I have a Job Interview Monday

[PA_dud3]

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(Sorry in advance, everyone, for posting so much about my job-related stuff. Just want to make sure I do everything right, as I don't have much experience applying to jobs.)

So, I got a call from a CVS today, which I did apply at CVS, but this is not the one I applied to, interestingly enough. The Pharmacy Manager said they are having interviews Monday, so I returned her call and said I was interested and I have a time nailed down and everything. There are other interviewers, so I want to try my best, of course. So I had a couple questions:

I was thinking shirt/tie and slacks for the interview. Would this be appropriate? I wore a polo and slacks to interview for the job I have now. Any recommendations on colors?

Secondly, I assume it's not out of line to ask how much the pay is. What's the best way to ask this if nothing is mentioned about it prior?

Lastly, I was thinking of taking a folder with my resume, copies of my proof of PTCB certification, and my state proof of registration. Is this too much? Should I even bring anything? I assume they already have my resume, as I uploaded on the CVS website.

Any additional help/advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm quite nervous.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Dd3

 

[BC_89]

(Sorry in advance, everyone, for posting so much about my job-related stuff. Just want to make sure I do everything right, as I don't have much experience applying to jobs.)

So, I got a call from a CVS today, which I did apply at CVS, but this is not the one I applied to, interestingly enough. The Pharmacy Manager said they are having interviews Monday, so I returned her call and said I was interested and I have a time nailed down and everything. There are other interviewers, so I want to try my best, of course. So I had a couple questions:

I was thinking shirt/tie and slacks for the interview. Would this be appropriate? I wore a polo and slacks to interview for the job I have now. Any recommendations on colors?

Secondly, I assume it's not out of line to ask how much the pay is. What's the best way to ask this if nothing is mentioned about it prior?

Lastly, I was thinking of taking a folder with my resume, copies of my proof of PTCB certification, and my state proof of registration. Is this too much? Should I even bring anything? I assume they already have my resume, as I uploaded on the CVS website.

Any additional help/advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm quite nervous.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Dd3

1) rule of thumb: you can never over-dress. White shirt / tie with slacks is fine.

2) In your case I’d wait for the job offer to ask how much (most places will just tell you anyhow during the interview for jobs like these).

3) Resume is on website (your good). It doesn’t hurt to bring a thin vanilla-folder with copy of PTCB cert and state licensure though. Just a quick glance reassures you have what they need from the start.

Smile and be confident it won’t be as bad as you think. You seem excited so best of luck

 

[JST416]

If you are prepharmacy, do not go with CVS or anything retail. Get in with a hospital as a tech.

 

[meltyblend]

The people interviewing you are most likely the front store manager and the pharmacy manager. Both or either one of them will have your resume and they probably already looked at it briefly before inviting you for the interview. It'll just be some situation/scenario based question to see how you would handle certain things. So be prepared to answer things like:

- Have you ever been in a leadership position? If so, tell us a time when you guided someone who wasn't doing well/did something wrong.
- Do you have any retail experience? How would you handle a problem customer?
- Tell us a time when you ran into a problem when working in a group. How did you resolve the issue within the group?

Stuff like that are common.

More than anything, availability is key. Speaking as a PIC, I look for people who are available to work when I need them. The fact that you have an interview set up means you already met the basic criteria. The rest is to gauge whether or not you're the right fit and the make sure you are who you say you are.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Especially if you're pre-pharm, show that you want to learn and that you're willing to be flexible.
Good luck!

 

[TheMadPharmacist]

(Sorry in advance, everyone, for posting so much about my job-related stuff. Just want to make sure I do everything right, as I don't have much experience applying to jobs.)

So, I got a call from a CVS today, which I did apply at CVS, but this is not the one I applied to, interestingly enough. The Pharmacy Manager said they are having interviews Monday, so I returned her call and said I was interested and I have a time nailed down and everything. There are other interviewers, so I want to try my best, of course. So I had a couple questions:

I was thinking shirt/tie and slacks for the interview. Would this be appropriate? I wore a polo and slacks to interview for the job I have now. Any recommendations on colors?

Secondly, I assume it's not out of line to ask how much the pay is. What's the best way to ask this if nothing is mentioned about it prior?

Lastly, I was thinking of taking a folder with my resume, copies of my proof of PTCB certification, and my state proof of registration. Is this too much? Should I even bring anything? I assume they already have my resume, as I uploaded on the CVS website.

Any additional help/advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm quite nervous.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Dd3

DO NOT TRY TO GET INTO PHARMACY SCHOOL!

Invest in yourself and go to Med school or dentistry if you wanna be a respected HCP. Please Please think about it!

 

[PA_dud3]

1) rule of thumb: you can never over-dress. White shirt / tie with slacks is fine.

2) In your case I’d wait for the job offer to ask how much (most places will just tell you anyhow during the interview for jobs like these).

3) Resume is on website (your good). It doesn’t hurt to bring a thin vanilla-folder with copy of PTCB cert and state licensure though. Just a quick glance reassures you have what they need from the start.

Smile and be confident it won’t be as bad as you think. You seem excited so best of luck

The people interviewing you are most likely the front store manager and the pharmacy manager. Both or either one of them will have your resume and they probably already looked at it briefly before inviting you for the interview. It'll just be some situation/scenario based question to see how you would handle certain things. So be prepared to answer things like:

- Have you ever been in a leadership position? If so, tell us a time when you guided someone who wasn't doing well/did something wrong.
- Do you have any retail experience? How would you handle a problem customer?
- Tell us a time when you ran into a problem when working in a group. How did you resolve the issue within the group?

