them. I got my Walgreens gig in a super saturated area through a recruiter I found on LinkedIn.
 
Look for pharmacy recruiters on LinkedIn and follow them. I got my Walgreens gig in a super saturated area through a recruiter I found on LinkedIn.
I am shocked that walgreens would even mess with recruiters - especially in a saturated area, why would they pay someone to find them a RPh when likely anyone worth a crap was already searching Wags out?
 
I am shocked that walgreens would even mess with recruiters - especially in a saturated area, why would they pay someone to find them a RPh when likely anyone worth a crap was already searching Wags out?
I agree, seems like a waste of money for Wags. I guess one could argue that since there are so many applicants for one position, that maybe they would utilize a recruiter to get the "Cream of the crop" so to speak. That's the only reason I could see.
 
I agree, seems like a waste of money for Wags. I guess one could argue that since there are so many applicants for one position, that maybe they would utilize a recruiter to get the "Cream of the crop" so to speak. That's the only reason I could see.
uh oh - now we are outsourcing HR services - another profession that is saturated
 
Maybe because that recruiter doesn't work for Walgreens anymore. I was contacting every DS in my area and cities 4 hrs away and most of them didn't respond to my emails. I sent this lady (the recruiter) an email with a copy of my resume and heard back from her in 2 days. She scheduled me for a phone interview and after the interview, she told me she liked me a lot and will see what she can do for me. 3 days later, I got an email from my current DS for an interview. I interviewed with her on Friday and got offer letter on Monday.
 
I've got a job opening for a Mon-Fri 9am-6pm in west texas. No holidays, no weekends. I'd prefer someone with at least 2 years of retail experience but I'm open to talking to the right candidate.
 
I work for WAGs in the PA/NJ/NY area and no one/ very few districts are hiring. My DM gets a stack of applications every month and he tosses anyone without retail exp out.
 
same with coastal socal, LA, Orange County, and San Diego....and i think thats for WAGS and Rite Aid, no one is hiring, the new comers are all transfers from other districts. im assuming same goes for the popular areas in the bay area.
i mean...you can go to fresno and be miserable.
 
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