disgusting pharm tech pay

[trailrider400]

I know there are a few posts about pharmacy techs pay but this situation I was in today just pissed me off... trying to make a long story short my mom gave me the contact info for a coworker of hers that worked at a Cub pharmacy. She was hired at 10 an hour with no experience... I talked to her boss and basically got an offer (we didn't talk pay but I'm assuming I'd start at 9 or 10 like because thats what she got with no experience) but I wanted to talk to the Cub a half mile away from my house because it is 20 minutes closer to where I live and gas is expensive.

The pharmacy manager there liked me and decided she wanted to hire me but I just talked to the HR person and under starting pay, 9.00 was crossed out and they wrote in 7.35. This really pissed me off. That pay was like a slap in the face for me and the fact that it was crossed out makes me feel they are jerking me around. I think I'm going to talk to the pharmacy manager because she didn't even know what the pay was but I cannot afford to work for that low of wages. I know I have no experience but 7.35 plus union dues?!? I work at a restaurant and we pay our 15 year old dishwashers 8 an hour!!! Not to mention I get payed 13 a hour right now at my other job. And I knew I wouldn't get anywhere close to 13 but 7 an hour?? come on! The experience would be invaluable but i just can't support myself on those wages. Sorry for my rant I'm more than a little disappointed. Any comments would be helpful. btw I live in Minnesota.

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[choylifut]

I know there are a few posts about pharmacy techs pay but this situation I was in today just pissed me off... trying to make a long story short my mom gave me the contact info for a coworker of hers that worked at a Cub pharmacy. She was hired at 10 an hour with no experience... I talked to her boss and basically got an offer (we didn't talk pay but I'm assuming I'd start at 9 or 10 like because thats what she got with no experience) but I wanted to talk to the Cub a half mile away from my house because it is 20 minutes closer to where I live and gas is expensive.

The pharmacy manager there liked me and decided she wanted to hire me but I just talked to the HR person and under starting pay, 9.00 was crossed out and they wrote in 7.35. This really pissed me off. That pay was like a slap in the face for me and the fact that it was crossed out makes me feel they are jerking me around. I think I'm going to talk to the pharmacy manager because she didn't even know what the pay was but I cannot afford to work for that low of wages. I know I have no experience but 7.35 plus union dues?!? I work at a restaurant and we pay our 15 year old dishwashers 8 an hour!!! Not to mention I get payed 13 a hour right now at my other job. And I knew I wouldn't get anywhere close to 13 but 7 an hour?? come on! The experience would be invaluable but i just can't support myself on those wages. Sorry for my rant I'm more than a little disappointed. Any comments would be helpful. btw I live in Minnesota.

I'd say talk to the pharmacy manager and have him/her talk to the HR person. Honestly though, I'd say take the pharmacy clerk/tech position. Admissions to pharmacy school is so competitive, everyone is trying to get a retail position nowadays. At my pharmacy, we receive on average 2-3 applications via fax per day. Everyone wants a job but we're looking for quality people, someone who's willing to work hard and stay with us for a long time. I've seen some really impressive resumes get rejected.

 

[DGMN99]

I live in MN and was hired as a retail pharmacy technician with no prior experience (except volunteering in a hospital) at $12.75 and now 7 months later I am making $13.50. You are getting screwed only making $7.35/hour and should look for a job somewhere else cause obviously other pharmacies in this state pay much better.

 

[ADentalHopeful]

wow where do you live??? Here they get like 22...
yeah, dont take that offer.
:S

 

[trailrider400]

I'd say talk to the pharmacy manager and have him/her talk to the HR person. Honestly though, I'd say take the pharmacy clerk/tech position. Admissions to pharmacy school is so competitive, everyone is trying to get a retail position nowadays. At my pharmacy, we receive on average 2-3 applications via fax per day. Everyone wants a job but we're looking for quality people, someone who's willing to work hard and stay with us for a long time. I've seen some really impressive resumes get rejected.

I know but I do have hospital volunteering experience to fall back on. And I'm planning on talking to the pharm manager because she does want me there. But like I said I'd settle for 850 or 9 but seriously I haven't made under 8 dollars an hour since I was 15. I'm 22 now and I have bills to pay and I know I'm worth more than that

I live in MN and was hired as a retail pharmacy technician with no prior experience (except volunteering in a hospital) at $12.75 and now 7 months later I am making $13.50. You are getting screwed only making $7.35/hour and should look for a job somewhere else cause obviously other pharmacies in this state pay much better.

can I ask what organization you work for or who in Minnesota pays respectibly?

