OMG, finding a pharmacy job...

[Pojman]

I am also in the same boat as some of you guys here. Can not find full time work and I have applied every where. I loved this field and everything about it but sometimes I regret it because I have not even been able to use my skills at all. Loan payments are creeping up and I have no idea what to do. Maybe start working for that $8-$10 job so at least I can pay something back.
What are you guys doing to stay positive and keep going? I am so disappointed and sad

Did you get your pharmd?

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[think]

Did you get your pharmd?

of course graduated in may and got licensed. I have a part time job but its almost like nothing i get to work MAYBE once a week for like 5 hours
I have to look into this IBR thing

I was thinking of moving to a remote area but one of my friends did that and still no job somewhere in VA

 

[SHC1984]

My idea for IBR is to use it to give yourself more wiggle room in payments when you need it, then pay as much as you possibly can each month. You don't need to use the entire term to pay off the loans or necessarily try to get your loans forgiven. A financial advisor even suggested this strategy as a way to make oneself more marketable for mortgage applications.

IBR is a valid payment plan, so why not utilize it if you qualify?

I think some of us have been very misinformed. MYSELF included.

We were taught growing up that a higher educations means a better lifestyle.

But owing six figures in debt = a living hell. You really would be better off with a different career. lol....

People that borrowed 200K b/c they think they can easily get the loans forgiven by IBR are idiots. Sorry to say.

You really would have been better off NOT borrowing that much...I know they will disagree and think borrowing 200K is smart due to loan forgiveness.

I highly regret becoming a pharmacist. I had no idea back then that the job market was like this. I found 1 job after sending out my resume to hundreds of employers. You can't even chose what type of pharmacy or where you want to live. I'm stuck on the west coast by myself, and I miss my family and friends.

Okay all the folks on here that have problems finding jobs and have to relocate to crappy towns etc. Are you guys only looking for HOSPITAL jobs? or Managed care jobs?

I think if you guys are less picky and are willing to do retail too then you will be able to find a job easier. I have an interview with Target next week. I have already worked for them before so I know how to ace their interview. If I ace it I could get a job and I haven't graduated yet.

I think if people will be less picky (I will ONLY do hospital for example) then you will be able to find a job much easier.

Although yes, you are right...I can understand the regret.

As I have said several times already...there are people WITHOUT degrees that will make more money than I will ever make in my lifetime. So hell yeah I regret that I didn't come out with the best career/life.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Living hell? Lol

 

[mustang sally]

of course graduated in may and got licensed. I have a part time job but its almost like nothing i get to work MAYBE once a week for like 5 hours
I have to look into this IBR thing

I was thinking of moving to a remote area but one of my friends did that and still no job somewhere in VA

You only move to the remote area after you get the job.

Why in the world would someone move to that kind of area in the hopes of landing a job?

 

[rph3664]

I highly regret becoming a pharmacist. I had no idea back then that the job market was like this. I found 1 job after sending out my resume to hundreds of employers. You can't even chose what type of pharmacy or where you want to live. I'm stuck on the west coast by myself, and I miss my family and friends.

I assume you're a new graduate? If you are, it sure wasn't that way when you decided on this; it's a new development of just the last 3 or 4 years.

 

[SHC1984]

of course graduated in may and got licensed. I have a part time job but its almost like nothing i get to work MAYBE once a week for like 5 hours
I have to look into this IBR thing

I was thinking of moving to a remote area but one of my friends did that and still no job somewhere in VA

Let me guess you will only work in a hospital?

Living hell? Lol

Living hell= 1) having to budget. 2) not having the ability to spend freely. 3) not having the ability to buy high end designer goods. 4) having to pay back debt with interest. 5) having to live like a college student. 6) having to live in rural areas. 7) having to worry about money. 8) having to fight for a job. 9) having to worry about getting fired easily b/c there is a huge surplus of pharmacist. 10) Having to work hard in a super stressful envirnment. 11) Not being able to take a vacation whenever I want to.

Just naming a few things that pharmacy is facing right now that sucks and is a living hell.

