NEED DESPERATE Advice - Interview Tips?

[PharmDGrad2010]

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Hey,

Okay I have to apologize if 1 - this is the wrong forum and 2- if this post is stupid - but I NEED help!!!! I've been through 4 interviews for a Pharmacist position and all denied - going for a 5th so I need some advice before I jump of a cliff! I feel like this is my last stance if I ever want a hospital job. Yes I go dressed properly, smell good, look good, printed extra CVs, shined shoes, smile, hand shake, eye contact, head nods with their opinions even if I don't agree or care about what they are saying blah blah

I DID look online - google, youtube etc - but there are very few things out there that will help a NEW graduate with no previous experience applying for a hospital position. So here goes

What advice can you give me for the following questions


1- Tell me about yourself (what exactly do they want to hear? I am sooo confused on this questions - and everywhere online it's something else - mind you those sites weren't pharmacy specific). This question itself is very general and being a new graduate it's so hard to come up with something "catching"

2- Strengths and weaknesses - I read for weakness don't use a strength to be a weakness (my cousin did, her 5 friends did... they all got jobs)... I didn't. For strengths... well I couldn't tell as I've never worked before - so normally I use characteristics to describe myself but I read online people saying those are general and they hear it all the time so bleeeeh

3- Why hire me? What can you give to us? Good question... I'm new, no experience, just graduated. I can give them the hard working, team player etc stuff - but again generic stuff

4- Why Pharmacy? I THOUGHT I had this nailed down... guess not

5- Why hospital? I THINK I seem semi-ok with this question -well at least 3 of the interviews nodded their heads - normally I talk about the feel of the pharmacy, more comprehensive understanding of patient/disease/drugs/profile, part of healthcare team... anything to add oO?

6- Other common questions or anything else!!!!!


Okay yes, I'm probably sounding pathetic. I feel pathetic and desperate. I've been at this for months now and no success and I HAVE tried. I surfed sites for hours and hours trying to find sites with helpful hints. Yes I know there is this site:

http://www.pharmacist.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Typical_Interview_Questions

But there are no answers. All my friends can't help me 'cause they went to the community pharmacy direction (including my cousin). So I HOPE I can get some helpful hints here.

Sorry for the long post but ANY advice what-so-ever will be highly appreciated!!!

 

[R2pharmD2]

Word on the street (aka what I've gathered from SDN and my own hospital experience as a tech) is that it's tough and getting tougher to land a hospital position without experience or doing a residency. You might not be doing anything wrong, it's just that you're competing with more qualified applicants. My advice is to take what you can get for now and keep applying for hospital positions. Maybe you'll get lucky. Having some experience wouldn't hurt your resume either. And I'm guessing you decided against doing a residency initially, but you could also give that option another look. I don't know how difficult it would be for you to land a residency at this point, but it could be worth a shot.

 

[owlegrad]

Word on the street (aka what I've gathered from SDN and my own hospital experience as a tech) is that it's tough and getting tougher to land a hospital position without experience or doing a residency. You might not be doing anything wrong, it's just that you're competing with more qualified applicants. My advice is to take what you can get for now and keep applying for hospital positions. Maybe you'll get lucky. Having some experience wouldn't hurt your resume either. And I'm guessing you decided against doing a residency initially, but you could also give that option another look. I don't know how difficult it would be for you to land a residency at this point, but it could be worth a shot.

Your handle is pure awesomeness! I just noticed! 😍😍

 

[PharmDGrad2010]

Well problem is residency won't stop the government, bank and family members (perhaps these might) from destroying me with debt repayment + giant rates of interest. Yep poor family and 150K+++ in debt (<-- price without what family paid for me). Honestly if I don't land a hospital job by the end of this month I'll have to do community.

Why I don't want community - well I didn't destroy my dreams and hope and studied my entire life to this darn age of mine to work in a setting where.... I won't continue since I don't want to start a hospital vs community war. But I mention this to allow people to understand that I'd rather work in a hospice or prison pharmacy over community. Just please don't judge... or do I don't care. I'm expecting sarcastic responses from people, including ones that just assumed I came here for answers without actually doing my own research

 

[R2pharmD2]

Your handle is pure awesomeness! I just noticed! 😍😍

Thanks! I must admit, I'm reasonably proud of it, as nerdy as it may be

Well problem is residency won't stop the government, bank and family members (perhaps these might) from destroying me with debt repayment + giant rates of interest. Yep poor family and 150K+++ in debt (<-- price without what family paid for me). Honestly if I don't land a hospital job by the end of this month I'll have to do community.

