Walgreens Overtime?

[cpowers362]

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So lets say you work at walgreens as a pharmacist and your not happy with making $120,000 a year(although i dont know who wouldnt be) and you wanted to make lets say $200,000 a year. does walgreens allow you to work as much overtime as you want? if i wanted to work 60 hours a week instead of the regular 40, would i be able to do that? from what i could gather, walgreens has a list of extra shifts that you can sign up for at various other walgreens where they are short a pharmacist or two. is this true?

and another question, does walgreens care where you get your pharm D from? cause if you have bad grades like a 2.5 gpa or something and not so good pcats and you just get accepted into some crappy unheard of pharm school and get your pharm d, will they hire you? not saying that thats me, but i was just wondering why bother to get over a 3.5 and 99 on pcats when you dont have to?

btw im still in high school, im just trying to learn as much about this profession as i can before i make a decision.

 

[BuffaloPills]

it used to be like that a few years back....it is not like that anymore...a new pharmacy grad would be lucky to even get a job these days. the market is horrible right now

do not get into this profession for the money, i know it sounds good but if money is your sole motivation do something else or you will be unhappy.... 120-150K is not that much money with taxes and student loans.

you should always strive for a 4.0, a 2.5 should never be a goal for anyone...if you try hard and thats what you end up with, fine....you very well could be a great pharmacist....but the attitude you present in the question is very wrong and likely a result of your age...which is fine you'll learn as you get older...i did...i asked the same questions at that age....search my threads...ha

bottom line is work in a retail pharmacy first, then volunteer at hospital pharmacy and try to shadow some clinical pharmacists...some of these people are incredibly good at what they do and are heavily relied on within the medical team...which is a whole different world from working at walgreens. Get experience first, then decide is pharmacy is right for you.

keep in mind pharmacists jobs are tough to come by.....dont believe everything you read about baby boomers and what not.

technician roles are changing to take on more responsibility

lookup ashp's PPMI, the pharmacist role is changing, not just pharmd anymore but also pgy1 and pgy2 residency, fellowship....

its good your inquiring at your age early in the game, but choose a career that will make you happy daily not for the money it provides...if you love your work you never work a day in your life.

good luck in your future endeavors...

 

[cpowers362]

no no you got me wrong, im not in it just for the money. I like helping people. I wanted to become a doctor but i just dont think thats for me. I think im too shy for that and i feel like a pharmacist would be better suited for me, even though i know you still talk to people just not as much as a doctor would and its not as one on one. i just wanna make sure ill be able to support a family and be able to make more money if i needed to. And about what you said how the market is horrible right now, i thought there was a study done saying how theres a projection of a shortage of pharmacists now and through to 2020. is that not right? and i know finding a job is going to be difficult coming out of college but once i find a stable job and income, your saying i wont be able to work any overtime?

 

[BuffaloPills]

the 2020 projection was at best an estimate...turns out is was not accurate, it did not predicted that 30 new pharmacy schools would open up and continue to open up and push out pharmds completely saturating the market..

retail pharmacy is not for the shy, you interact all day with people, you have to have thick skin cause the public can be rough

overtime is scarce right now, who knows what the future holds but right now its hard to find.

why did you decide against becoming an md and why do think pharmacy is better fit...what pharmacy experience do you have? if you dont have any experience i strongly urge you to work retail or shadow a retail rph before applying to pharmacy school

 

[Its Z]

your saying i wont be able to work any overtime?

That is correct. Overtime is a no no.. and very inefficient way to run a business. Don't count on it.

 

[cpowers362]

right i will most likey grow out of my shyness because both my parents were shyer than me at my age but they both grew out of it and are now very successful.

but do you guys actually work for walgreens or do you just know this from others? i cant imagine how there would be no overtime? or maby would they let me work extra hours without the time and a half or is that like illegal?

and the reason i would like to become a pharmacist is because im interested in different types of medicine and all that stuff. i think i would enjoy learning about medicine rather than going to medical school. also, im not super smart either, which i kind of get the impression you need to be to get through medical school. im more of average intelligence but im the type that studies all day long and commits things to memory rather than just being naturally smart.

 

[crossurfingers]

There is no more overtime. New grads now are lucky to get a job at Walgreens for 3 days a week (but even that is not guaranteed). You used to get paid an extra day if you worked the holiday as well, but now they just give you an extra day off.

Think twice about it. I was one of the lucky ones that got in before it got like this. They used to beg me to work overtime and now they beg pharmacists to take the day off without pay so they can place all the extra pharmacists and give them some work hours.

