I am surprised that there is still so much interest in being a Pharmacist

[RXWorrier]

If Colorado had a lot of pharmacy jobs, you can be sure people from other states (particularly California) would have taken them.

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[owlegrad]

Um maybe when you started school everyone was selling that dream, but I graduated college in what was called the worst year for college graduates. Happy graduation, you picked the worst year.

My school (private) doesn't try to lie to us about the job situation... it is quite obvious what we will be facing, along with nearly every other profession/industry. Most of my friends with bachelor's degrees are working in the same jobs they started college with... and they are definitely not able to spend money on fine dining and nice things all the time. Maybe every now and then, which is probably what a pharmacist making 3x as much, but living farther away would be doing anyway... but maybe saving more?

This! Our Dean has made it a point to try to educate us on what the job market is like right now. I highly doubt there are very many schools that are dishonest about the job market. They don't need to be.

 

[joetrisman]

I have 2 cases of MREs 🙂

That's all? Ham radio, water, ammo, and a deck of playing cards would need to be added for a proper Apocalypse regime 😛



I find most of my classmates to be like the OP. During school they are not holding down internships, not taking on projects, not expanding their CV adequately, not networking more than the occasional Apha meeting. I hope that the market turns around for their sakes, but in the mean time, I'm attempting to capitalize on every opportunity that presents itself.

"Fortune favors the prepared mind" ~ Louis Pasteur

 

[30Percent]

If Colorado had a lot of pharmacy jobs, you can be sure people from other states (particularly California) would have taken them.

This is true and probably all the Colorado natives who didn't get into UC Denver went out of state and came back home.

I'm currently living in Denver (from CA) and a couple times a week when I show my CA ID the cashier or receptionist mentions they are from CA.

There are a lot of California transplants in Colorado. When I visited a hospital here my receptionist, physician, and the person who drew my blood were all CA transplants.

 

[DrDrugs2012]

Anyone who thinks the job outlook in the coming five years is rosy is out of their minds. That being said, not everyone will go jobless. Its all in how you prepare yourself for the coming challenge. SWOT. If you don't know what that means, google it, buy a textbook, and figure out how to deal. The jobless will be, as previously stated in almost identical words, the unprepared mind.

 

[rxlea]

This AGAIN?!

You could always be a pastry chef in Europe. Look at this here pastry I had in old town in Geneva, Switzerland... look at its perfect, warm, chocolatey center. I paired it with a delicious mocchiato which was the end to a most satisfying meal....

 

[297point1]

I go away for a week, and this thread breaks out...

Anyways, I think one of the OP's main points has been overlooked: What is wrong with Chili's?

If it's good enough for Drunk Pam at the Dundies, it should be good enough for you, new graduate!

 

[R2pharmD2]

I go away for a week, and this thread breaks out...

Anyways, I think one of the OP's main points has been overlooked: What is wrong with Chili's?

If it's good enough for Drunk Pam at the Dundies, it should be good enough for you, new graduate!

These threads are sort of like herpes. They both tend to flare up periodically, you can't really ever get rid of them, they're highly annoying, and they'd die off if we could just quarantine the infected individual but somehow another person always gets involved.

 

[sivapharm]

I just did a search for pharmacy jobs in CA on indeed.com and there were over 20 jobs posted in the last three hours. Getting your foot into any job is a difficult challenge. I have been looking for a stupid part-time job for the last 6 weeks, hoping to get one this summer and nothing! I've even just resorted to Petco and still nothing. I received my BA in graphic design in 2003 and it took me a year and a half to find a good job in my town. My sister just changed her career from a high school math teacher of 7 years to accounting. She received her second BA last December and has yet to receive a job. While I have been searching for jobs the past weeks, everyday there are tons of accounting jobs but everyone wants 2-3 years experience. Again, no matter what job you are looking for it can be extremely difficult to get your dam foot in the door, even if the jobs are out there. You just have to be extremely persistent and never give up.

 

[Passion4Sci]

This AGAIN?!

You could always be a pastry chef in Europe. Look at this here pastry I had in old town in Geneva, Switzerland... look at its perfect, warm, chocolatey center. I paired it with a delicious mocchiato which was the end to a most satisfying meal....

