Best chance of getting a pharmacy clerk job?

[eddie269]

Hi guys, a new semester at school with a lot of free time. Would love to land a job as a pharm clerk. I applied online to the bigger chains (i.e. Albertsons, Safeway, RiteAid, etc) but have heard nothing yet. Did you guys who are clerks just walk in store and apply? What do you guys suggest? I need the money and more experience.

Otherwise, I got to get a job elsewhere and maybe volunteer during the summer. Let me know what you guys think.

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[rxlynn]

Hi guys, a new semester at school with a lot of free time. Would love to land a job as a pharm clerk. I applied online to the bigger chains (i.e. Albertsons, Safeway, RiteAid, etc) but have heard nothing yet. Did you guys who are clerks just walk in store and apply? What do you guys suggest? I need the money and more experience.

Otherwise, I got to get a job elsewhere and maybe volunteer during the summer. Let me know what you guys think.

Hi - I work for CVS and I can tell you that in our district (although you do have to apply on-line) it totally depends on whether the store has an opening or has someone about to leave when you walk in. All retail stores have a budget for total number of tech hours they can use, so unfortunately we can't hire anytime we find somebody good. Try going to some of the locations close to you and politely asking if they have openings. And, if they say they don't, then ask if they know of anybody in their district/region who has openings. Also, you could ask what are the busiest stores in their area, because the busy stores will have more technicians on staff and hence more turnover. If you get somebody who seems receptive, you could also ask for a district managers phone number - they also know if any stores in their district need techs.

Two other words of advice - don't walk in asking these questions in shorts and tennis shoes (yes, I have seen potential applicants do that). You don't have to wear a suit, but dress decently. Also, don't go in right at lunch or dinner time, or right at opening or closing - they will be too busy to talk to you at those times unless it is a really slow store. Good luck.

 

[eddie269]

rxlynn: did you actually have to call or speak with someone specifically before you got an interview? Or did you just apply online and had someone call you back?

 

[that1guy]

Yo Ed,

I had the same idea as you recently. I'd finished my prereqs and wanted to work and thought why not at a pharmacy. So I put on my khaki slacks, oxford and tie, printed out a couple of resumes and went around to local chains. Each time I walked in (early in the morning, just after they opened), I asked to talk to the manager. When the manager came up I shook his or her hand and said "I was hoping you might need a good employee." I bombed the first time, got a possible maybe the second time, bombed the third and fourth times, and then hit the jackpot the fifth time. The manager at the last one said he might need someone, had me fill out their electronic application in the store, and then called me back a few days later. Now I'm working at the CVS.

I know that they won't hire you if they don't have an opening, but I wouldn't just fill out an online app. I think the odds of getting hired jump considerably if you talk to someone face-to-face. Unless you make a bad impression.

Hope this helps.

 

[cheesygal]

Hey Ed,
I think it's just a matter of whether the pharmacy has openings or not. I got my job by speaking directly to the pharmacy manager (at Savon Drugs, the pharmacy has its own manager). Of course, I made sure I was presentable (well-dressed, but not to the point of interview style) and was courteous. I also gave him a copy of my resume. It might be to your advantage to speak directly to the pharmacy manager (you can leave a very good first impression) rather than submitting an application online. When you go to the pharmacy, also let the manager know that you are interested in the field and would like to gain more experience (that's a plus cus I'm sure they want someone who's motivated rather than just someone who needs a job). Ok, hope that helps!

 

[LittleMissB]

This is how I got my job as a pharmacy clerk a little over a year ago. I went on Yahoo yellow pages and got the telephone numbers of pharmacies in my city and two or three neighboring cities. I went down the list of 50 or so numbers and just called them one by one. The whole process only took about 3 hours. I just said, "Hi good afternoon. My name is... I am calling to inquire if you are hiring for pharmacy clerk???" At some of the places I left message on the answering machine. So among the 50 places I called, 5 of them actually said that yes, they are hiring. I went to the one I was most interested in working out among the ones that were hiring right after I made the phone calls, filled out an application, and I got a call the same day asking me to come in to talk with the pharmacy manager. I got hired right away. I encourage going about it this way. It's quick and you don't waste gas driving around. I told a friend to do it the same way and she got a job right away as well. Best wishes to you ! Oh and don't hesitate to leave messages on answering machines either... Because about 2 weeks into my pharmacy clerk job, atleast 4 places I left messages at called me letting me know they were interested in having me work for them.

 

[rxlynn]

rxlynn: did you actually have to call or speak with someone specifically before you got an interview? Or did you just apply online and had someone call you back?

At the time I applied CVS was not yet using the on-line system that they are now on cvs.com (I've been with them for over 5 years). I did a few back and forth e-mails with the pharmacy recruiter in the Atlanta area and that eventually got me a call from the district manager for an interview. I am still unclear why she was doing this as opposed to the store level doing the interviewing. Maybe it was just a favor to the recruiter, maybe it was because they were desperate for this particular store. I found out later that they had actually operated for several months without a tech at all. Luckily for me, I have great pharmacists to work with, but looking back on it, it probably would have been better if I had interviewed directly with the store. Anyway, I think my situation was sort of atypical.

 

[eddie269]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I will visit my local pharmacies and call the ones that are a little bit further away.