 

[Rebel78]

So lets say you work at walgreens as a pharmacist and your not happy with making $120,000 a year(although i dont know who wouldnt be) and you wanted to make lets say $200,000 a year. does walgreens allow you to work as much overtime as you want?

Used too, it was a good ride while it lasted.

 

[crazybob]

There is no more overtime. New grads now are lucky to get a job at Walgreens for 3 days a week (but even that is not guaranteed). You used to get paid an extra day if you worked the holiday as well, but now they just give you an extra day off.

Think twice about it. I was one of the lucky ones that got in before it got like this. They used to beg me to work overtime and now they beg pharmacists to take the day off without pay so they can place all the extra pharmacists and give them some work hours.

In your opinion, where should new grads go for jobs?

After hearing about how stressful it can be at Walgreens, I wouldn't want to have any over time at those stores.

 

[Pharmguy07]

There is no more overtime. New grads now are lucky to get a job at Walgreens for 3 days a week (but even that is not guaranteed). You used to get paid an extra day if you worked the holiday as well, but now they just give you an extra day off.

Not true in all situations. I just got paid extra for the Thanksgiving holiday, and I'll be getting paid extra for the Christmas holiday. I also picked up two overtime shifts in the past 2 weeks, and I have another one next week. I work in a city that has two pharmacy schools and is thus supposedly saturated.

That being said, overtime is definitely not as easy to get as it was just two or three years ago. I remember every week seeing at least half a dozen open shifts available for overtime, but now it's much more situational.

Oh, and forget calling in sick or trying to get a day off without a good amount of notice. They never have any floaters available to send. Maybe it's just my district.

 

[rph3664]

Cpowers, what year of high school are you?

Get a job in a pharmacy so you know what you are getting yourself into, and go from there.

 

[TonyRx]

Not true in all situations. I just got paid extra for the Thanksgiving holiday, and I'll be getting paid extra for the Christmas holiday. I also picked up two overtime shifts in the past 2 weeks, and I have another one next week. I work in a city that has two pharmacy schools and is thus supposedly saturated.

That being said, overtime is definitely not as easy to get as it was just two or three years ago. I remember every week seeing at least half a dozen open shifts available for overtime, but now it's much more situational.

Oh, and forget calling in sick or trying to get a day off without a good amount of notice. They never have any floaters available to send. Maybe it's just my district.

Agreed. I think it's more of a market/regional situation when it comes to available overtime and saturation. I know new grads that are working plenty of OT and had no issue whatsoever finding a full time job at a competiive salary. Yes things are not at the peak of greatness like they were 4-5+ years ago, but things aren't all doom and gloom either.

The whole salary/saturation/overtime debate has so many contradicting stories and sound bites. Depending on what day of the week it is you'll get a different response. Many reports and studies show things staying strong and even improving while others swear by doom and gloom. Bottom line is nobody really knows for sure what the future holds for us.

If Pharmacy is the route the OP is choosing then I would recommend doing some job shadowing and volunteering to get your feet wet. Also explore similar avenues with MD and see what suites you best. Both professions are strong and most likely will be for many years.

 

[megandupe]

Have any of you ever worked beyond retail pharmacy?

I'm applying to pharm school now, and I am not interested in retail pharmacy at all, I'm more interested in clinical research and would like to earn my phd. I'm not really looking for OT, but based off your current experiences in the field, do research pharmacists struggle to find a job?

Additionally, is this 'pharmacy saturated market' that big of a deal? This is more of an international community, could you not look into getting a job abroad? (i realize there are restrictions on this, like visas, but worth looking in to)

 

[Momus]

I guess it's not like this elsewhere? I'm with CVS fwiw.

Tells us you don't live in metro area with many pharmacy schools popping up left and right. Enjoy it while it lasts, OT days are numbered :-/

 

[TonyRx]

Bored, just some final thoughts...

It seems that the scare is mainly centered around the retail sector and the jobs and wages that will be available in the coming years. Retailers are tightening their belts and cutting corners especially when it comes to hiring and paying pharmacists; a huge portion of their labor costs. Given that 65%+ of grads seek retail employment it is a bit scary. Not to mention that 30 new schools have opened since 2005, coinciding with the decline in our economy which is bad timing.

But there is a silver lining in it all too. For one, clinical pharmacist roles are expanding and even encouraged by recent legislation and pharmacy educators. Starting this year the baby boomers will be retiring at a rate of 10,000 a day, adding to the need for clinical pharmacists, and increasing prescriptions at the retail level. A large percentage of students are women, which many go on to work part-time allowing for a decent paycheck while being able to raise a family. Currently, 19% of the pharmacist workforce is part time. And lastly, 37% of the current pharmacist workforce is of age 55 or older. This is obviously huge since that is a large chunk of the workforce that will be entering retirement age in the near future.

