This is a question for the pharmacists who have experienced both chain and independent retail as a Pharmacist. Don't care about experiences as a pharmacy technician or intern.
How many of you preferred working for a chain? How many of you preferred working for an independent? Why? (I've never experienced chain pharmacy as a Pharmacist, only as an intern and tech.)
No, I'm not leaving the independent store. I'm just wondering if there is any benefit to working for a chain other than job stability and higher pay.
I worked at CVS for 5 years as an intern and 4 years as a pharmacist. I worked at an independent for 2 years as a pharmacist, and now I work at at hospital 5 days a week and independent 3 days a week.
Regardless if it's chain retail or independent retail, they both suck, and that's coming from a hardcore retail pharmacist who loved retail. Chain jobs are no longer guaranteed, especially now when a lot of chains are cutting store hours and pharmacist hours. If chains can lobby to remove the pharmacist, they will. The most I was making at CVS was $65/hr on the books. The most I make in independent retail is $54/hr off the books. The pay in independent was much better for me. The stress was a lot less. The job, however, is a lot less secure. Any time the owner decides he wants to close the store or sell it, then you are out of a job.
Retail is retail, whether you are at a chain or an independent. You will work like a slave at a chain. You can relax at the independent. I've worked in independents in Manhattan that do 1000 prescriptions a day, and it was so easy to work and fun. I've worked at CVS stores that do 200 scripts a day and it feels like I am working in a sweat shop.
What I miss about CVS was the amazing 401k. They matched dollar for dollar up to the first 5% of your eligible pay. What I also miss was the Employee Stock Purchase Program in which I was able to buy CVS stock at a 15% discount! The independent didn't have any of those things, but my employer did give me $100 or $200 cash weekly bonuses and also cash birthday gifts and Christmas gifts. He also did pay for a top notch health care plan for me, way better than anything CVS offered.
What I miss about the independent is I ran everything the way I wanted to run it. I made the rules. I handled the situations. I ran the show. With CVS, I had to follow their lame as* play book. There was more autonomy with working at an independent. I could change the price of medications for people. If I knew someone had difficulty, I gave medication away for free. I extended credit to people. I sat down and helped people. That doesn't happen in chain retail.