 

[xnc123]

This is how I got my job as a pharmacy clerk a little over a year ago. I went on Yahoo yellow pages and got the telephone numbers of pharmacies in my city and two or three neighboring cities. I went down the list of 50 or so numbers and just called them one by one. The whole process only took about 3 hours. I just said, "Hi good afternoon. My name is... I am calling to inquire if you are hiring for pharmacy clerk???" At some of the places I left message on the answering machine. So among the 50 places I called, 5 of them actually said that yes, they are hiring. I went to the one I was most interested in working out among the ones that were hiring right after I made the phone calls, filled out an application, and I got a call the same day asking me to come in to talk with the pharmacy manager. I got hired right away. I encourage going about it this way. It's quick and you don't waste gas driving around. I told a friend to do it the same way and she got a job right away as well. Best wishes to you ! Oh and don't hesitate to leave messages on answering machines either... Because about 2 weeks into my pharmacy clerk job, atleast 4 places I left messages at called me letting me know they were interested in having me work for them.

I really like this idea and will try it. I just had a couple of questions. First, did you speak with the Pharmacy manager or the store manager? And secondly, what time of day did you call? I know they say don't call first thing, at lunch, or at closing, so is there a good time? Thanks in advance!

 

[LittleMissB]

xnc123,
It's hard to say what time to call. Some stores are busy from open to close while others (like the one I worked at) get slow from say around 7p to close. If you're going to apply to retail pharmacy, get the line that connects you directly to the pharmacy (e.g. when you call Sav-On or Rite Aid and there's that automated thing... go straight to the pharmacy). I guess it doesn't matter who picks up when you ask your question. It'd be ideal if the pharmacy manager picked up but they're always so busy so chances are the first person you'll speak with is a clerk or tech. In any case, even if you ask a clerk or tech if they're hiring, they'll put you on hold to ask a manager the answer to that. And in reiteration and to answer that question about speaking with the pharmacy versus the store manager, you should speak with the pharmacy manager. Atleast where I worked (Rite Aid) the pharmacy was kept pretty separate from the rest of the store business and the pharmacy manager was the one who was totally 100% in charge of hiring pharmacy personnel. Hope this helps and best wishes on getting a job !

 

[eddie269]

Since Friday, I've been calling all the pharmacies in my area with no luck. I did get a few fax #'s to have my resume sent in but it was more of a "ehhh, we don't need help here but fax it in just in case" type of talk. Left a few messages on the district hiring manager's phone but nothing. This is frustrating and depressing. It's like getting rejected over and over again.

Oh well, I just finished calling pharmacy #30 and I have class now so I will continue my journey tomorrow. There has got to be ONE pharmacy in the city of San Francisco that needs a clerk! RIGHT?!?!

TO everyone else, good luck.

 

[xnc123]

Since Friday, I've been calling all the pharmacies in my area with no luck. I did get a few fax #'s to have my resume sent in but it was more of a "ehhh, we don't need help here but fax it in just in case" type of talk. Left a few messages on the district hiring manager's phone but nothing. This is frustrating and depressing. It's like getting rejected over and over again.

Oh well, I just finished calling pharmacy #30 and I have class now so I will continue my journey tomorrow. There has got to be ONE pharmacy in the city of San Francisco that needs a clerk! RIGHT?!?!

TO everyone else, good luck.

Chin up, eddie269! Keep at it, even if you get another job and hopefully soon your dedication and tenacity will get you the job of your dreams!

 

[that1guy]

Pharmacy clerk? Job of your dreams? We all need to abandon this forum right now and never come back!

 

[eddie269]

Pharmacy clerk? Job of your dreams? We all need to abandon this forum right now and never come back!

Haha, I found that kind of funny. But hey, I have an interview at Rite Aid tomorrow. Only negative is it is near downtown and that area is never fun to work in (mostly business folks and always packed with traffic and accidents, etc). But I am not complaining. The "job of my dreams" is becoming a reality

 

[bananaface]

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[LittleMissB]

Yay congratulations on landing an interview eddie269! Best of wishes to you !

 

[Poland]

Well that is great news for you. Hey when you are talking about being a clerk, do you mean a technician or a cashier?

It is surprising to me that I am already working in a Rite-Aid as a cashier but applicants on the outside have a better chance than me at getting a tech job. I have voiced that I'm very interested in the job but we just hired someone from outside.

It is frustrating trying to compete for a job that I look forward to and alot of others see as a paycheck. Infact, it's not a very good pay check.

 

[islandboy401]

This is how I got my job as a pharmacy clerk a little over a year ago. I went on Yahoo yellow pages and got the telephone numbers of pharmacies in my city and two or three neighboring cities. I went down the list of 50 or so numbers and just called them one by one. The whole process only took about 3 hours. I just said, "Hi good afternoon. My name is... I am calling to inquire if you are hiring for pharmacy clerk???" At some of the places I left message on the answering machine. So among the 50 places I called, 5 of them actually said that yes, they are hiring. I went to the one I was most interested in working out among the ones that were hiring right after I made the phone calls, filled out an application, and I got a call the same day asking me to come in to talk with the pharmacy manager. I got hired right away. I encourage going about it this way. It's quick and you don't waste gas driving around. I told a friend to do it the same way and she got a job right away as well. Best wishes to you ! Oh and don't hesitate to leave messages on answering machines either... Because about 2 weeks into my pharmacy clerk job, atleast 4 places I left messages at called me letting me know they were interested in having me work for them.

After they told you they were hiring, did you give them your information on the phone, or did you give them your information after going to the pharmacy (s) itself?

Does it really matter whether you do one or the other?? (someone told me it does..lol)