Why I don't want community - well I didn't destroy my dreams and hope and studied my entire life to this darn age of mine to work in a setting where.... I won't continue since I don't want to start a hospital vs community war. But I mention this to allow people to understand that I'd rather work in a hospice or prison pharmacy over community. Just please don't judge... or do I don't care. I'm expecting sarcastic responses from people, including ones that just assumed I came here for answers without actually doing my own research

Is loan deferment a possibility for you? I'm not assuming you haven't done your research, but have you explored that option if a residency is something you do have an interest in? And as far as working community... well... if you can't settle for a 6 figure a year job to hold you over until you can find something that makes you happy then I don't know what else to tell you. I don't mean to be harsh here, but doing what you have to do to get by for a bit in no way means that your hopes and dreams are permanently ruined.

 

[Athelas]

Be willing to relocate to the booniest of all boonie places...

 

[KARM12]

Hey,

Okay I have to apologize if 1 - this is the wrong forum and 2- if this post is stupid - but I NEED help!!!! I've been through 4 interviews for a Pharmacist position and all denied - going for a 5th so I need some advice before I jump of a cliff! I feel like this is my last stance if I ever want a hospital job. Yes I go dressed properly, smell good, look good, printed extra CVs, shined shoes, smile, hand shake, eye contact, head nods with their opinions even if I don't agree or care about what they are saying blah blah

I DID look online - google, youtube etc - but there are very few things out there that will help a NEW graduate with no previous experience applying for a hospital position. So here goes

What advice can you give me for the following questions


1- Tell me about yourself (what exactly do they want to hear? I am sooo confused on this questions - and everywhere online it's something else - mind you those sites weren't pharmacy specific). This question itself is very general and being a new graduate it's so hard to come up with something "catching"

2- Strengths and weaknesses - I read for weakness don't use a strength to be a weakness (my cousin did, her 5 friends did... they all got jobs)... I didn't. For strengths... well I couldn't tell as I've never worked before - so normally I use characteristics to describe myself but I read online people saying those are general and they hear it all the time so bleeeeh

3- Why hire me? What can you give to us? Good question... I'm new, no experience, just graduated. I can give them the hard working, team player etc stuff - but again generic stuff

4- Why Pharmacy? I THOUGHT I had this nailed down... guess not

5- Why hospital? I THINK I seem semi-ok with this question -well at least 3 of the interviews nodded their heads - normally I talk about the feel of the pharmacy, more comprehensive understanding of patient/disease/drugs/profile, part of healthcare team... anything to add oO?

6- Other common questions or anything else!!!!!


Okay yes, I'm probably sounding pathetic. I feel pathetic and desperate. I've been at this for months now and no success and I HAVE tried. I surfed sites for hours and hours trying to find sites with helpful hints. Yes I know there is this site:

http://www.pharmacist.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Typical_Interview_Questions

But there are no answers. All my friends can't help me 'cause they went to the community pharmacy direction (including my cousin). So I HOPE I can get some helpful hints here.

Sorry for the long post but ANY advice what-so-ever will be highly appreciated!!!

The problem may not be your interview skills, but your overall lack of experience. Most hospitals want PGY1 or experience. What was your reason for not doing a residency if your passion is hospital pharmacy?

Are you foreign grad or do you require a VISA? If so, good luck.

There is nothing wrong with working community/retail. It pays the bills, gives you experience, and you can make a difference along the way. Maybe you should apply to both hospital and retail to keep your options open. If you need to support a family or pay off debt, this is a great option while you look for a hospital job.

Are you willing/able to relocate?

What are your answers to the questions you listed? We might be better able to help you.

 

[PharmDstudent]

Hey,

Okay I have to apologize if 1 - this is the wrong forum and 2- if this post is stupid - but I NEED help!!!! I've been through 4 interviews for a Pharmacist position and all denied - going for a 5th so I need some advice before I jump of a cliff! I feel like this is my last stance if I ever want a hospital job. Yes I go dressed properly, smell good, look good, printed extra CVs, shined shoes, smile, hand shake, eye contact, head nods with their opinions even if I don't agree or care about what they are saying blah blah

I DID look online - google, youtube etc - but there are very few things out there that will help a NEW graduate with no previous experience applying for a hospital position. So here goes

