HATE tech job so far

[GatorPharm]

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Advice for coping with horribly stressful tech job?

 

[PharmacyGirl88]

Advice for coping with horribly stressful tech job?

If you hate your tech job,you might consider looking into a different career.

 

[Reduc]

Get better at it. That's the only way to "cope". Unless you want to be a lame duck pharmacist you'll be doing everything a tech does and much more as a pharmacist. From personal experience I hated being a tech for about 2 years before I loved it. Things that will make you better include being very thorough in every step of the filling process and communicating well with patients.

 

[The Recoverer]

Advice for coping with horribly stressful tech job?

Advice: Man up

 

[Zyzzbrah]

Give it time, you're still getting through the learning curve.

On another note, how'd you land the job?

 

[pharmerbird]

Once you get the flow of things it will get easier. I remember I felt like I was being thrown to the wolves every day for about 6 months because there was ALWAYS something I didn't understand. It takes time to understand everything in the pharmacy. Do you have a good senior tech or pharmacist teaching you?

 

[owlegrad]

I have an excellent post about this floating around somewhere but I couldn't find it. How sad. 🙁

Anyway here are some highlights:

Buy a pocket sized notebook and constantly write stuff down. You might think, "I will remember that". Don't trust that voice - you won't. 😉

Have a team spirit and do whatever is asked of you. Don't be afraid to tell people you are new or to wear a badge that says "In Training" (if you are allowed of course). Most people are much nicer to you when they know you are still learning.

Make it your goal to give every patient a pleasant experience. IMO the only way to survive in retail without going crazy is to learn to enjoy making your customers happy. Retail is not for everyone and if you can't do that I doubt you will enjoy your time in it.

Don't take stuff personally! Some people are in pain or have mental issues. Others are just mean-spirited, period. They are the exception, not the rule, and you have to learn to let it be like water off a ducks back. This is probably one of the hardest things about working retail, learning to ignore people who are just plain mean.

It is at least 90% attitude. Speed and mastery come with time, so don't worry that you are slower than everyone else. You will get it in time. But you can learn good habits now - watch how the experienced people do it and learn from them. Have a good attitude now and everything else will come with time. 🙂

 

[owlegrad]

Huh, so it turns out I am a veritable wealth of knowledge on this topic, lol. Here are some highlights:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10949637&postcount=3

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10828309&postcount=359

And probably the best one (read the whole thread really):http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=9755736&postcount=5

Based on this sample it appears my responses get more brief every year (and possibly less helpful). I wonder if that is a function of learning brevity or something closer to apathy?

Special search term: Asparagus.

 

[AlPacino]

Advice: Man up

If you hate your tech job,you might consider looking into a different career.

Both of these post sum it up fairly well. Tough it out and be thankful you have a job in the field you want to pursue. If you cant crack it as a technician, how do you expect to work as a pharmacist? Man up or change career path.

 

[GatorPharm]

Give it time, you're still getting through the learning curve.

On another note, how'd you land the job?

I applied online to CVS and Walgreens. I heard back from both after about a month. I actually got a call for an interview from another Walgreens store today. It's the busy season where I'm at, so that's probably why they are hiring. Just apply to every store you'd be willing to work at, and if you don't hear back maybe call/stop in and ask to speak to the hiring manager.

Once you get the flow of things it will get easier. I remember I felt like I was being thrown to the wolves every day for about 6 months because there was ALWAYS something I didn't understand. It takes time to understand everything in the pharmacy. Do you have a good senior tech or pharmacist teaching you?

I was training at a different store than my home store, and at my home store there have been various floaters. I've told them I'm new/training but they still don't seem to get it...

I have an excellent post about this floating around somewhere but I couldn't find it. How sad. 🙁

Anyway here are some highlights:

Buy a pocket sized notebook and constantly write stuff down. You might think, "I will remember that". Don't trust that voice - you won't. 😉

Have a team spirit and do whatever is asked of you. Don't be afraid to tell people you are new or to wear a badge that says "In Training" (if you are allowed of course). Most people are much nicer to you when they know you are still learning.

Make it your goal to give every patient a pleasant experience. IMO the only way to survive in retail without going crazy is to learn to enjoy making your customers happy. Retail is not for everyone and if you can't do that I doubt you will enjoy your time in it.

Don't take stuff personally! Some people are in pain or have mental issues. Others are just mean-spirited, period. They are the exception, not the rule, and you have to learn to let it be like water off a ducks back. This is probably one of the hardest things about working retail, learning to ignore people who are just plain mean.

