job as a pharmacy tech.

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Insomniac12

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2006
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
well I'm a h.s. senior and I was looking for a job (I've never had one)
and I thought since I was planning to major in pre-pharmacy, I could get a head start working at the local walgreens as a pharmacy tech.
my first question.. can I do this? how do I get started? any other general info i should know?

Members don't see this ad.
 
well I'm a h.s. senior and I was looking for a job (I've never had one)
and I thought since I was planning to major in pre-pharmacy, I could get a head start working at the local walgreens as a pharmacy tech.
my first question.. can I do this? how do I get started? any other general info i should know?

they have application online @www.walgreen.com but I do prefer you to call your local walgreen and ask for the job. They rarely look at the online application..Good Luck
 
Where are you located? If you're in CA, you need to be registered with the state to be a tech. There are some clerk or cashier positions, but not everywhere.

Each state has its own laws/rules about techs. Perhaps if you share that...you'll get more specific answers to your questions.

Good luck!
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I think you should either become certified first, then contact Walgreens about a pharm teck position, or apply as a pharmacy aide, and then they'll train you to gradually become a tech. I'm not sure if Walgreens does that, but I know for a fact that CVS does. In order to get the job, I suggest you do 4 things:
1. Apply online. Even though they don't look at online applications that much, at least you can say you applied and you're on file.
2. Find out when the pharmacy manager is in and visit (don't call--too impersonal and it makes it easier for them to say "no, we're not hiring").
3. Make sure that when you visit, you're well-dressed (nothing too fancy) and give the pharmacy manager your resume.
4. Be persistent! Visit the pharm manager regularly and make sure that he/she remembers your face so that when a position opens up, you'll be the first person they think of.
I've worked at 3 different pharmacies and this is what I did every time and I got the job every time. When you visit, tell the pharm manager that you're interested in pharmacy and this experience would be very beneficial (you don't have to say this verbatim, just get the point across).

hope this helps😀
 
Cvs has an online application at cvs.com. In my experience, if you go in person, they'll just tell you to go home and fill out the online app first. I don't think they care too much if you come in in person anymore; if anything, they'll have a face to the name, but not much else. Either way, I would call every pharmacy in the phonebook before driving anywhere, because you'll be on the road for a while.
 
Like mama SDN1977 said, every state has their own rules on being a tech. In CA, it's harder to become a tech while in other states, being a tech is almost equivalent to being a clerk.

My advice is to get the contact number for the hiring dist mgr who handles all the interviews and the hiring process. That should speed up the process.
 
if you're interested in working at Longs Drugs, definitely call local stores and ask to speak to the manager. Don't apply online. I talked to my store manager, and he told me they don't even check the online applications for new hires. If you're in CA, definitely call because I believe there is a shortage of clerks/techs in the bay area 🙂
 
If you do fill out online at Walgreens like I did just make sure about 2 days after you filled out your application check up on it, The manager told me he'll check on it and he told me to call back another day, I did, and had an interivew and got the job.
 
I recommend starting out as a volunteer if you won't be taking any formal classes for it. Pharmacy can be very intimidating b/c the amount of things u have to know, ie location and names of drugs, etc.

then when u feel comfortable look into the tech thing.
 
thanks to all who posted

woohoo


I'm in South Carolina..If anyone here is from SC I encourage you to post
 
I think you should either become certified first, then contact Walgreens about a pharm teck position, or apply as a pharmacy aide, and then they'll train you to gradually become a tech. I'm not sure if Walgreens does that, but I know for a fact that CVS does. In order to get the job, I suggest you do 4 things:
1. Apply online. Even though they don't look at online applications that much, at least you can say you applied and you're on file.
2. Find out when the pharmacy manager is in and visit (don't call--too impersonal and it makes it easier for them to say "no, we're not hiring").
3. Make sure that when you visit, you're well-dressed (nothing too fancy) and give the pharmacy manager your resume.
4. Be persistent! Visit the pharm manager regularly and make sure that he/she remembers your face so that when a position opens up, you'll be the first person they think of.
I've worked at 3 different pharmacies and this is what I did every time and I got the job every time. When you visit, tell the pharm manager that you're interested in pharmacy and this experience would be very beneficial (you don't have to say this verbatim, just get the point across).

hope this helps😀
I've never heard of a pharmacy aide till now..but it sounds like a great idea.
I've gotten a lot of different advice in here. I'm not sure how this pharmacy tech/aide/volunteer things works around where I live but I'll definately try to fill out the application online than contact the pharmacy manager and from there on...
 
Top