If I could make more than 10 bucks an hour doing it, I'd be all over that like mascarpone on tiramisu.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I just did a search for pharmacy jobs in CA on indeed.com and there were over 20 jobs posted in the last three hours. Getting your foot into any job is a difficult challenge. I have been looking for a stupid part-time job for the last 6 weeks, hoping to get one this summer and nothing! I've even just resorted to Petco and still nothing. I received my BA in graphic design in 2003 and it took me a year and a half to find a good job in my town. My sister just changed her career from a high school math teacher of 7 years to accounting. She received her second BA last December and has yet to receive a job. While I have been searching for jobs the past weeks, everyday there are tons of accounting jobs but everyone wants 2-3 years experience. Again, no matter what job you are looking for it can be extremely difficult to get your dam foot in the door, even if the jobs are out there. You just have to be extremely persistent and never give up.

The nay-sayers will quickly shoot this down by stating that the jobs posted on Monster and the rest of the job sites including Craig's List Jobs are posting just to collect resumes, that the posting is automated, etc. I am with you, though.

 

[jasonkido]

The nay-sayers will quickly shoot this down by stating that the jobs posted on Monster and the rest of the job sites including Craig's List Jobs are posting just to collect resumes, that the posting is automated, etc. I am with you, though.

A lot of those job postings are legit. I found a job using indeed.com. However, I did apply to 6 other jobs on indeed.com and did not get one call back.

 

[Medwell]

I've never really understood why anyone would hesitate to relocate for a job. Heck, I'm 800 miles away from home for an internship this summer.

Once you get your degree, move to where there's a job. It's simple. Don't hang around waiting for a job in a specific place.

 

[Passion4Sci]

A lot of those job postings are legit. I found a job using indeed.com. However, I did apply to 6 other jobs on indeed.com and did not get one call back.

So you're saying a 1 out of 7 success rate (or even call back rate...) is enough evidence to suggest that they are legit, or rather, are NOT simply bots or companies trying to collect resumes?

I'd like to think that monster & indeed are both providing legit job opportunities, because judging by the number of postings even in highly populated areas, there are openings everywhere but obviously I have no direct experience and I do believe you're the first person on SDN to proclaim getting a job based on one of the sites.

 

[rxlea]

If I could make more than 10 bucks an hour doing it, I'd be all over that like mascarpone on tiramisu.

Minimum wage here in Switzerland is more than 20 bucks an hour... you make way more as a pastry chef at a nice place (like the one that made the pastry above).

 

[Passion4Sci]

Minimum wage here in Switzerland is more than 20 bucks an hour... you make way more as a pastry chef at a nice place (like the one that made the pastry above).

Well, that's Switzerland.

How's the market for lawyers?

 

[rxlea]

Well, that's Switzerland.

How's the market for lawyers?

I really think you should just open up your own patisserie/boulangerie. Put it in some college town and learn French. You can charge top dollar for your specialty pastries and make bank but also offer some delectable cheaper choices for the students. Invest in a good coffee machine and use "local" or "free trade" coffee to get all the hipsters wanting your stuff. Have breakfast pastries, juice and yogurt for cheap so all the cool kids get their breakfast there. Provide free wifi and comfy seating. Do a punch card deal and a coffee+pastry deal (like a buck off or something). Host people's art on your walls and have live music on weekends. I am telling you man, you would make bank. Hire a couple of cute international students who speak other languages in addition to english like portuguese or norwegian but make sure they work fast.......and play good (quiet) french music during the day so people can study. Then when you start making hella good money, start offering imported cheeses and chocolates from Gruyere and Broc 😉

 

[Passion4Sci]

I really think you should just open up your own patisserie/boulangerie. Put it in some college town and learn French. You can charge top dollar for your specialty pastries and make bank but also offer some delectable cheaper choices for the students. Invest in a good coffee machine and use "local" or "free trade" coffee to get all the hipsters wanting your stuff. Have breakfast pastries, juice and yogurt for cheap so all the cool kids get their breakfast there. Provide free wifi and comfy seating. Do a punch card deal and a coffee+pastry deal (like a buck off or something). Host people's art on your walls and have live music on weekends. I am telling you man, you would make bank. Hire a couple of cute international students who speak other languages in addition to english like portuguese or norwegian but make sure they work fast.......and play good (quiet) french music during the day so people can study. Then when you start making hella good money, start offering imported cheeses and chocolates from Gruyere and Broc 😉