 

[choylifut]

I know but I do have hospital volunteering experience to fall back on. And I'm planning on talking to the pharm manager because she does want me there. But like I said I'd settle for 850 or 9 but seriously I haven't made under 8 dollars an hour since I was 15. I'm 22 now and I have bills to pay and I know I'm worth more than that


I understand where you're coming from, it was only my $0.02 and my suggestion on what I would do if I were in your shoes. I was also paid $7 something plus union dues at my first retail pharmacy job. I wanted to get the hands-on experience so I didn't mind so much the pay rate. Also, I went from making a good salary to $7/hour...tell me that isn't crazy?

 

[DGMN99]

wow where do you live??? Here they get like 22...
yeah, dont take that offer.
:S

$22/hour as a pharm tech??? That is seriously hard to believe for a starting pay rate that is relevant to this thread

 

[DGMN99]

I know but I do have hospital volunteering experience to fall back on. And I'm planning on talking to the pharm manager because she does want me there. But like I said I'd settle for 850 or 9 but seriously I haven't made under 8 dollars an hour since I was 15. I'm 22 now and I have bills to pay and I know I'm worth more than that



can I ask what organization you work for or who in Minnesota pays respectibly?

I work for PrairieStone Pharmacy, which is based out of the Lunds/Byerly's grocery store chain...apparently they are one of the highest paying retail pharmacies in the state, that's what I've heard at least, but I haven't really done any research on what other pharmacy chains in MN pay because this was the first job I applied for and was hired right away....seriously, I think I just got lucky and in my opinion, being hired as a technician is all about timing and demand because so many people are now looking at pharmacy as great career

 

[PharmApp2008]

I took at a pharmacy tech job making $6.25 an hour and I was 23, like you, that was a joke but it was hard to even find a job in a pharmacy. Luckily I had a 2nd job that paid $9 and I lived at home and I was in college. How about keeping your $13/hr job and just ask this job if you can work one day a week?

 

[199778]

i hear ya, it is hard to get a job in the pharmacy in the first place... but I think once you get nationally certified, it will be easier to get another pharmacy-related job. My story was I started at $7.50/hr, then a dollar raise after being certified, and additional raise after a year of hire. I got screwed over because the raises didn't take place until several months afterwards. So, I am still waiting to get paid from 2 years when I started. I am at $9.15/hr, but I heard other pharmacies starts off higher. The reason I have not quit yet is because I need to find another job to replace the current one. HELP! ALSO, I HATE DRIVE-THRU. i just have to say it. out loud.

 

[trailrider400]

I took at a pharmacy tech job making $6.25 an hour and I was 23, like you, that was a joke but it was hard to even find a job in a pharmacy. Luckily I had a 2nd job that paid $9 and I lived at home and I was in college. How about keeping your $13/hr job and just ask this job if you can work one day a week?

Yeah I was definitly planning on keeping my $13 dollar job anyways... But still I don't want to work for someone who thinks they can pay me $7 an hour. I may be a little spoiled (I was making 8 an hour when I was 14) but still thats way too low... I'm talking to the other pharmacy 20 miles away and hopefully I'll have more negotiating power with both of them once they give me a formal offer...

 

[corbomite]

I started at 6.50, 2 years later I make 8. My fiance makes 6 at a hospital. It all depends on your part of the country.

 

[redley]

wow, corb - where do you guys live?

 

[pharmgrl5]

That is really low pay. Even for someone who doesn't have prior experience it's just ridiculous. The lowest starting pay for someone w/o experience and who lives sort of in the middle section of the country should really not be under $8. I am paid $9/hour and have no prior experience. I only just had my first day of half training today so haven't really gotten any real experience yet but I'd seriously talk to someone about this. Tell them how you feel about it. Plus if the standard starting wage is $9 then it's only fair that they offer that to you. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Bowler11]

well if it makes you feel better I was first hired at Osco Drug (now CVS) in Green Bay about 4.5 years ago at $6.70. I left at the end of 3.5 years at $7.00. I ditched the chainstore tech pay and got a job in college at a local hospital that pays a base $10.50 and more at night and weekend! Good luck finding more money (i would suggest hospital)

 

[Pharmpills]

I started at like 8 then got a dollar more for getting certified. After like 3 years I am now at $12.25 last time i checked but it sucks bc some pharmacists try to make u do all the work but if ur smart u will just go at a normal pace and not try to do 100 things at once. At my store walgreens tend to have a few employees even though they are making tons of money so i end up having to deal with long lines etc but whatever i dont let it bother me, i just go at a normal pace bc what's the point when they will never staff right.

 

[PharmDnewb]

You should definitely talk to a manager about your wage. It is definitely not worth working there for that little pay (at least at my pharmacy). My starting pay with no previous experience was 9.75 (Walgreens)

 

[dabex4k]

THAT IS WHAT MAJORITY OF THE TECHS NOW ESPECIALLY IN THE MIAMI AREA ARE GETTING BECAUSE THAT IS ALSO MY PAY WITH CERTIFICATION AND 3 YEARS. MAYBE YOU CAN ASK YOUR STORE MANAGER FOR A RAISE. MINE DOESNT CARE

 

[YapYap6]

It seriously does sound like they're giving you the short end of the stick. I work just outside of downtown Chicago and I started at $10 a year ago. I got certified, got a couple of rasies, good reviews etc. and I now make $12.00 an hour.