Even with the openings of schools, jobs will be available and wages will stay strong. This is especially true when the economy recovers and companies begin to feel comfortable again. Even in a bad economy pharmacists are way better off than a vast majority of the population out there.

 

[kbv]

Bored, just some final thoughts...

It seems that the scare is mainly centered around the retail sector and the jobs and wages that will be available in the coming years. Retailers are tightening their belts and cutting corners especially when it comes to hiring and paying pharmacists; a huge portion of their labor costs. Given that 65%+ of grads seek retail employment it is a bit scary. Not to mention that 30 new schools have opened since 2005, coinciding with the decline in our economy which is bad timing.

But there is a silver lining in it all too. For one, clinical pharmacist roles are expanding and even encouraged by recent legislation and pharmacy educators. Starting this year the baby boomers will be retiring at a rate of 10,000 a day, adding to the need for clinical pharmacists, and increasing prescriptions at the retail level. A large percentage of students are women, which many go on to work part-time allowing for a decent paycheck while being able to raise a family. Currently, 19% of the pharmacist workforce is part time. And lastly, 37% of the current pharmacist workforce is of age 55 or older. This is obviously huge since that is a large chunk of the workforce that will be entering retirement age in the near future.

Even with the openings of schools, jobs will be available and wages will stay strong. This is especially true when the economy recovers and companies begin to feel comfortable again. Even in a bad economy pharmacists are way better off than a vast majority of the population out there.

Wow...sounded as if you were an insider...Any citations?

 

[kbv]

Agreed. I think it's more of a market/regional situation when it comes to available overtime and saturation. I know new grads that are working plenty of OT and had no issue whatsoever finding a full time job at a competiive salary. Yes things are not at the peak of greatness like they were 4-5+ years ago, but things aren't all doom and gloom either.

The whole salary/saturation/overtime debate has so many contradicting stories and sound bites. Depending on what day of the week it is you'll get a different response. Many reports and studies show things staying strong and even improving while others swear by doom and gloom. Bottom line is nobody really knows for sure what the future holds for us.

If Pharmacy is the route the OP is choosing then I would recommend doing some job shadowing and volunteering to get your feet wet. Also explore similar avenues with MD and see what suites you best. Both professions are strong and most likely will be for many years.

Again, how naive!

 

[TonyRx]

Again, how naive!

Given the whole world practically operates on reports and studies I guess I am naive. I'll make sure that I disregard all reports and studies during the remainder of my education and later when I'm a licensed pharmacist.

My last post was mainly gathered from the following link:

http://www.pharmacytimes.com/issue/pharmacy/2010/June2010/PharmacyJobTrends-0610

references are at the bottom of the above article. But then again, reports and studies cannot be trusted when they contradict doom and gloom ideology.

 

[StevePerry]

Given the whole world practically operates on reports and studies I guess I am naive. I'll make sure that I disregard all reports and studies during the remainder of my education and later when I'm a licensed pharmacist.

My last post was mainly gathered from the following link:

http://www.pharmacytimes.com/issue/pharmacy/2010/June2010/PharmacyJobTrends-0610

references are at the bottom of the above article. But then again, reports and studies cannot be trusted when they contradict doom and gloom ideology.

TonyRx: STUDENT



enough said...

*** Note: no disrespect to the students who post on here who know which way the parade is going. ***

 

[oh no dont stop]

I picked up 27 hours of overtime this week. happy holidays!

 

[TonyRx]

TonyRx: STUDENT



enough said...

*** Note: no disrespect to the students who post on here who know which way the parade is going. ***

The words of a man that can't refute the facts I (and Pharmacy Times) presented, but instead has to belittle me because I'm a "STUDENT". Well done sir, well done...very productive.

Well I am a "STUDENT" but I am also 27 years old, have a Bachelor's Degree, was an Assistant Store Manager for Walgreens for 5 years and am currently enrolled in a Pharm D/MBA program. Please don't act like I'm some high school kid who doesn't know what he is talking about.

Like I said in my earlier posts above, if you bothered to read, the doom and gloomers have A LOT of valid points/arguments BUT there is also A LOT of points/arguments that show things aren't as bad as many think they are. But I guess pointing out the positive points is something that many people on this forum are very uncomfortable with. If you only want to focus on the negative aspects of life than I feel very sorry for you, that's a horrible way to live.

 

[rph3664]

The words of a man that can't refute the facts I (and Pharmacy Times) presented, but instead has to belittle me because I'm a "STUDENT". Well done sir, well done...very productive.