LOL, sounds like you'd make a fantastic business partner. 🙂 All of that is actually what my mom told me to do, just do it state-side (Combination coffee/study area/pastry type deal) before I really got into pharmacy. I continue to sell my cakes though on the weekend, I have a couple "regulars" that I make specialty cakes and pastries for every week for their businesses. $60/week, pays for gasoline and other stuff (and they buy my supplies). Also sell 2 loaves of banana almond bread every week!

Something tells me my language specialties wouldn't be too useful there, though (Arabic, Pashto and Farsi... LOL).

I can dream. Maybe for retirement or something...

 

[joetrisman]

Hire a couple of cute international students who speak other languages in addition to english like portuguese or norwegian but make sure they work fast.......

I can pull a great espresso shot AND speak portuguese. Hell, I'll even roast the coffee. Attach this to a bed and breakfast, put it on the beach, and I'll quit pharm school 👍

 

[Passion4Sci]

I can pull a great espresso shot AND speak portuguese. Hell, I'll even roast the coffee. Attach this to a bed and breakfast, put it on the beach, and I'll quit pharm school 👍

Even if you are basically destitute? Even $20/hr is pretty pitiful. I mean 40 grand a year unless it's with full benefits... Hard to even finance a house purchase on that, let alone a 401k, max'ing an IRA account, and mutual funds/CDs...

 

[momoneythenu]

Even if you are basically destitute? Even $20/hr is pretty pitiful. I mean 40 grand a year unless it's with full benefits... Hard to even finance a house purchase on that, let alone a 401k, max'ing an IRA account, and mutual funds/CDs...

Dont forget they have socialized healthcare over there so that cuts down on alot of costs.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Dont forget they have socialized healthcare over there so that cuts down on alot of costs.

That's true. Perhaps that's made up for in higher taxes, though? I briefly looked at Switzerland's tax rates and it was... confusing, to say the least. Their maximum bracket is 40%, though, so I'm guessing you'd still pay a pretty penny even on $40k/yr.

And health care sure doesn't take care of the other things. Unless the gov't gives you a house, contribs to your 401k and IRA and diversifies your portfolio for you, too... When I was in the Army, I put almost 60% of my salary into savings of different natures and will do the same for my salary as a pharmacist. Were I only making $35,000 a year, I would simply not be able to save enough for retirement. I don't know how people do it, frankly.

 

[momoneythenu]

That's true. Perhaps that's made up for in higher taxes, though? I briefly looked at Switzerland's tax rates and it was... confusing, to say the least. Their maximum bracket is 40%, though, so I'm guessing you'd still pay a pretty penny even on $40k/yr.

And health care sure doesn't take care of the other things. Unless the gov't gives you a house, contribs to your 401k and IRA and diversifies your portfolio for you, too... When I was in the Army, I put almost 60% of my salary into savings of different natures and will do the same for my salary as a pharmacist. Were I only making $35,000 a year, I would simply not be able to save enough for retirement. I don't know how people do it, frankly.

Agreed, but it is also a different culture over there. They take great pride in their mastery. Many often live with their families for a long time. They certainly could not live alone. We must not forget either that Switzerland is one of the most expspensive countries in the world too. However, It also has the highest quality of living.

 

[joetrisman]

Even if you are basically destitute? Even $20/hr is pretty pitiful. I mean 40 grand a year unless it's with full benefits... Hard to even finance a house purchase on that, let alone a 401k, max'ing an IRA account, and mutual funds/CDs...

I thought we were talking pipe dreams here...Honestly though, I would like to retire in Costa Rica running a bed and breakfast on the beach.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I thought we were talking pipe dreams here...Honestly though, I would like to retire in Costa Rica running a bed and breakfast on the beach.

Ah, yeah, true.

Some day... Dr. Desserts...

 

[Passion4Sci]

Agreed, but it is also a different culture over there. They take great pride in their mastery. Many often live with their families for a long time. They certainly could not live alone. We must not forget either that Switzerland is one of the most expspensive countries in the world too. However, It also has the highest quality of living.

