I am looking for work now and I think that even in small towns its hard to get a position. There is a hospital system in Bethel Alaska that is hiring but won't hire unless you have ties to Alaska (its in their ads) even though their director is originally from D.C. Bethel is only accessible by plane or boat and is the Yukon. How do I know this? I tried to get the spot through a recruiter, called and talked to their HR; couldn't even get a short phone interview. The best way to get a spot is to have friends in right places.
Places like Bethel or Sitka have serious bear issues(just google and read up). Where I was, there were no bears, thank goodness.
Also, these places are extremely isolated (You have to fly in and out from Anchorage. And, Alaska Airlines has a monopoly on traffic going in and out. So prices are sky high). Not to mention the prices of the food there. To give you an idea, a crate of water in 2013 was $30, in the lower 48 it’s maybe $2.50 here. Then there’s cable....omg, and you cellular phone won’t work once you pass through Anchorage and hit the village, depending on which cell tower they have, but more than likely it won’t work.
The salaries they offer today aren’t worth it in my opinion (same salaries as lower 48), better benefits and leave, but when you live there, you need leave to maintain your sanity.
And the possibility of a social life is next to zero. I do know there are a few good spots, but those positions are filled, and those pharmacists will never leave. Apparently some people value money above all else. I mean, if that’s how someone wishes to live.....
If you value interactions with people, relationships and doing things other than going to work(they are easy laid back jobs) and then going home then look elsewhere. But, I must add, even if you aren’t a very social person, like myself, you still feel the sting of “isolation”. The excitement of seeing Alaska can be satisfied in maybe a 1 or 2 week visit.