Well I am a "STUDENT" but I am also 27 years old, have a Bachelor's Degree, was an Assistant Store Manager for Walgreens for 5 years and am currently enrolled in a Pharm D/MBA program. Please don't act like I'm some high school kid who doesn't know what he is talking about.

Like I said in my earlier posts above, if you bothered to read, the doom and gloomers have A LOT of valid points/arguments BUT there is also A LOT of points/arguments that show things aren't as bad as many think they are. But I guess pointing out the positive points is something that many people on this forum are very uncomfortable with. If you only want to focus on the negative aspects of life than I feel very sorry for you, that's a horrible way to live.

There's being positive, and there's being in denial, and there's being outright delusional. FYI.

 

[TonyRx]

There's being positive, and there's being in denial, and there's being outright delusional. FYI.

Wow, that is really sad that you clearly don't understand the definition of delusion. According to your definition, delusion is: stating facts/statistics from reputable sources that merely discuss positive factors influencing our profession which happen to shed light against the "sky is falling" mentality.

I'll tell you what, from now on I will make sure that I completely ignore and steer clear of the (below) author, websites and government agencies. As well as any publications, reports, studies or statistics that they produce, gather or have a hand in producing. Clearly they cannot be trusted, as well as their material is riddled with delusional nonsense.

I really appreciate your concern, and I will try my best to be a completely negative, pessimistic and bitter student and intern. Every night before I go to bed, I will pray for the collapse of our profession along with no chance of finding a job when I graduate. Maybe this way, I will fit right in with the mindset of many on these message boards. 🙂



Mr. McAnally, vice president of Jackson Pharmacy Professionals, a national pharmacy-only staffing and placement company, is a veteran of the pharmacy staffing industry. For more information about Jackson Pharmacy Professionals, visitwww.jacksonpharmacy.com/main.aspx.

1. “The Adequacy of Pharmacist Supply: 2004 to 2030.” December 2008. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Health Resources and Services Administration. Bureau of Health Professions. Retrieved from ftp://ftp.hrsa.gov/bhpr/workforce/pharmacy.pdf. April 5, 2010.

2. 2008 ASHP Pharmacy Staffing Survey.

3. “2009 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey.” Pharmacy Manpower Project Inc. Retrieved from http://www.aacp.org/resources/resea...harmacist Workforce Survey - FINAL REPORT.pdf. April 11, 2010.

4. Knapp, K. K. (2010, January). Aggregate demand index. Retrieved from http://www.pharmacymanpower.com/. April 12, 2010.

5. PharmacyTimes.com

 

[kbv]

The words of a man that can't refute the facts I (and Pharmacy Times) presented, but instead has to belittle me because I'm a "STUDENT". Well done sir, well done...very productive.

Well I am a "STUDENT" but I am also 27 years old, have a Bachelor's Degree, was an Assistant Store Manager for Walgreens for 5 years and am currently enrolled in a Pharm D/MBA program. Please don't act like I'm some high school kid who doesn't know what he is talking about.

Like I said in my earlier posts above, if you bothered to read, the doom and gloomers have A LOT of valid points/arguments BUT there is also A LOT of points/arguments that show things aren't as bad as many think they are. But I guess pointing out the positive points is something that many people on this forum are very uncomfortable with. If you only want to focus on the negative aspects of life than I feel very sorry for you, that's a horrible way to live.

Hmm...so, what did Walgreens promise you in return?

 

[kbv]

Wow, that is really sad that you clearly don't understand the definition of delusion. According to your definition, delusion is: stating facts/statistics from reputable sources that merely discuss positive factors influencing our profession which happen to shed light against the "sky is falling" mentality.

I'll tell you what, from now on I will make sure that I completely ignore and steer clear of the (below) author, websites and government agencies. As well as any publications, reports, studies or statistics that they produce, gather or have a hand in producing. Clearly they cannot be trusted, as well as their material is riddled with delusional nonsense.

I really appreciate your concern, and I will try my best to be a completely negative, pessimistic and bitter student and intern. Every night before I go to bed, I will pray for the collapse of our profession along with no chance of finding a job when I graduate. Maybe this way, I will fit right in with the mindset of many on these message boards. 🙂



Mr. McAnally, vice president of Jackson Pharmacy Professionals, a national pharmacy-only staffing and placement company, is a veteran of the pharmacy staffing industry. For more information about Jackson Pharmacy Professionals, visitwww.jacksonpharmacy.com/main.aspx.

1. “The Adequacy of Pharmacist Supply: 2004 to 2030.” December 2008. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Health Resources and Services Administration. Bureau of Health Professions. Retrieved from ftp://ftp.hrsa.gov/bhpr/workforce/pharmacy.pdf. April 5, 2010.