A GOOD LIFE= 1) being able to spend freely 2) being able to take vacation whenever I please. 3) having tons of designer items. 4) eating the BEST foods everyday. 5) Having no worries in the world.

Unfortunately pharmacist don't have the GOOD life.

 

[BMBiology]

Unfortunately pharmacist don't have the GOOD life.

You know what you got to do right? Yup, marry rich = the good life.

 

[Momus]

You know what you got to do right? Yup, marry rich = the good life.

Should do part time realtor and drug rep, then you can flirt heavily with rich men!

Trend I notice increasingly:

1. 2009 = everyone is getting a job easily wherever he/she wants
2. 2010 = everyone is still getting a job but can't be picky who they work for
3. 2011 = better to get a job then no job, yeah, I'll take that crappy stores, any job will work
4. 2012 = Yay I get a job! but I can't get full time hours, please let me know if someone wants to give me hours or if you want to take some of your vacation time to give it to me
5. 2013 = I can't get a job period

 

[iFarm]

2006 = BMW just for signing up to work as many hours as you want to
2009 = everyone is getting a job easily wherever he/she wants
2010 = everyone is still getting a job but can't be picky who they work for
2011 = better to get a job then no job, yeah, I'll take that crappy stores, any job will work
2012 = Yay I get a job! but I can't get full time hours, please let me know if someone wants to give me hours or if you want to take some of your vacation time to give it to me
2013 = I can't get a job period

 

[Momus]

2006 = BMW just for signing up to work as many hours as you want to
2009 = everyone is getting a job easily wherever he/she wants
2010 = everyone is still getting a job but can't be picky who they work for
2011 = better to get a job then no job, yeah, I'll take that crappy stores, any job will work
2012 = Yay I get a job! but I can't get full time hours, please let me know if someone wants to give me hours or if you want to take some of your vacation time to give it to me
2013 = I can't get a job period

True, CVS back then took recuits to Disney Land to wine and dine and gave $50k sign on for 3 years LOL. Now... you are lucky if they take a glance at your resume.

 

[pezdispenser]

We should call this "The Pharmacy Cliff"! Six month grace period on new grads' loans about to expire. No jobs in any of the desirable cities. Have to move to BFE. Acts of desperation like working as a tech even after getting a RPh license, or working for free. #OccupySDN protests. Rioting in the streets. Oh, the humanity.

 

[Rx MPLS]

We should call this "The Pharmacy Cliff"! Six month grace period on new grads' loans about to expire. No jobs in any of the desirable cities. Have to move to BFE. Acts of desperation like working as a tech even after getting a RPh license, or working for free. #OccupySDN protests. Rioting in the streets. Oh, the humanity.

I would state that some new grads have unreasonable expectations. Still, you come across like an unsympathetic jerk here.

You graduated with 51k in loans at 2 and 5 something percent? Today's grads do have it tough; don't pretend like they're just being dramatic or spoiled. Most people graduating in the next few years will have at least 100k in debt, even if they attended a school in their home state, lived at home, were frugal, etc. Education costs are outpacing salary growth by huge margins. It does suck.

Working an $10-15/hr tech job with over $100k in debt wouldn't be my cup of tea, and I would bet most pharmacists wouldn't be happy about it, either.

 

[Rx MPLS]

My friend is the valedictorian of her class and her CV is so impressive. 1000000X better than mine. She had research, held a TONS of leadership positions, tons of community service etc. She was offered a Target position but Costco didn't have a position for her. SO yeah...it does show how competitive they are.

Unless I'm mistaken, the chains care very little about your CV, research, GPA, leadership positions in school, etc. I think they mostly care about your work or professional managerial experience, your references and your interview. The hospitals care much more about all these things...

 

[SoylentGreen]

Is this person making $8 per hour better off than a pharmacist with debt?

If you assume the pharmacist has a six figure job, then no, but it seems highly unlikely that all grads present and future will get this. I could very easily see a significant proportion of future grads unemployed, with huge debts, and with their stafford loans maxed out so that if they did go back to school, they would have to get horrible private loans, if they could get any at all. Far better to be a burger flipper.