It is at least 90% attitude. Speed and mastery come with time, so don't worry that you are slower than everyone else. You will get it in time. But you can learn good habits now - watch how the experienced people do it and learn from them. Have a good attitude now and everything else will come with time. 🙂

Thanks for the advice. This is what I was looking for 👍.

Both of these post sum it up fairly well. Tough it out and be thankful you have a job in the field you want to pursue. If you cant crack it as a technician, how do you expect to work as a pharmacist? Man up or change career path.

Not really helpful but thanks for taking the time to respond?

 

[owlegrad]

Thanks for the advice. This is what I was looking for 👍.

You're welcome. It gets better with time. Did you check out those links? Pretty good if I do say so myself. 😀

 

[AlPacino]

I applied online to CVS and Walgreens. I heard back from both after about a month. I actually got a call for an interview from another Walgreens store today. It's the busy season where I'm at, so that's probably why they are hiring. Just apply to every store you'd be willing to work at, and if you don't hear back maybe call/stop in and ask to speak to the hiring manager.


I was training at a different store than my home store, and at my home store there have been various floaters. I've told them I'm new/training but they still don't seem to get it...



Thanks for the advice. This is what I was looking for 👍.


Not really helpful but thanks for taking the time to respond?

Ok, well if you want my advice on how to cope with a job like this then here it is;

1). If this is really your first job in a pharmacy, then you are going to need somebody good to train you. Make sure you have a lead/experienced tech to show you the flow of things until you get the hang of it and can work by yourself.

2). Ask questions! I cannot stress this enough. Mistakes can happen in a pharmacy when you become careless. Your not wrapping cheeseburgers here, your preparing a patients medication for their well being. If unsure about anything, ask a co-worker. The smallest mistake that could of been avoided, is the one you will have a hard time forgetting.

3). Patience, patience, and more patience. Job in a retail pharmacy can be stressful at first for anybody. It is a huge workload and you have alot to learn, and not that much time to train since its so busy and you are expected to pick things up quick. Everybody was once new and didnt know everything. Experience, practicing the same tasks, and asking questions if your key to finding your comfort zone in a retail pharmacy.

4). Lastly, and most importantly, do your best to approach this job with a good attitude. Dont think of it as a drag or a must for making your pharmacy school app look good, but as a opportunity and chance to work in a environment of your future profession and to start building your network. Remember that there are other people out there who have been trying to get land a pharmacy job for a while and just cant get it. So be grateful for what you got and try to remain positive.

 

[GatorPharm]

You're welcome. It gets better with time. Did you check out those links? Pretty good if I do say so myself. 😀

So modest , but yes they were helpful.

Ok, well if you want my advice on how to cope with a job like this then here it is;

1). If this is really your first job in a pharmacy, then you are going to need somebody good to train you. Make sure you have a lead/experienced tech to show you the flow of things until you get the hang of it and can work by yourself.

2). Ask questions! I cannot stress this enough. Mistakes can happen in a pharmacy when you become careless. Your not wrapping cheeseburgers here, your preparing a patients medication for their well being. If unsure about anything, ask a co-worker. The smallest mistake that could of been avoided, is the one you will have a hard time forgetting.

3). Patience, patience, and more patience. Job in a retail pharmacy can be stressful at first for anybody. It is a huge workload and you have alot to learn, and not that much time to train since its so busy and you are expected to pick things up quick. Everybody was once new and didnt know everything. Experience, practicing the same tasks, and asking questions if your key to finding your comfort zone in a retail pharmacy.

4). Lastly, and most importantly, do your best to approach this job with a good attitude. Dont think of it as a drag or a must for making your pharmacy school app look good, but as a opportunity and chance to work in a environment of your future profession and to start building your network. Remember that there are other people out there who have been trying to get land a pharmacy job for a while and just cant get it. So be grateful for what you got and try to remain positive.

Thank you. I know how lucky I am to have this job, so I'm definitely grateful, but it's only for personal enrichment/experience. My apps are already in, so experience at this point won't really help me there other than mentioning it in an interview.

Definitely my biggest complaint so far is with the lack of training. The "training" classes I've been to are worthless, and the on-the-job training isn't much help either because the store is too understaffed/busy for someone to properly train me. I'm trying to be friendly with my coworkers so they will want to help me and not be annoyed when I ask questions! (My other complaint is getting stuck doing drive thru 95% of the time, but that's another story).

I appreciate your advice though. I think I just need to relax because I'm a perfectionist and it really bugs me to not be an expert on something I'm doing. I'll keep your and owlegrad's tips in mind 👍.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Huh, so it turns out I am a veritable wealth of knowledge on this topic, lol. Here are some highlights:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10949637&postcount=3

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10828309&postcount=359

And probably the best one (read the whole thread really):http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=9755736&postcount=5

Based on this sample it appears my responses get more brief every year (and possibly less helpful). I wonder if that is a function of learning brevity or something closer to apathy?