Stuff like that are common.

More than anything, availability is key. Speaking as a PIC, I look for people who are available to work when I need them. The fact that you have an interview set up means you already met the basic criteria. The rest is to gauge whether or not you're the right fit and the make sure you are who you say you are.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Especially if you're pre-pharm, show that you want to learn and that you're willing to be flexible.
Good luck!

Thank you both for your responses! As for availability, I set my times available as all day on weekends and 5-9 on M-W-F so I think that's pretty good (hopefully) for both of myself and the Pharmacy Manager. As it would allow me time for my studies as well as work.

 

[JST416]

Thank you both for your responses! As for availability, I set my times available as all day on weekends and 5-9 on M-W-F so I think that's pretty good (hopefully) for both of myself and the Pharmacy Manager. As it would allow me time for my studies as well as work.

HOSPITAL....NOT CVS. Its called the red devil for a reason. Please listen, you will learn so much more as a hospital tech/intern.

 

[PA_dud3]

HOSPITAL....NOT CVS. Its called the red devil for a reason. Please listen, you will learn so much more as a hospital tech/intern.

I applied at a hospital first. Never heard back and was given the run around several times by HR and others. Only other Hospital tech jobs are 45 mins-1 hour away from my school and are either PRN or regular part time. Retail's not so bad. I enjoy it. I'll have plenty of time in Pharmacy school to intern at a hospital. Thank you for the advice, though

 

[JST416]

make that drive, you will get good experience

 

[JST416]

cvs is a dime a dozen

 

[bacillus1]

I applied at a hospital first. Never heard back and was given the run around several times by HR and others. Only other Hospital tech jobs are 45 mins-1 hour away from my school and are either PRN or regular part time. Retail's not so bad. I enjoy it. I'll have plenty of time in Pharmacy school to intern at a hospital. Thank you for the advice, though

Don't get discouraged by other posters. Hospital is of course preferred, but there aren't too many hospital interns nowadays. Any job is better than no job. Although I didn't like retail much when I worked for a chain as an intern, retail experience is still much better than no experience and will look good on your resume if you choose to apply for residency/fellowship upon graduation.

 

[alprazolamborghini]

dont go to pharmacy school and dont work for cvs period

 

[VictorOfHungerGames]

(Sorry in advance, everyone, for posting so much about my job-related stuff. Just want to make sure I do everything right, as I don't have much experience applying to jobs.)

So, I got a call from a CVS today, which I did apply at CVS, but this is not the one I applied to, interestingly enough. The Pharmacy Manager said they are having interviews Monday, so I returned her call and said I was interested and I have a time nailed down and everything. There are other interviewers, so I want to try my best, of course. So I had a couple questions:

I was thinking shirt/tie and slacks for the interview. Would this be appropriate? I wore a polo and slacks to interview for the job I have now. Any recommendations on colors?

Secondly, I assume it's not out of line to ask how much the pay is. What's the best way to ask this if nothing is mentioned about it prior?

Lastly, I was thinking of taking a folder with my resume, copies of my proof of PTCB certification, and my state proof of registration. Is this too much? Should I even bring anything? I assume they already have my resume, as I uploaded on the CVS website.

Any additional help/advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm quite nervous.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Dd3

I stopped reading after CVS... lol. Considering the quality of people they hire at CVS, as long as you're not insane... wait... no.... haha

 

[rx1983]

Full tuxedo. And show up in a limo.

 

[PA_dud3]

Full tuxedo. And show up in a limo.

A BMW will have to do, lol

 

[874700]

(Sorry in advance, everyone, for posting so much about my job-related stuff. Just want to make sure I do everything right, as I don't have much experience applying to jobs.)

So, I got a call from a CVS today, which I did apply at CVS, but this is not the one I applied to, interestingly enough. The Pharmacy Manager said they are having interviews Monday, so I returned her call and said I was interested and I have a time nailed down and everything. There are other interviewers, so I want to try my best, of course. So I had a couple questions:

I was thinking shirt/tie and slacks for the interview. Would this be appropriate? I wore a polo and slacks to interview for the job I have now. Any recommendations on colors?

Secondly, I assume it's not out of line to ask how much the pay is. What's the best way to ask this if nothing is mentioned about it prior?

Lastly, I was thinking of taking a folder with my resume, copies of my proof of PTCB certification, and my state proof of registration. Is this too much? Should I even bring anything? I assume they already have my resume, as I uploaded on the CVS website.

Any additional help/advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm quite nervous.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Dd3

I didn't know how much my pay was until I got my first check 🙂

They will ask for an I.D. certification, and social security.

 

[Saisri_PharmStdnt]

How did your interview go?

 

[PharmtoCS]

dont go to pharmacy school and dont work for cvs period

Let them work at CVS. Maybe that will make them change their mind about going to pharmacy school.

 

[874700]

Let them work at CVS. Maybe that will make them change their mind about going to pharmacy school.

What's the difference about CVS? Do they hire pharmacists more than any other pharmacy?

 

[Saisri_PharmStdnt]

Retail can be a rough setting.. for any pharmacy. If you're lucky enough to get on the CVS PBM side, we do hire a lot of pharmacists, and most actually seem to like their jobs.. The ones that don't tend to not like people, so still having co-workers makes them unhappy, heh...

 

[PA_dud3]

If anyone is wondering, I was offered the job at the end of the interview. I posted a thread with details of how the interview went if anyone is interested. Thanks to everyone who offered helpful advice!