 

[joetrisman]

Are doom and gloom threads seasonal? I think so

 

[BrightLight]

Our Golden State still has plenty of pharmacist jobs...like in Oxnard, Yolo, Redding, Vacaville (Vodkaville?), Vallejos, to name a few. Yes, those are cities that actually exist!

 

[smercer]

Living hell= 1) having to budget. 2) not having the ability to spend freely. 3) not having the ability to buy high end designer goods. 4) having to pay back debt with interest. 5) having to live like a college student. 6) having to live in rural areas. 7) having to worry about money. 8) having to fight for a job. 9) having to worry about getting fired easily b/c there is a huge surplus of pharmacist. 10) Having to work hard in a super stressful envirnment. 11) Not being able to take a vacation whenever I want to.

Just naming a few things that pharmacy is facing right now that sucks and is a living hell.

A GOOD LIFE= 1) being able to spend freely 2) being able to take vacation whenever I please. 3) having tons of designer items. 4) eating the BEST foods everyday. 5) Having no worries in the world.

Unfortunately pharmacist don't have the GOOD life.

Seriously? You clearly have never spent any time in the workforce or have any understanding of the real world.

So you think everyone who spends time going to school should be able to have all those things? How about you go back and talk to your professors where you got your bachelors degree. They can tell you about how great of a life style they live even though they spent 8-10 years in school.

Can you name me a few of these jobs that will give you all those things you list there? Most jobs are a pain in the a** about vacation time. Most jobs will fire you easily due to poor performance. Most jobs are not hiring every person who turns in an application.

At what point did you think making 100k/year would remove all money worries?

I also find it extremely funny that no where on your list of a GOOD LIFE do you make any reference to family. If your sole purpose in life is to make and spend money, then I can tell you that you will have a sad and lonely life.

 

[pezdispenser]

I would state that some new grads have unreasonable expectations. Still, you come across like an unsympathetic jerk here.

You graduated with 51k in loans at 2 and 5 something percent? Today's grads do have it tough; don't pretend like they're just being dramatic or spoiled. Most people graduating in the next few years will have at least 100k in debt, even if they attended a school in their home state, lived at home, were frugal, etc. Education costs are outpacing salary growth by huge margins. It does suck.

Working an $10-15/hr tech job with over $100k in debt wouldn't be my cup of tea, and I would bet most pharmacists wouldn't be happy about it, either.

Sorry, I didn't mean to come across like that. But you've got me wrong because I feel like I'm in this mess as well, so just trying to inject some humor to relieve the stress. Because I know my employer would not hesitate for one second to hire a new grad for less and I could get kicked out on the street at any time. In fact, I have already taken two paycuts, forgone a few annual raises and had my base reduced to 30 hrs/wk, in order to keep my job.

About the student loans thing, I graduated not too long ago, in 2007, and I went to a $25k/yr private school, so most of my classmates were taking on $150k+ in loans. I did it by working my butt off, slashing expenses to the bone, and taking the few thousand dollars offered by the chains, while my classmates were ridiculing me, leasing BMWs and getting high off the fumes of the pharmacy gravy train. So yeah, I'm probably still a bit bitter about it, but don't try telling me I don't know how hard it is, or that it can't be done.

 

[spacecowgirl]

Sometimes I think SHC is growing up a little and then she comes in and posts ^*#( like that. Honestly, woman, your parents did you and the world a disservice raising and entitled princess like you. You should be ashamed of yourself.

 

[BMBiology]

I doubt it. Besides, there is nothing wrong with wanting the good life for you and your family.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Sometimes I think SHC is growing up a little and then she comes in and posts ^*#( like that. Honestly, woman, your parents did you and the world a disservice raising and entitled princess like you. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Please, we both know that the WORST thing that can happen to you in life is having to live on a budget and not being able to buy unlimited designer goods. That's absolute rock bottom. Nothing more terrible than that!

 

[rxlea]

Please, we both know that the WORST thing that can happen to you in life is having to live on a budget and not being able to buy unlimited designer goods. That's absolute rock bottom. Nothing more terrible than that!

I had no idea my life was so ****ty.

