Which Retail Company is Better?

Started by GaPharmGirl09
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GaPharmGirl09

GaPharmGirl09

Member
15+ Year Member
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What do you think is the best retail company to work for as a newly graduated pharmacist (Walgreens, Walmart, Publix... etc.)? Consider pay, 401K, stock, working conditions, vacation time, bonuses, scheduling of hours, etc. in your answer.

I'm trying to decide which companies to send resumes to. Any insight you can share is appreciated.

Thanks!
 
GaPharmGirl09 said:
What do you think is the best retail company to work for as a newly graduated pharmacist (Walgreens, Walmart, Publix... etc.)? Consider pay, 401K, stock, working conditions, vacation time, bonuses, scheduling of hours, etc. in your answer.

I'm trying to decide which companies to send resumes to. Any insight you can share is appreciated.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I assume this means you don't have any experience with the above already?? Personally I would cut off my left arm before I'd work for Wal-mart right now - every pharmacist there I've talked to lately is overworked and majorly stressed. Also, they have some way that they adjust their technician hours allotted to the pharmacy very frequently, so I hear that they have staffing issues. Now, that's not to say that the above are any better - CVS has its own technician staffing issues. I don't know anyone well who is working for Publix, but I know several people who have left CVS for Publix, so there must be some advantage.

I'll let some of the Walgreens folks fill in the details, but my understanding is that one of the advantages of Walgreens is that they tend to schedule their pharmacists in 8 hour shifts unless they are the overnight person, whereas CVS will basically let/make the pharmacists work any shift, which could be 14 hours in the "regular" (not 24 hour) stores. Of course, that might not be a disadvantage to you if you want a lot of hours to pay back loans quickly.

I can't imagine that there's a lot of difference in benefits between them all, and anything really important you could probably negotiate for. Perhaps some current pharmacists will comment on benefits?
 
401k, stock, vacation are company's policies (may be state-specific); request their brochures
pay, bonuses, schedule are store-specific, and depend on negotiation based on supply/demand +/- store's location
feel free to correct/add
 
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Just curious, didn't Wags have the most generous 401k match at 3:1? I think the only problem was you had to wait SEVEN YEARS until you were fully vested. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, I'm pulling this out my ass at 2:30am.
 
When I was with the company it was 5 years. Each year you work you get 20% of what the company contributes. So if you leave after 2 years you will get 40% of what they put in. You do not ever loose your personal contribution.
 
SpirivaSunrise said:
Partying with the Phillies? 😀
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hah...yes, how'd you guess? I live right on Broad st. I didn't go to the party, the party came to me. :hardy:

But I made my way back into my building after a) chunks of traffic light were coming down due to people climbing up them and b) improvised fireworks were accidentally being aimed into the crowd.

This city is a total mess right now! 👍
Last night: http://s387.photobucket.com/albums/oo313/confettiflyer/


Back to topic...
Okay, the graded 5 year thing with wags seems to make more sense. It would be a shame if you're 0% vested at 4yrs 364 days and had to leave.
 
confettiflyer said:
hah...yes, how'd you guess? I live right on Broad st. I didn't go to the party, the party came to me. :hardy:

But I made my way back into my building after a) chunks of traffic light were coming down due to people climbing up them and b) improvised fireworks were accidentally being aimed into the crowd.

This city is a total mess right now! 👍
Last night: http://s387.photobucket.com/albums/oo313/confettiflyer/


Back to topic...
Okay, the graded 5 year thing with wags seems to make more sense. It would be a shame if you're 0% vested at 4yrs 364 days and had to leave.
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Nice! Love the guy in the 4th pic...great expression.

Are you going to the parade on Sat? Some friends from work are driving in for it.
 
SpirivaSunrise said:
Nice! Love the guy in the 4th pic...great expression.

Are you going to the parade on Sat? Some friends from work are driving in for it.
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I hope your friends know that the parade is on Friday (10/31) at noon.