Special search term: Asparagus.

Retail needs more attitudes like these 👍

Edit: and more asparagus too

 

[owlegrad]

So modest , but yes they were helpful.

Modest to a fault, that's me.

Retail needs more attitudes like these 👍

Edit: and more asparagus too

Yeah there are a lot of people in retail who just shouldn't be.

Haha you found my secret. I don't want to go digging for those posts again so next time I am going to search for that, lol.

 

[dancingallday]

Definitely my biggest complaint so far is with the lack of training. The "training" classes I've been to are worthless, and the on-the-job training isn't much help either because the store is too understaffed/busy for someone to properly train me. I'm trying to be friendly with my coworkers so they will want to help me and not be annoyed when I ask questions! (My other complaint is getting stuck doing drive thru 95% of the time, but that's another story).

Congrats on starting your pharmacy career. Yes, being a tech IS starting your career, even if it seems totally awful; you're in there working alongside pharmacists. Think of every day as a job interview.

I 100% agree with you about the "training" chains provide. Counting jelly beans on a tray didn't do a darn thing for me when I had to go back to the filling area with 200+ prescriptions staring me in the face and a bunch of cranky customers all wanting theirs simultaneously (and lo and behold, every script was a problem child.) It'll feel like you're bumbling through at first. It felt like I was bumbling more so than I had when starting ANY new job EVER, just because the pace was so ridiculous and my co-techs were too busy to train me properly. I kept asking questions--I felt bad to bother people so much, but I asked anyway because the number 1 rule is not to gloss anything over. Mistakes and short cuts will come back to bite you in the butt, that you can count on. So plan on feeling like quite the noob for at least a few months, and don't ever feel bad about it. It's a hard place to learn from but you'll be glad you stuck it out. One day you might actually enjoy the circus. 😀

And I feel you about drive through/pick up. It will seem like you'll be stuck at those stations FOREVER. Don't worry, they will get you out of there and on to better things eventually; it's not in their best interest to have non-well-rounded technicians. It will happen. 🙂

 

[Iconoclastic]

Many people can relate about feeling " thrown to the wolves" for a while. I feel like I was never properly trained either, simply being left alone or asked to do things I had no idea about for quite a while, with everyone annoyed at me asking questions or not knowing what to do with insurance problems, etc.

Oddly, for the people hired after me, techs were with them every step of the way for at least a month or so - never leaving them doing something alone. I think this was due entirely to how much I socialized with the other techs though (all older women), whereas the newer girls 'fit in' better.

Regardless of training though, you'll just get used to it. Ask questions about anything you're unsure of and don't worry about annoying people by doing so. Also, if they're letting you be stuck on one particular station... simply bring that up to your pharmacy manager, tell them you want to learn other areas. At my store, people try to stick new techs on the register because everybody hates it - but then they don't learn anything, and other techs are surprised when they're asking questions about something basic that they've never done.

 

[SincerelyMe]

Learn to like your job. If you don't maybe rethink retail pharmacy as a career. It sucks at first because you don't know how to do everything. I've been a tech for 6 months now and there are things I don't know how to. The key if you don't have someone training you is be proactive and ask questions if you don't know the protocol or process of completing a task. And if they are too busy to help, observe how the pharmacist or other techs do their jobs and take note. Don't be afraid to be annoying. I'd rather ask and annoy then make a mistake I could get in trouble for and risk losing my license. Get a better attitude and make the experience positive. People suck and when you are working in retail, it's all about the customers. Just do your best. Acknowledge when people complain about things. Sometimes a little understanding makes them feel better. Other times people are looking for a fight. I have one customer who makes my blood boil because he comes into the store and provokes my staff and I. I've learned to just acknowledge his anger but dont engage (and page manager or pharmacy manager f they are there). No one is worth you losing you job or getting in trouble.

Just do your best and keep a notebook! I write everything down from suggestions of OTC products my pharmacist recommends to patients to procedures on how to do interstores, ipledgeprogram, orders, ect. I review the notebook daily and keep it with me for reference.


Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Class of 2017! 🙂

 

[owlegrad]

Learn to like your job. If you don't maybe rethink retail pharmacy as a career. It sucks at first because you don't know how to do everything. I've been a tech for 5 months now and there are things I don't know how to. The key if you don't have someone training you is be proactive and ask questions if you don't know the protocol or process of completing a task. Don't be afraid to be annoying. I'd rather ask and annoy then make a mistake I could get in trouble for and risk losing my license. Get a better attitude and make the experience positive. People suck and when you are working in retail, it's all about the customers. Just do your best. Acknowledge when people complain about things. Sometimes a little understanding makes them feel better. Other times people are looking for a fight. I have one customer who makes my blood boil because he comes into the store and provokes my staff and I. I've learned to just acknowledge his anger but dont engage (and page manager or pharmacy manager f they are there). No one is worth you losing you job or getting in trouble.

Just do your best and keep a notebook! I write everything down from suggestions of OTC products my pharmacist recommends to patients to procedures on how to do interstores, ipledgeprogram, orders, ect. I review the notebook daily and keep it with me for reference.


Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Class of 2017! 🙂

I had someone at drop off as I was walking from pickup to the drive thru. On my way by I said, "We will be right with you". She replied, "That's the third time someone has said that to me!". I replied (it was busy and I wasn't thinking straight), "And just think how much more true it is now than the first time!". That could have ended badly but she just laughed.

I had a point but now I don't remember what it is.

 

[SincerelyMe]

I had someone at drop off as I was walking from pickup to the drive thru. On my way by I said, "We will be right with you". She replied, "That's the third time someone has said that to me!". I replied (it was busy and I wasn't thinking straight), "And just think how much more true it is now than the first time!". That could have ended badly but she just laughed.

I had a point but now I don't remember what it is.

Story of my life. Drive thru sucks in general. I hate it when there are insurance problems at drive through because it takes longer and the meer thought of either coming back later or coming inside so I can help the others in line while also calling the insurance company at the same time angers them. I had someone at drive trough the other day who was so adamant bout not leaving till we called the doctor to fill his C2. It was almost 7 at night and the script wasn't written correctly and he would like not take it back and started yelling at me. The doctors office was closed and my pharmacist wasnt comfortable filling the script written as it was so she lept telling me to give it back and explain to him to bring it back to the doctors office and that we werent going to call the doctor. This was a 20 minute argument involving the pharmacy manager and store manager cause the patient got belligerent. the rest of the people in drive through got so pissed off I get yelled at by everyone else in line about wait time. I could have maybe gone outside to ask those in line to come in but it was snowing and the weather was bad. I choose my poison and as a result got yelled at.

Sometimes you got no control over what's going on. There will be crap moments in your job but there will be shining ones too. The other day I saved this one guy over 100 dollars on his prescriptions by signing him up with our prescriptions savings program and he was so happy because he didn't have insurance. Him and his wife came back and thanked me so much for helping them. On tuesday, a lady came in to thank me for calling the insurance to sort out who was processing her prescriptions and had no idea how to get her newborn onto their insurance so I explained the processes, called doctor for PA after she got on te insurance, an everything worked out the morning after (wish everything worked as smoothly). Those are times I sigh happily and say I'm glad I helped someone today.


Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Class of 2017! 🙂

 

[FlavyFlav]

My first 6 months as a brand new pharmacy tech was absolutely horrible. Some patients can be incredibly mean and unforgiving, and most will take advantage of you if they sense you will give even a little bit. The best thing I did for myself that made me enjoy my career was to just stop letting customers get to me. There is nothing a customer can do now, short of blatant assault, that will affect me once I leave the store (read: do not take your work home with you). I just took on the mentality that if you aren't going to respect me, then I have no reason to care about you.

This doesn't make me an uncaring neanderthal. To the opposite, I don't waste time on people whose sole purpose is to manipulate me into doing things illegal, against policy, or against my better judgement. I spend more time helping people who deserve it, truely need it, or are willing to help themselves. When you adopt that attitude, patients will see it, and they stop harassing you because they know that approach will not work.

Part of the job in any customer service position is 'training the customer'. That is, over time, showing the customers what they need to do and how they need to approach you in order to get the most out of their shopping experience. Pharmacy is the king of repeat retail business, so it is important that you drive the transaction as you will be seeing most of the same people daily for the rest of your career.

Caveats are to always be respectful, there are proper ways to inform a customer they are being an ass and that you will not handle it. Also, you need to know your business inside and out, because the pharmacy world is confusing enough for people who work in it. All of this will come with practice and experience. Watch some senior techs and emulate behavior that you see works. Eventually you will figure out what works best for you and you will have those customers that you will enjoy seeing and will be able to help to the best of your ability. It's those precious moments where you pull something out of your ass that saves a customer $100s or gets them what they need when they had no where else to turn that you will live for.

Sorry for the long wall of text. Hopefully it's somewhat legible. Good luck in your career.