2. 2008 ASHP Pharmacy Staffing Survey.

3. “2009 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey.” Pharmacy Manpower Project Inc. Retrieved from http://www.aacp.org/resources/resea...harmacist Workforce Survey - FINAL REPORT.pdf. April 11, 2010.

4. Knapp, K. K. (2010, January). Aggregate demand index. Retrieved from http://www.pharmacymanpower.com/. April 12, 2010.

5. PharmacyTimes.com

Who care what you are going to do? It always amazes me why people feel the need to tell others what they are going to do with their life/belief. Do whatever you want/like.

Oh wait, now I feel the need to tell others what I'm going to do. 😛 I will try my best to be a completely positive, optimistic, and a sweet pharmacist. Every day before I go to work, I will pray for the blooming of our profession along with more OT. Maybe this way, I don't care if I fit right in with the mindset of many on these message boards.

 

[Its Z]

TonyRx,

I could have responded 2 different ways... but you do seem like a genuine fella and will probably do well in the future.

The article you have linked is written by a headhunter. Not a bad article actually. Let me summarize it.

1. Current market situation, well researched and accurate.
2. Potential opportunities in expanding pharmacist role
3. Recommendation on "how to job search."

I'm an eternal optimist. But the article really tries to provide a positive spin to a very gloomy picture. The fact such an article is in PT is an indication of rapidly changing pharmacist employment market. I probably have spoken to Mr. McAnally or his employer in the past. And it's hard for me to not think that one of the main reasons for the article is a self promotion of their service in a fast declining job placement market for pharmacists.

You have listed references from Labor Market Studies. What you've failed to realize is that we now know the study accuracy rivals drunken games of dart in a smoke filled biker bar at 2am.

I spoke with many residents and students at the ASHP. I was a little surprised that most all of them were keenly aware(and very concerned) of the job market. I also like to believe those who are putting out the effort to participate in ASHP and looking for a residency will come out ok in this job market.

One more thing... the retiring boomers is overplayed.. it's not like just because they're retiring, they start taking more drugs.. they're already on drugs now. If retiring boomers are suppose to provide the silverlining, then the end of the boomer generation in a near distant future disturbs me greatly.

We like to think things happen gradually. Real Estate crash was somewhat gradual.. Stock market crash happens overnight... to give you a contrasting view. Pharmacist job market mirrors the real estate crash..somewhat gradual. The difference is that in real estate, the supply halted with the crash while pharmacy keeps cranking out supply.

 

[owlegrad]

TonyRx,

I could have responded 2 different ways... but you do seem like a genuine fella and will probably do well in the future.

...

Good post Z. I hate thinking about a bad job market when I graduate (plenty of stress now, tyvm) but this is a well informed post that isn't excessively gloomy. You can be pretty helpful when the mood hits. 😉😛

Now to get back to studying for finals. 🙁

 

[TonyRx]

Don't get me wrong it's not like I am NOT worried about the future job market and so forth, things definitely look pretty grim. I was simply trying to shed a little light on some studies and statistics that show things may not be so bad after all. It seems nobody dares to talk about the positive aspects out there while we all continue to beat a dead horse on how we are all screwed. That kind of rhetoric and mentality gets old and seems to further compound the situation.

But yes, you may be right that the articles and studies may be skewed for a little self promotion, but we don't know for sure. As for the baby boomers, it's not just about taking more prescriptions, they will impact the entire health care industry. Their impact will be felt in the long term care sector, nursing home industry, hospitals, home infusion, and etc etc. This will likely lead to a need for more clinical pharmacists in these settings, not just retail pharmacists filling at wags, cvs, etc. Also, the fact that ~35% of the pharmacist labor force right now is of age 55 or older is significant. That's over 100k pharmacists approaching retirement within the next 10-15 years leaving a gaping hole to be filled. And there are other things I mentioned in above posts that are positive factors working for us and the future job market.

I'm not going to argue with you all that are working practitioners and have been for many years, I'm sure you all have a decent pulse on things. I just simply wanted to state that I personally don't think things will be as bad as many make it out to be based upon the article, studies and statistics. And from my personal experience and knowledge, I haven't seen the degree of devastation that many are claiming. But I will not disagree that things look bad, and that the "golden age" of being a pharmacist is behind us.

Anyhow, regarding kbv's remarks about "what I am doing", I was clearly being sarcastic and I don't care whether or not people know what or what I'm not doing/feeling. Maybe my sarcasm and point didn't come out as I intended but oh well. I think you know what I meant.

Back to studying for me as well, still have 2 more finals to knock out. Probably should have been studying rather than arguing this whole time. Haha!