When is too early to send CV retail pharmacy?

[freckles17]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I am a student looking to practice in ohio and graduate in 2012. we keep getting told the job market sucks in all of our classes, but everyone who is interning at chains are getting emails about interviewing for positions open in 2012. I am not interning. when is the best time to send my CV to the chain recruiters? we have a career fair in August where we can interview with places, should I wait until after that?

 

[Old Timer]

I am a student looking to practice in ohio and graduate in 2012. we keep getting told the job market sucks in all of our classes, but everyone who is interning at chains are getting emails about interviewing for positions open in 2012. I am not interning. when is the best time to send my CV to the chain recruiters? we have a career fair in August where we can interview with places, should I wait until after that?

I doubt they have enough positions for all of the interns they have. If you have no experience, why would they hire you. They already know something about the interns they have.

 

[freckles17]

so how should I go about finding positions? when should my CVs be sent out?

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Do you have any work experience? Contacts from shadowing? Preceptors from IPPE that might be able to help you? What does your school offer in terms of career guidance and placement services?

I'm not going to lie. You are not in an ideal position. Ideally, you'd have an employer to start with. Someone you've worked for throughout pharmacy school as an intern. Not working puts you at a huge disadvantage.

When do you start your APPE rotations?

 

[freckles17]

I have work experience just not in pharmacy because I worked all thru undergrad and then stopped during pharmacy school because working during undergrad was hard enough. I did not realize that it would come back and end up hurting me. At that time, I did not realize how crucial interning was, but I dont know how to go about finding intern positions now that I am going to be going on rotations in August. I have shadowed before and my community service is very strong (I tend to do that on the weekends). Maybe I should contact the independed place I shadowed with and see if I could intern/volunteer there during rotations? But that really wont help getting my foot in the door with a chain (not that I want a chain, I would much prefer independent)

As far as career guidance at the school, there really has not been much of anything. We do have a job fair coming up where we can interview with places and my plans are to try to interview as much as possible.

Thanks

 

[All4MyDaughter]

It's probably too late to get a paid intern position. Just focus on rotations. Start developing your CV now. If you have a good relationship with the preceptor (owner?) of the independent pharmacy you shadowed with, see if you can make an appointment with him or her to have him look at your CV, discuss your career goals and see what suggestions they have in terms of contacts and networking. Make sure you send a nice, handwritten thank you note PROMPTLY afterward.

While you are on rotations, treat every single day (without exception) as a job interview. That means dressing professionally, being on time or early, working hard, acting interested in what you are doing and not asking to leave early. Keep your CV updated as you progress through rotations and if you rotate somewhere that you think might interest you careerwise, see if you can meet briefly with the person in charge of the hiring and leave a nice copy of your CV. Express your genuine interest in the company/organization/institution and tell them you'd like to discuss your career goals and how you might fit into their operation. Again, write a thank you note after you meet with them.

Be persistent.

 

[Praziquantel86]

I have work experience just not in pharmacy because I worked all thru undergrad and then stopped during pharmacy school because working during undergrad was hard enough. I did not realize that it would come back and end up hurting me. At that time, I did not realize how crucial interning was, but I dont know how to go about finding intern positions now that I am going to be going on rotations in August. I have shadowed before and my community service is very strong (I tend to do that on the weekends). Maybe I should contact the independed place I shadowed with and see if I could intern/volunteer there during rotations? But that really wont help getting my foot in the door with a chain (not that I want a chain, I would much prefer independent)

As far as career guidance at the school, there really has not been much of anything. We do have a job fair coming up where we can interview with places and my plans are to try to interview as much as possible.

Thanks

Bring your CV and business cards with you. Make sure that someone familiar with CV formatting takes a look, because nothing can tank your chances faster than a poorly-formatted document. The ACCP has a good service with a fairly decent turnaround time if you don't think anyone at your school would be worthwhile.

Also, make sure that it is a pharmacist who looks it over for you. CVs and resumes are very different in pharmacy versus the rest of the world, so advice from the "other side" may not be applicable.

 

[freckles17]

thank you for your advice. I like the idea of treating everyday at rotations like a job interview. I made the most out of my IPPEs and sent thank yous, but have not kept in touch. I know my preceptors really liked me tho. Should I start sendind my CV to the chain recruiters now or wait until until like 3-4 months before graduation?

 

[All4MyDaughter]

thank you for your advice. I like the idea of treating everyday at rotations like a job interview. I made the most out of my IPPEs and sent thank yous, but have not kept in touch. I know my preceptors really liked me tho. Should I start sendind my CV to the chain recruiters now or wait until until like 3-4 months before graduation?

I don't have much experience with chain recruiters but I'm thinking that a few months before graduation might be waiting too long. Use the opportunity of the job fair to start making contacts in chain retail.

 

[freckles17]

Bring your CV and business cards with you. Make sure that someone familiar with CV formatting takes a look, because nothing can tank your chances faster than a poorly-formatted document. The ACCP has a good service with a fairly decent turnaround time if you don't think anyone at your school would be worthwhile.

Also, make sure that it is a pharmacist who looks it over for you. CVs and resumes are very different in pharmacy versus the rest of the world, so advice from the "other side" may not be applicable.

Already had my CV looked at by a few pharmacists and they said it looks good minus the experience, but what may help me is my leadership and community service. But i dont really know how important those things really are?

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Already had my CV looked at by a few pharmacists and they said it looks good minus the experience, but what may help me is my leadership and community service. But i dont really know how important those things really are?

I think they are important if you are applying to residencies but not all that important to chain retail.

 

[freckles17]

I agree, my school seems more focused on getting kids into residency than anything else. Do you know if any good websites to start posting my CV on?

I feel like sending my CV to chains already is WAY too early, I feel like its going to just get thrown out because I wont have a license for a year.