 

[jawnly211]

no more sign on bonus????????

haha the good old days

mine was offered for a CVS 12 hour night shift, 7on7off.....i think it was 3 yr deal for 30k

i think walgreens had a sign on of just 5k.....no commitment

walmart didnt give crap......just high pay but horrible location (not many in socal back then)

the grocery chains didnt offer a bonus

im sure new grads are willing to pay a company 30k to get hired these days

 

[BenJammin]

no more sign on bonus????????

haha the good old days

mine was offered for a CVS 12 hour night shift, 7on7off.....i think it was 3 yr deal for 30k

i think walgreens had a sign on of just 5k.....no commitment

walmart didnt give crap......just high pay but horrible location (not many in socal back then)

the grocery chains didnt offer a bonus

im sure new grads are willing to pay a company 30k to get hired these days

Last year I was offered a $35,000 sign on bonus by a certain chain to work in a certain part of the country so they definitely exist. Population of about a quarter million if you're wondering.

 

[KARM12]

Please, we both know that the WORST thing that can happen to you in life is having to live on a budget and not being able to buy unlimited designer goods. That's absolute rock bottom. Nothing more terrible than that!

She'll never snag a rich man if she can't afford her $300 wrinkle cream!

 

[BMBiology]

Here's the catch. The bonus is not for you to sign up, it forces you to stay with the company for # of years. That's why most bonuses were not for 1 year but 3 or more years.

 

[SHC1984]

You know what you got to do right? Yup, marry rich = the good life.

OMG...so I took your advice and put myself on 2 dating websites just to see what would happen. LOL. I figure since it was FREE for attractive women to use those websites it would NOT kill me to try it. I put myself on seekingmillionaires.com and whatsyourprice.com

Seekingmillionaires.com - I listed myself looking for a RELATIONSHIP b/c that is what I was looking for....I got several messages HOWEVER most of the messages are from old nasty men looking to make arrangements. They would offer me anything between 4K to 10K a month allowance in exchange for you know what. A lot of those men are MARRIED and old/nasty. I only found ONE attractive guy on there that makes 300K a year worth 3million dollars....so he was the only guy I messaged on there...but I never got a response from him. All my messages are from old nasty men looking to pay me an allowance for arrangements...despite the fact that I mention on my profile that I was looking for a RELATIONSHIP!!!!!!!!!!

Whatsyourprice.com - I put myself on there too....the site is also free for attractive women. The site allows men to offer a price to take me out on a first date. I got tons of offers on there too...but again ALL from NASTY OLD MEN! I get offers from $100 to $500 to take me out on a date....but they are again all from UGLY ASS OLD MEN!!!! GROSS. So I just ignore them all.

So looking for a rich BOYFRIEND is hard...but looking for a rich sugardaddy ain't too bad...but they are all old and nasty. GROSS.

You gotta give me another way....this way ain't working too well.

Can you name me a few of these jobs that will give you all those things you list there? .

Marrying rich

Please, we both know that the WORST thing that can happen to you in life is having to live on a budget and not being able to buy unlimited designer goods. That's absolute rock bottom. Nothing more terrible than that!

You got it and doing forget living in a rural area!

 

[SHC1984]

Just FYI to anyone on here...don't ever use a dating website....99.999999% of men on there are BUTT ugly. You will never find a hot person on them.

 

[Momus]

Seekingmillionaires.com - I listed myself looking for a RELATIONSHIP b/c that is what I was looking for....I got several messages HOWEVER most of the messages are from old nasty men looking to make arrangements. They would offer me anything between 4K to 10K a month allowance in exchange for you know what.

Everyone's got a price. Hey, you bone your supposedly ugly poor neighbor, I am sure you can tough it out with old men. Get 3 men and you get 30k/mo, 360k/year tax free. Who makes that much just boning old men. Huuuray! I think you just found your calling.

 

[BMBiology]

OMG...so I took your advice and put myself on 2 dating websites just to see what would happen. LOL.

Did I recommend you online dating websites? I thought I said you should try going to MBA (well-known business school) students' tailgates, parties.