Look at it this way, this experience could possibly help you get your foot in the door with a pharm college. I believe that P1's start at $14 an hour...at least they do at Walgreens.

 

[cuedee]

And I thought I was getting robbed at $8.50/hr. Maybe you could work at the store where you were offered $9.00 and transfer to the other store in a few months.

If I were you, I would keep the $13/hr job until you find a job with reasonable wages because experience won't do you any good if you don't have the money to apply.

 

[Scrubs Fan]

And I thought I was getting robbed at $8.50/hr. Maybe you could work at the store where you were offered $9.00 and transfer to the other store in a few months.

omg, i thought i was the onlyone. yeah, i started at 8.50/hr. it sucked!!!!! but it's all worth it when you finally get in.

 

[alum]

Dude, the only way to feel better is to not even waste your time there. Why even bother if you are going to get treated like that...

I know there are a few posts about pharmacy techs pay but this situation I was in today just pissed me off... trying to make a long story short my mom gave me the contact info for a coworker of hers that worked at a Cub pharmacy. She was hired at 10 an hour with no experience... I talked to her boss and basically got an offer (we didn't talk pay but I'm assuming I'd start at 9 or 10 like because thats what she got with no experience) but I wanted to talk to the Cub a half mile away from my house because it is 20 minutes closer to where I live and gas is expensive.

The pharmacy manager there liked me and decided she wanted to hire me but I just talked to the HR person and under starting pay, 9.00 was crossed out and they wrote in 7.35. This really pissed me off. That pay was like a slap in the face for me and the fact that it was crossed out makes me feel they are jerking me around. I think I'm going to talk to the pharmacy manager because she didn't even know what the pay was but I cannot afford to work for that low of wages. I know I have no experience but 7.35 plus union dues?!? I work at a restaurant and we pay our 15 year old dishwashers 8 an hour!!! Not to mention I get payed 13 a hour right now at my other job. And I knew I wouldn't get anywhere close to 13 but 7 an hour?? come on! The experience would be invaluable but i just can't support myself on those wages. Sorry for my rant I'm more than a little disappointed. Any comments would be helpful. btw I live in Minnesota.

 

[Sparda29]

I started at $8.50, went to $11 in 9 months. It sucks because gas prices are going up and I like driving for no purpose, it takes my mind off of things.

 

[zilko]

There are two main reasons to work in a retail pharmacy as a tech if you are thinking about applying to pharmacy school.
1) you want to make sure that this is a field that you want to get into, rather than spend 4 years in grad school only to find out that you hate working in a pharmacy
2) to enhance your application

Let's face it, as techs we do much of the work and take a lot of the grief (something to remember once you get that PharmD and have techs working under your supervision), and are seriously underpaid for the level of expertise (kids working at In N Out, start with better pay). If the pay sucks and you need more, then find a better job and only work at the pharmacy for a few hours a week, just to cover those two reasons above. Whining about the pay will not change it, getting your PharmD will. [Stay focused on the goal]
P-)

 

[i ♥ pharmacy]

Just started this week. $10/hr with no experience, but I am certified.

Sam's offered me 10.50, but their hours suck.

 

[collegegirl247]

I get $8/hour.. I have 2 years experience...and im certified...it sucks!

 

[pharmgrl5]

I get $8/hour.. I have 2 years experience...and im certified...it sucks!

Wow... that really sucks! You'd think that with certification and experience of that length they would value you more. I'd be looking for a new job...
Are you ever reviewed there? My manager will be doing reviews for possible raises every 6 months. I'm hoping to be certified in a year so that hopefully I'll increase my odds of a raise. I'm at $9/hour.

Whoops, just saw you are accepted to pharm school. Do you know what your pay as an intern will be? I'd be asking for a good sized raise.

 

[thephoenician88]

you're going there for the experience and saving yourself gas money. experience is what you need, money is what you can get later. suck it up.

 

[collegegirl247]

Wow... that really sucks! You'd think that with certification and experience of that length they would value you more. I'd be looking for a new job...
Are you ever reviewed there? My manager will be doing reviews for possible raises every 6 months. I'm hoping to be certified in a year so that hopefully I'll increase my odds of a raise. I'm at $9/hour.

Whoops, just saw you are accepted to pharm school. Do you know what your pay as an intern will be? I'd be asking for a good sized raise.

I know..i've been looking into when I can be considered an intern so as soon as I know that it will help me make up my mind about where I want to work this summer