Is Rite Aid even an option ?

[MIRPh]

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So, we all know the direction in which RAD is headed and I have also read tons of RPhs mentioning their horrible experiences there.
But I am confused as to why RAD still seems to be hiring pharmacists in many states (at least according to many job sites) ??
If they are in a financial crisis then, how come ?

My most important question, though is---- Given how tough the pharmacist hiring situation is these days, it is obvious RPhs won't get what they ideally want. So, are pharmacists applying to RAD and accepting employment there?
This is a genuine query ,not meant to be hurtful to anyone. The fact is ,though I am looking to be employed, somehow I just can't bring myself to apply to RAD. Should I be that choosy, when I dont have a job in hand😕

 

[ValeRx]

There's no way in hell I would ever want to work for Rite-Aid. GUARANTEED 15 minute ready time, no matter what, or you get a gift card????

 

[npage148]

RAD has been in "financial crisis" for a decade now and it's probably not going anywhere anytime soon. Working there is the same as for any other chains, same BS different color. Ultimately, it's all about your district, SP, and PDM

The 15min thing is not allowed in NY FWIW.

And if RAD get bought by any chain there is massive fallout for all the pharmacists (not just retail) in any area where RAD and the buying chain is heavily established.

 

[veyep]

So, we all know the direction in which RAD is headed and I have also read tons of RPhs mentioning their horrible experiences there.
But I am confused as to why RAD still seems to be hiring pharmacists in many states (at least according to many job sites) ??
If they are in a financial crisis then, how come ?

My most important question, though is---- Given how tough the pharmacist hiring situation is these days, it is obvious RPhs won't get what they ideally want. So, are pharmacists applying to RAD and accepting employment there?
This is a genuine query ,not meant to be hurtful to anyone. The fact is ,though I am looking to be employed, somehow I just can't bring myself to apply to RAD. Should I be that choosy, when I dont have a job in hand😕

with walgreens losing ESI patients rite aid is thriving. They are remodeling all their stores. I wouldn't put too much thought into rumors!

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

RAD has been in "financial crisis" for a decade now and it's probably not going anywhere anytime soon. Working there is the same as for any other chains, same BS different color. Ultimately, it's all about your district, SP, and PDM

The 15min thing is not allowed in NY FWIW.

And if RAD get bought by any chain there is massive fallout for all the pharmacists (not just retail) in any area where RAD and the buying chain is heavily established.

How is it goes to effect us non-retail folks?

 

[wonger86]

RAD has been in "financial crisis" for a decade now and it's probably not going anywhere anytime soon. Working there is the same as for any other chains, same BS different color. Ultimately, it's all about your district, SP, and PDM

The 15min thing is not allowed in NY FWIW.

And if RAD get bought by any chain there is massive fallout for all the pharmacists (not just retail) in any area where RAD and the buying chain is heavily established.

There's no longer a 15-minute guarantee. It's a "15-minute promise" now, and it's not really advertised (at least in my store). No more $5 gift card except in the usual occurrence at retail pharmacies of giving a gift card if it really was our fault (i.e. telling patient 2 hours and it not being ready when they return 3 hours later and they p.o.'d about it - a genuine complaint). Also, yes, as it might be expected in a town with mainly Walgreens' and Rite Aids, we've seen pretty big gains in our script counts (some stores more than others). I don't mind it too much, but retail is retail.

 

[npage148]

How is it goes to effect us non-retail folks?

When you close a bunch of stores you will get a lot of extra pharmacists who are not above offering to do your job for less.

 

[Prepharm1214]

Their business may not be doing as well as CVS, Wags, or Walmart but their Rphs seem far more happy in my experience. I seem to find 1 forum complaint about RiteAid for every 10 about CVS. CVS has more employees sure, but not to this extent.

 

[bacillus1]

Rite Aid is actually hiring a good amount of pharmacists (though mostly that are their interns). They are also more willing to hire on their interns than some other chains and work with you to find you a position. I will not say that pharmacists there are happy, but I think it's not worse than the other chains.

 

[GamecockPharmD]

Rite Aid is hiring so much because they have so much turnover. Including myself, there were about 7 pharmacists that found other jobs in my former district in the past year or so. It really is a horrible experience. I'll be incredibly desperate if I ever go back there. I got lucky and landed a job at Sam's Club. Not a bad gig at all. I do 150 to 250 a day, get a 30 minute lunch break, unlike Wrong Aid, and work a 10 hour shift. Closed Sundays and most major holidays. I was forced to go to meetings on my off days with Wrong Aid, and the front end DM and PDM would be lecturing us on customer service. When the front end DM compared us to Wendy's, that was the last straw for me. And he did it right in front of the PDM, who is a pharmacist, and she did not take up for us at all. Combine that with 15 minute guarantee, drive thru, immunizations, and MTM ****, I was ready to suck off the end of a shotgun barrel. No joke on the being compared to Wendy's thing.