 

[Dr Wario]

SHC, you have got to ask yourself why a rich, attractive man would want a poor, attractive woman when he can get a rich, attractive woman. If you can answer that question, then maybe you will have a shot at getting the man of your dreams.

 

[SHC1984]

Everyone's got a price. Hey, you bone your supposedly ugly poor neighbor, I am sure you can tough it out with old men. Get 3 men and you get 30k/mo, 360k/year tax free. Who makes that much just boning old men. Huuuray! I think you just found your calling.

There are women that do that for a living...but I just can't bring myself to do it. Even for 30K a month...

I don't know how Donald Trump's wife do it. The neighbor was average looking and only 21 yo. LOL....

You don't have to be HOT...but you gotta A LEAST be AVERAGE looking for me to go out with you. I don't think that is asking for too much. Average looking and YOUNGER than my father. Those are my requirements. lol...

Did I recommend you online dating websites? I thought I said you should try going to MBA (well-known business school) students' tailgates, parties.

I am sorry. Must have been someone else that recommended that for me. I would take your advice but I am doing my rotations in Texas right now. Well-known business schools are in the Northeast. Rice University would be the only GOOD school in this entire state....I guess I should try there?

SHC, you have got to ask yourself why a rich, attractive man would want a poor, attractive woman when he can get a rich, attractive woman. If you can answer that question, then maybe you will have a shot at getting the man of your dreams.

SO you recommend that I become a pharmacist first and then look?

 

[rph3664]

My old hospital paid me a $15,000 sign-on bonus, in 3 installments over a year, when I started working there in 2003. IDK when they stopped doing this.

A couple years before that, one of my colleagues there gave back a $50,000 bonus from Osco, two months before the contract time was up, because he hated one of his co-workers that much. IIRC, he had largely paid off his house with that money, and he refinanced it and did indeed pay it back. He had 3 kids and his wife was a SAHM, too. And he's the kind of person that if you don't get along with him, it's because there's something wrong with you.

 

[KARM12]

The problem, SHC, is that most young men have not made their millions at this stage in life. By the time they get there they will be old nasty men.

 

[universalcynic]

Reading SHC's posts in this thread has been both depressing and hilarious.

 

[Rutgers2015]

Reading SHC's posts in this thread has been both depressing and hilarious.

I've been thinking this thread should get back on topic, I really wanted to hear from people how their job search is going to try to get pointers on how to approach this crisis in the future… I just didnt want to sound rude or offend anyone

 

[rph3664]

Gotta say that one advantage of getting into my late 40s is that nobody wants to fix me up with men with whom I have nothing in common any more.

 

[BrightLight]

I've been thinking this thread should get back on topic, I really wanted to hear from people how their job search is going to try to get pointers on how to approach this crisis in the future… I just didnt want to sound rude or offend anyone

If you as a pharmacy student really want to know how difficult it is to find a pharmacy job now, you can do an experiment. First compose a dummy resume. Make it as close as possible to how you think it will look like when you are an actual pharmacist (i.e., don't put you are in Rho Chi if you don't think you will ever get in). Second, target a geographical area where you want to work after you graduate. Third, start to search for opening pharmacist positions in that area. Take into account driving distance and long-term stability of the company. Fourth, submit a fake job application with your dummy resume. Finally, wait and see how many interview invites you will receive.

 

[Rutgers2015]

Umm, first of all I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that and second of all I'm a student I don't have time for all that. I'm just saying I like to listen and learn from people's experiences

 

[BMBiology]

someone should do it and write an article about it.

 

[pharmasaur]

If you as a pharmacy student really want to know how difficult it is to find a pharmacy job now, you can do an experiment. First compose a dummy resume. Make it as close as possible to how you think it will look like when you are an actual pharmacist (i.e., don't put you are in Rho Chi if you don't think you will ever get in). Second, target a geographical area where you want to work after you graduate. Third, start to search for opening pharmacist positions in that area. Take into account driving distance and long-term stability of the company. Fourth, submit a fake job application with your dummy resume. Finally, wait and see how many interview invites you will receive.