Yea, I couldn't live like that. I get sick of my parents after a week staying with them.

 

[jasonkido]

So you're saying a 1 out of 7 success rate (or even call back rate...) is enough evidence to suggest that they are legit, or rather, are NOT simply bots or companies trying to collect resumes?

I'd like to think that monster & indeed are both providing legit job opportunities, because judging by the number of postings even in highly populated areas, there are openings everywhere but obviously I have no direct experience and I do believe you're the first person on SDN to proclaim getting a job based on one of the sites.

Yeah, I realized its flawed logic so I should say that a good amount of those jobs are legit. I believe I wasn't even considered for some since most of the ones I applied to required at least 1 year of hospital experience which I had none. The job that I got was for a long-term care pharmacy in a small city.

And it surprised the crap out of me that I was able to even get this job by just applying online. I did a phone interview and then a face to face in which I had to drive more than 3 hours just for an interview. My older brother who is also a pharmacist got a job interview from an online posting on indeed.com did not get a job after a face to face interview. These websites are a valuable tool for employers. Use them!

 

[fauxden]

No it isn't.



It's a huge problem. Even IF those people DON'T have jobs (overlooking the very distinct possibility that those votes were put in by Fauxden/Doom And Gloom supporters, which you guys have a large contingent of [trolls]) then that is STILL absolutely not representative of pharmacy as a whole. And that's the problem with the self-selection. See, HAPPY people typically don't get onto a forum to talk about how happy they are, vote on polls, etc. The Pharmacy forum attracts people with negative experiences.

But you know that. You're a clever troll but a troll nonetheless.

I would just like to happily point out that I haven't even looked at the pre-pharm board for quite some time- and here I check back tonight to see what la la land the pre-pharms are still living in, dreaming of the devaluing PharmD. I am impressed that I was mentioned twice in this thread after not posting on here for quite some time. Pretty impressive I would say. And yeah- pharmacy I think is on a downward spiral, obviously. With things like this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43837165/ns/business-us_business/ == its hard to stay positive. PBMs are screwing pharmacies over on a daily basis- and here they go, growing stronger. Just wait until they stop letting people go to pharmacies- only mail order...that will be cool

 

[filipelli]

]If you don't intend to uproot your life after graduation, DO NOT GO TO PHARMACY SCHOOL! [/B]Even if you're fine with moving away from friends, family and significant others, there's a shortage of jobs.

Pharmacy is completely saturated. There is no pharmacist shortage and any school that tells you otherwise is blowing smoke up your butt.

I am finding this out more and more and I agree with the OP. I have had to move away from friends and family to get a job and I know of several people who have had to do the same.

That's not to say I don't love my job though.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I would just like to happily point out that I haven't even looked at the pre-pharm board for quite some time- and here I check back tonight to see what la la land the pre-pharms are still living in, dreaming of the devaluing PharmD. I am impressed that I was mentioned twice in this thread after not posting on here for quite some time. Pretty impressive I would say. And yeah- pharmacy I think is on a downward spiral, obviously. With things like this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43837165/ns/business-us_business/ == its hard to stay positive. PBMs are screwing pharmacies over on a daily basis- and here they go, growing stronger. Just wait until they stop letting people go to pharmacies- only mail order...that will be cool

Yeah, you're in good company. Trolls. Besides, it isn't as though they're living in a La La Land. It's that there are not sufficiently superior options to warrant completely changing their plans based on the available data. It isn't like PA, nursing, medicine, or engineering, or anything are THAT much better. For the salary, there are few, if any, options that are more reliable... even now.

That's not to say I don't love my job though.

And in the long run, that is a very good thing.

 

[jalwa]

Long story short: you didn't get a job exactly where you wanted the moment you graduated?

Welcome to real life.

Lol...Good one. I can't help not to laugh at this one. OP, instead of applying or considering pharmacy school why don't you try getting a real job, say at corporate world. Afterwards let us know what you think. Of course nothing is guarentee in life but I do know one thing is if you do end up earning your PharmD I forsee salaries dropping below 60k. Don't abhor everyone else for pursuing their dream.

Latez