 

[Unchained]

The front end DM's are very disrespectful to the pharmacists. I noticed this in the Baltimore area also. They have an attitude that they are going to show the high paid RXers who is boss by speaking down to them. It's desperation management over there. Whatever you do don't work for Rite Aid. Let them keep hiring pharmacists from overseas and abusing them.

 

[sfwusc]

Nice to see another Gamecock here!!

 

[illusions]

Although I had a fairly decent PDM, I did not like the experience at RAD. Although the 15min guarantee is no longer a guarantee. It is still advertised as a promise, whatver the hell that means and you better believe patients will always throw it up in your face because they are used to it.

I too have experience the DM looking down to pharmacists/pharmacy employees and there seemed to be no real collaboration between management. RAD is not a pharmacy first, its every department for themselves.

 

[anonmember]

I work as a pharmacy tech for Rite Aid currently, and I've only really had experience with my own store (2 permanent pharmacists, plus floaters), but the pharmacists all seem pretty happy. They are paid well, in my area at least, and there's not really too much crap to deal with from corporate. They do tend to bend over backwards to hire graduating interns rather than hiring outside the company (to the point that they will even hire some pretty bad pharmacists just because they interned there), but they are definitely hiring.

I don't know how other chains treat their pharmacists, but my SP has been with the company for nearly 20 years and likes it just fine.

 

[jasonkido]

I work as a pharmacy tech for Rite Aid currently, and I've only really had experience with my own store (2 permanent pharmacists, plus floaters), but the pharmacists all seem pretty happy. They are paid well, in my area at least, and there's not really too much crap to deal with from corporate. They do tend to bend over backwards to hire graduating interns rather than hiring outside the company (to the point that they will even hire some pretty bad pharmacists just because they interned there), but they are definitely hiring.

I don't know how other chains treat their pharmacists, but my SP has been with the company for nearly 20 years and likes it just fine.

yeah, ive heard similar stories from my colleagues as well. I interviewed with rite-aid during career fair and they seem like a great company but on paper they are falling apart. Most people think long-term/big picture when they chose a company to work for and rite-aid would be at the very bottom of that list.

 

[bacillus1]

yeah, ive heard similar stories from my colleagues as well. I interviewed with rite-aid during career fair and they seem like a great company but on paper they are falling apart. Most people think long-term/big picture when they chose a company to work for and rite-aid would be at the very bottom of that list.

I don't know...I remember they were on some list that projected them as the likeliest company to not survive 2009. It's 2012 and they still exist and are doing better now. I think they're finally getting their act together. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of severely reducing hours, both at the front end and for pharmacy techs/interns.

 

[Ackj]

they seem like a great company but on paper they are falling apart

I think they're finally getting their act together. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of severely reducing hours, both at the front end and for pharmacy techs/interns.

The sad truth of business:
>good work environment
>profit machine

pick one

 

[Prepharm1214]

Was at a Rite Aid seminar 2 weeks ago, they have 11500 pharmacists and are adding an additional 900 this year sounds as though they are doing pretty decent...

 

[Momus]

Rite Aid has $6 billion debt. Has NEVER posted a net profit as long as I can remember... they are threading the water until someone out there stop giving them loans to finance their operation.

 

[Prepharm1214]

Rite Aid has $6 billion debt. Has NEVER posted a net profit as long as I can remember... they are threading the water until someone out there stop giving them loans to finance their operation.

They have 5 consecutive quarters of profit last I heard, I haven't confirmed this however.

 

[Momus]

lol... 5 consecutive of losing more money every quarters

This is what they have:
• Fifth Consecutive Quarter of Same Store Sales and Adjusted EBITDA Increases = This DOES NOT equal to profit

CAMP HILL, Pa. (April12, 2012)—Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD) today reported improved financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended March 3, 2012.



For the fourth quarter, the company reported revenues of $7.1 billion, a net loss of $161.3 million or $0.18 per diluted share and Adjusted EBITDA of $274.3 million or 3.8 percent of revenues. Revenues improved by $690.3 million; net loss decreased by $44.4 million, or $0.06 per diluted share; and Adjusted EBITDA improved by $58.9 million over the prior year fourth quarter. These results benefited primarily from continued growth in same store sales and an extra week in the quarter.



For the full year, Rite Aid reported revenues of $26.1 billion, a net loss of $368.6 million or $0.43 per diluted share and Adjusted EBITDA of $942.9 million or 3.6 percent of revenues. Revenues improved by $906.3 million; net loss decreased by $186.9 million, or $0.21 per diluted share; and Adjusted EBITDA improved by $83.9 million over the prior year.

Net income every quarters (number in parenthesis = loss) http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=RAD

 

[Momus]

Annual net income
2012 -$368M
2011 -$555M
2010 -$506
2009 -$2915M

Yes, you see that right... they loss $3 billion in 2009. The losing trend is improving but $6 billion debt in interest payment going to crush them hard.

 

[pezdispenser]

$6 billion debt in interest payment going to crush them hard.

Yep. About $500 million in interest payments per year.