Not getting any hours as tech at retail pharmacy?

[PharmlyDoc]

So when I interviewed for the job the pharmacy manager said I'd be working 15-20 hrs a week. I'm 6 weeks into the job and now I'm only getting 10 hrs a week.

Everyone else that works there is experienced and most of them know a lot of the customers. Now that summer is starting and college classes are ending the other techs are widening their availability.

I'm gong to pharmacy school in August and I need to make money. What should I do? I've thought about applying to other places but who's going to hire me if I'm only gonna work for 2.5 months.

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[JustinRx]

If you work at a chain, call the other stores around your area and ask if you can pick up shifts for them. I used to work for a chain and once i let people know i wanted hours, i could fill my schedule up easily.

I think it would be a good idea as well. Broaden your horizons, meet people who could hire you.

 

[PharmlyDoc]

Yea I already worked at 2 other locations in my area, but haven't been called back to work at either.

One of the stores had a tech that was out sick whom I covered for, and the other store was under staffed, but they said they were in the process of hiring someone.

 

[owlegrad]

Yea I already worked at 2 other locations in my area, but haven't been called back to work at either.

One of the stores had a tech that was out sick whom I covered for, and the other store was under staffed, but they said they were in the process of hiring someone.

No offense, but this is very passive thinking. You are probably going to need to be more proactive if you really want the hours. You may need to call the stores each week and ask if they need help. Ask whoever does your schedule at your home store for more hours. Let the pharmacists know if anyone calls out that you would pick up the shift. Good luck!

 

[SoylentGreen]

Also be sure to let the other techs, both at your store and elsewhere, know that you are willing to pick up shifts when they want to get out of one.

 

[molyhelp]

I'm gong to pharmacy school in August and I need to make money.

If you need money now more than anything, then, I support you working and following advice from all other posters.

Also, please know you will have ability to borrow about 60 thousands a year each pharmacy school year.
Also, you will need time in pharmacy school to memorize name of drugs. Learning pharmacy is like learning a new language.
You need to spend time to own new vocabulary of new language.
You need time to own vocabulary of pharmacy terms and drug names and side effects. The problem is: during pharmacy school, you often do not have enough time to memorize. Now would be the time to sharpen your studying skills and learn drug names ahead of time. You will need to know drug names anyway.

Please look around pharmacy forum for others' advice on what to do before pharmacy school. You may learn a few tricks or so before school bombards you with exams.

Good luck.

 

[Wheresmyaricept]

If you work at a chain, call the other stores around your area and ask if you can pick up shifts for them. I used to work for a chain and once i let people know i wanted hours, i could fill my schedule up easily.

I think it would be a good idea as well. Broaden your horizons, meet people who could hire you.

This. When I was a tech at Walgreens and we lost the express scripts contract, I went from 30 hours a week to 10. So I started picking up shifts at all the other stores nearby. I ended up having 40 hours every week (more than the full time staff at my home store). By the end of the summer I had worked in over half the stores in the district. My store manager hated me because my time card was always a disaster with all these punches from different stores, but that's not my problem.

So call around and give out your number! You never know when someone wants to take a vacation but can't find coverage. Or someone calls our sick.

 

[RxMonkey]

All of this is good advice. If you work for a chain, call the other stores. Ask who does the schedule and tell them to call you if they need anyone. I was in a similar situation during undergrad and did just this and I ended up dipping into OT every week. You just have to put your best food forward when you're working in a new store or they will not invite you back.

Although... 6 weeks on the job.. you might be too green for anyone to want you. Meaning, when a PIC or Lead Tech schedules someone to float in their store, they want someone who doesn't need too much direction. The other stores around you might not need someone to sit on a register all day. Techs who can hold down drop off and keep pace at production are harder to come by. It's not your fault. But there is a pretty steep learning curve. If this is the case, you might have more difficulty finding hours depending on the needs of the other stores.

If all you are looking for is hours, a lot of stores also need help working front store.. If that's not beneath you .

Also, looking for a new job is not out of the question. If you didn't sign a non-compete agreement, you can look for additional part time employment. If you're going to school in the area, you can let the store know that you're starting pharmacy school in the fall. PICs are normally pretty understanding and eager to help young students. (Or do everything they can to scare you away from pharmacy... depending on how jaded they are).

 

[PharmlyDoc]

I contacted the other store, and the pharmacy tech said he'd let the pharmacist know. I wanted to talk to the pm but she's on vacation. So far I haven't had a response.

And yesterday when I WAS working I forgot to get the dob from a patient who was dropping off a new script, so we couldn't fill it. The customer arrived later and this girl technician I work with tells him sorry we couldn't fill it because he (she points at me) didn't get your date of birth. The gentlemen who was asian didn't seem to care, anyways I didn't say anything and kept on doing what I was doing, I thought that was very unprofessional.

 

[BMBiology]

What are you? a newbie? get over it and get the patient'a dob