I did something KIINDA like this. I put a fake resume on monster/careerbuilder to see if recruiters would contact me. none ever did it's been over a year now. i do update it/refresh it too.

 

[pezdispenser]

SO you recommend that I become a pharmacist first and then look?

Nooo! Pharmacists are in living hell!!! You should've stayed in Columbia dental school!!

 

[Rockinacoustic]

If you as a pharmacy student really want to know how difficult it is to find a pharmacy job now, you can do an experiment. First compose a dummy resume. Make it as close as possible to how you think it will look like when you are an actual pharmacist (i.e., don't put you are in Rho Chi if you don't think you will ever get in). Second, target a geographical area where you want to work after you graduate. Third, start to search for opening pharmacist positions in that area. Take into account driving distance and long-term stability of the company. Fourth, submit a fake job application with your dummy resume. Finally, wait and see how many interview invites you will receive.

Orrrr, you can get a job as an intern in a field you're interested in, that way come 4th year you either have a job lined up upon graduation or solid experience and letters of rec. for a residency.

But if you'd rather post fraudulent information online that could possibly damage a future employment opportunity, well then more job openings for me I guess.

 

[hye345]

Sorry, one last jab

SHC, the following link has been posted on this forum before. I think this side-discussion calls for an encore

Give it a read, see what you get out of it. Might actually learn something for once...

http://laluttecontinue.tumblr.com/post/20069287160/a-letter-from-jp-morgan-ceo-to-gold-diggers

 

[rph3664]

I did something KIINDA like this. I put a fake resume on monster/careerbuilder to see if recruiters would contact me. none ever did it's been over a year now. i do update it/refresh it too.

I did put my resume on Monster.com, and all I got were people wanting me to sell insurance. Same thing happened to my friend, too which makes me think they don't even read them.

 

[pinipig523]

Let me guess you will only work in a hospital?



Living hell= 1) having to budget. 2) not having the ability to spend freely. 3) not having the ability to buy high end designer goods. 4) having to pay back debt with interest. 5) having to live like a college student. 6) having to live in rural areas. 7) having to worry about money. 8) having to fight for a job. 9) having to worry about getting fired easily b/c there is a huge surplus of pharmacist. 10) Having to work hard in a super stressful envirnment. 11) Not being able to take a vacation whenever I want to.

Just naming a few things that pharmacy is facing right now that sucks and is a living hell.

A GOOD LIFE= 1) being able to spend freely 2) being able to take vacation whenever I please. 3) having tons of designer items. 4) eating the BEST foods everyday. 5) Having no worries in the world.

Unfortunately pharmacist don't have the GOOD life.

Your definition of living hell.... my wife and I cannot cross off all the numbers off your list and my wife and I make significantly more than a single pharmacist.

Your definition of good life is tough to attain. Probably better defined as the Dream Life.

 

[Chris co2012]

I know 2 or 3 classmates with CVS offers. But they were all interns for CVS for 2+ years. I don't know anyone that got jobs who didn't work while in school. Do you?

I haven't really started looking yet...I have only contacted Costco...they said they are NOT hiring at all in the entire state!

I also contacted Walmart...not hiring right now either.

I have an interview with Target...

I was offered a job with CVS right out of school. They offered me my own store, full time, and $57/hr. Before that, I had never stepped foot into a CVS.

However... we are super high volume. It's basically like walking into hell every day.

 

[Pojman]

I was offered a job with CVS right out of school. They offered me my own store, full time, and $57/hr. Before that, I had never stepped foot into a CVS.

However... we are super high volume. It's basically like walking into hell every day.

This kind of story is unacceptable to be posting around here. You will not be making any friends with comments like that.

Add in a little bit of economic doom, desperation, and perhaps a some depression and you might actually make some friends.

 

[gtpederson]

This kind of story is unacceptable to be posting around here. You will not be making any friends with comments like that.

Add in a little bit of economic doom, desperation, and perhaps a some depression and you might actually make some friends.

Add the caveat of the store is a rural pilot store catering to farmers and vet compounds, and that even at $57/hr you are in the living hell of being unable to buy unlimited Prada sweatsuits.