Of course I'll be here. Shooting last night was an absolute nightmare. I'll be the random guy with the honkin' L on the corner of Broad & Walnut/Locust. Maybe I won't have to worry about someone spilling beer on my camera. Haha.

And to keep this post on topic...there's a rite-aid right on broad street, i wonder if it'll stay open during the parade. anyone know rite-aid's compensation package?
 
confettiflyer said:
I hope your friends know that the parade is on Friday (10/31) at noon.

Of course I'll be here. Shooting last night was an absolute nightmare. I'll be the random guy with the honkin' L on the corner of Broad & Walnut/Locust. Maybe I won't have to worry about someone spilling beer on my camera. Haha.

And to keep this post on topic...there's a rite-aid right on broad street, i wonder if it'll stay open during the parade. anyone know rite-aid's compensation package?
Click to expand...

Hah...good thing I'm not going; I would've missed it. They're going for the whole weekend Fri/Sat/Sun...thought they said it was on Sabado.

Be sure to post a good shot! 😉
 
Now I'm debating going to my friday classes. They end at 11:45am or so, that'll give me about 15 minutes to walk 3 blocks...but they're expecting 1-2M people, so that probably won't fly.

http://www.phillychitchat.com/
Scroll down, that car being overturned is right near my building. Haha, maybe it's a good thing you're not gonna be here!
 
confettiflyer said:
I hope your friends know that the parade is on Friday (10/31) at noon.

Of course I'll be here. Shooting last night was an absolute nightmare. I'll be the random guy with the honkin' L on the corner of Broad & Walnut/Locust. Maybe I won't have to worry about someone spilling beer on my camera. Haha.

And to keep this post on topic...there's a rite-aid right on broad street, i wonder if it'll stay open during the parade. anyone know rite-aid's compensation package?
Click to expand...

Rite Aid 401K is 1:1 match up to the first 3%, .5:1 up to the first 5%; 100% vested from day 1, two weeks vacation until year 5, stock sucks.
 
Asking which retail is better is like asking which leg should you amputate.. left or right?
 
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ItsOverZyvox said:
Asking which retail is better is like asking which leg should you amputate.. left or right?
Click to expand...

I couldnt agree with this statement more. LOL.
These "which one is better" threads always amuse me!

And really, the answer is subjective. One store may be wonderful to one person, but that same store will probably suck to the next person.
 
ItsOverZyvox said:
Asking which retail is better is like asking which leg should you amputate.. left or right?
Click to expand...

Well, amputate both of yours.... you'll be in the hospital anyway.

For the rest of us who actually prefer retail over hospital (and yes, there are many of us), please continue to share the perks and pitfalls of the companies you are familiar with.
 
I'm at RA. Scheduling seems to vary from region to region, some new hires work 12 hour shifts, 7 days on, 7 days off every two weeks (not consecutive days, just like EO weekend, three days on, two off, etc. for a total of 7 on, 7 off every two weeks). The site I'm at is an old Eckert, and I work 10 days on, 4 off every two weeks, usually less than 12 hours per day. It's nicer if you have a family, but some people hate it. If you do consider RA, check on which schedule the region you are applying to uses.
 
Really? Can you be more specific? Like name the company you worked for, the store address, etc.
 
SnDividedbyn said:
Really? Can you be more specific? Like name the company you worked for, the store address, etc.
Click to expand...

Why don't you PM the poster instead? The company is Rite Aid and the poster was pretty specific about the schedule...
 
GaPharmGirl09 said:
Well, amputate both of yours.... you'll be in the hospital anyway.

For the rest of us who actually prefer retail over hospital (and yes, there are many of us), please continue to share the perks and pitfalls of the companies you are familiar with.
Click to expand...

Now you've done it...he's gonna start threadjacking!:laugh:

(PS, I agree with you😉)
 
SnDividedbyn said:
Really? Can you be more specific? Like name the company you worked for, the store address, etc.
Click to expand...

If that was sarcasm, can you please put it in italics from now on? I just don't get sarcasm, goes right over my head. Thanks a bunch!
 
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