What advice can you give me for the following questions


1- Tell me about yourself (what exactly do they want to hear? I am sooo confused on this questions - and everywhere online it's something else - mind you those sites weren't pharmacy specific). This question itself is very general and being a new graduate it's so hard to come up with something "catching"

2- Strengths and weaknesses - I read for weakness don't use a strength to be a weakness (my cousin did, her 5 friends did... they all got jobs)... I didn't. For strengths... well I couldn't tell as I've never worked before - so normally I use characteristics to describe myself but I read online people saying those are general and they hear it all the time so bleeeeh

3- Why hire me? What can you give to us? Good question... I'm new, no experience, just graduated. I can give them the hard working, team player etc stuff - but again generic stuff

4- Why Pharmacy? I THOUGHT I had this nailed down... guess not

5- Why hospital? I THINK I seem semi-ok with this question -well at least 3 of the interviews nodded their heads - normally I talk about the feel of the pharmacy, more comprehensive understanding of patient/disease/drugs/profile, part of healthcare team... anything to add oO?

6- Other common questions or anything else!!!!!


Okay yes, I'm probably sounding pathetic. I feel pathetic and desperate. I'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR MONTHS NOW and no success and I HAVE tried. I surfed sites for hours and hours trying to find sites with helpful hints. Yes I know there is this site:

http://www.pharmacist.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Typical_Interview_Questions

But there are no answers. All my friends can't help me 'cause they went to the community pharmacy direction (including my cousin). So I HOPE I can get some helpful hints here.

Sorry for the long post but ANY advice what-so-ever will be highly appreciated!!!

So which is correct? You were "at this for months now" or "6 weeks"?
I get the whole pride thing, but I don't understand the need to lie about how long it took you to find a hospital job.

 

[PharmDGrad2010]

Guess I have to spoon feed it to you - I SAID ->>SERIOUS<<- job hunting's been 6 weeks... meaning visiting every hospital website (not just ones I did my rotations at, ones I'm familiar with, big/small hospitals, DO based hospitals, religious ones... yes those do exist etc... so outside my comfort zone), applying to every and all positions, e-mailing HR/recruiters from the hospital asking if they got my e-mail, visiting the hospital by MYSELF and giving my CV to the managers/supervisors even without job postings, calling my previous preceptors to ask them to give in a word for me at the hospital I applied to etc etc etc... basically not just applying online and boohoo wait

^Since then I got my 5th and 6th interview. My 5th still awaiting response and my 6th = job. During the above post I was awaiting my fourth's interview's response (which was negative). The 5th I should hear from by this Friday.

But I find it fascinating how you have to bump up my old post when you could have just posted it in the new topic and placed the link there... that's rather childish you know. And one more outdated topic to waste other people's time with them!


Editing: Getting rid of my rant about pharmacist behavior online vs in person... it's a little rude but that did piss me of

 

[PharmDstudent]

Guess I have to spoon feed it to you - I SAID ->>SERIOUS<<- job hunting's been 6 weeks... meaning visiting every hospital website (not just ones I did my rotations at, ones I'm familiar with, big/small hospitals, DO based hospitals, religious ones... yes those do exist etc... so outside my comfort zone), applying to every and all positions, e-mailing HR/recruiters from the hospital asking if they got my e-mail, visiting the hospital by MYSELF and giving my CV to the managers/supervisors even without job postings, calling my previous preceptors to ask them to give in a word for me at the hospital I applied to etc etc etc... basically not just applying online and boohoo wait

^Since then I got my 5th and 6th interview. My 5th still awaiting response and my 6th = job. During the above post I was awaiting my fourth's interview's response (which was negative). The 5th I should hear from by this Friday.

But I find it fascinating how you have to bump up my old post when you could have just posted it in the new topic and placed the link there... that's rather childish you know. And one more outdated topic to waste other people's time with them!


Editing: Getting rid of my rant about pharmacist behavior online vs in person... it's a little rude but that did piss me of

Students need to know the truth about finding a job. "Serious job hunting" is ambiguous. It either took you months to find a job or it took you 6 weeks to find a job.
Some SDN users want to sugar coat everything, and act like we can all still be the president one day 🙄. So once again, students need to know what it's really like jog hunting in the real world.

Like you, I had pretty much given up on finding a second job when my resume wouldn't go through on the fax machine. I was sure that someone else would get the job! But it somehow went through anyway?!

I don't copy and paste links when I post on my phone, whether you like it or not.