 

[pharmerbird]

The best thing I did for myself that made me enjoy my career was to just stop letting customers get to me. There is nothing a customer can do now, short of blatant assault, that will affect me once I leave the store (read: do not take your work home with you). I just took on the mentality that if you aren't going to respect me, then I have no reason to care about you.

This doesn't make me an uncaring neanderthal. To the opposite, I don't waste time on people whose sole purpose is to manipulate me into doing things illegal, against policy, or against my better judgement. I spend more time helping people who deserve it, truely need it, or are willing to help themselves. When you adopt that attitude, patients will see it, and they stop harassing you because they know that approach will not work.

Part of the job in any customer service position is 'training the customer'. That is, over time, showing the customers what they need to do and how they need to approach you in order to get the most out of their shopping experience. Pharmacy is the king of repeat retail business, so it is important that you drive the transaction as you will be seeing most of the same people daily for the rest of your career.

👍👍👍

The moment I started doing all of these things my job got 1,000 times easier.

 

[bitch]

honestly most tech jobs are pleasant. posts on this forum are not representative of most tech jobs, all the my tech friends absolutely loves it.

 

[525329]

To be honest, I never did like being a tech either. From a former tech to a current pharmacy student, the early transition was rough.

The only reason was the retail environment. Most pharmacists that I know of aren't in retail for the "satisfaction" but rather the financial compensation that it offers. The environment itself is a truly miserable one, and I have to remind myself that the corporations and insurance companies have made it what it is today. (McDonald's + Pharmacy + Metrics).

While exploring the pharmacy profession, I found that if you don't like retail, there's so many more options you can do. That's the great thing about having a PharmD. Find out what your interests are but know that retail isn't the only thing. You can do much, much more as a pharmacist.

 

[SincerelyMe]

honestly most tech jobs are pleasant. posts on this forum are not representative of most tech jobs, all the my tech friends absolutely loves it.

I think it's a little naive to assume most tech jobs are pleasant if you are just basing it off your friends experiences. They aren't representative of the entire populations of those working as techs. I'm not saying this forum is more or less representative, just that there is no way to properly gage whether a job is pleasant or not just based on the opinions of a few.

At first I thought working as a tech was miserable and overwhelming. There was so much to learn and I had to learn most things on my own because I started working at a store that was extremely busy and I couldnt always get the help of another tech or pharmacist to help facilitate my training. I had to learn a lot on my own. Trial and error and observing how the other techs in my store handled third party rejections and protocols and so on. It took me a couple weeks to get my footing.

Now, after 6 months, I love my job mainly because I know what I'm doing. I know how to better work with people who are unpleasant and I've learned not to take my work home with me.

You either adapt and find a way to like your job or you'll end up hating
Your job and becoming miserable in more than just the job aspect of your life if you aren't proficient in separating work life from family and friends.

This is just my own experience with teching. I'm sure others have different opinions. GL to all techs out there.



Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Class of 2017! 🙂

 

[owlegrad]

Love is a strong word for a job.

 

[SincerelyMe]

To each their own, different experiences, different opinions.


Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Class of 2017! 🙂

 

[kcha90]

Love is a strong word for a job.

Not necessarily.

 

[MeowPharmacy]

Love is a strong word for a job.

Your job becomes your career if you decide to stay in retail pharmacy.


UGA College of Pharmacy!!! Accepted.
Nova-accepted!!
University of Florida-wait listed
LECOM-waiting to hear back for interview

 

[owlegrad]

My point is most people do not "love" their job. It's a job, it pays the bills. Doesn't mean you can't enjoy it, but to say love is pretty strong IMO.

 

[525329]

Your job becomes your career if you decide to stay in retail pharmacy.

Agreed.

 

[rxlea]

My point is most people do not "love" their job. It's a job, it pays the bills. Doesn't mean you can't enjoy it, but to say love is pretty strong IMO.

lots of people love their job. At least a lot of people I know love what they do. to many, it's more than just a job that pays the bills.

For me, a job and a career are not really the same thing.

 

[owlegrad]

lots of people love their job. At least a lot of people I know love what they do. to many, it's more than just a job that pays the bills.

For me, a job and a career are not really the same thing.

Ok maybe I am off base here. I enjoy playing video games, sports, and SDN. I basically enjoy my job most days.

I love my friends, family, and free swag. I don't think of work as something to love.

 

[rxlea]

Ok maybe I am off base here. I enjoy playing video games, sports, and SDN. I basically enjoy my job most days.

I love my friends, family, and free swag. I don't think of work as something to love.

We're all different 😀

If you can hate a job, why can't you love it 😕

I think most people would say you could "love" what you do as a career. Lots of people use that language/phrase.

 

[catalysts]

Work to live, not live to work.