Print This Article
New Practitioners Network
Land it! Securing the First Step for a New Clinical Pharmacist's Career Path
by Mary Lacy, PharmD, BCPS - Pharmacy Clinical Coordinator, AMITA Saint Joseph Hospital and Bryan C. McCarthy Jr., PharmD, MS, MJ, BCPS - Director, Adult Inpatient Pharmacy Services, The University of Chicago Medicine
After years of pharmacy school and residency training, the light at the end of the tunnel is visible and fast approaching! It is time to land your first official job. As exciting as it sounds, securing this job offer can be intimidating and can leave many feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Consider the following advice to maximize your success potential.
Involve a mentor. It is crucial to involve a mentor in your job search. Great people to have in your “job-search corner” are those you have built a strong relationship with, including residency program directors (RPDs), preceptors, or former/current bosses. Consider mentors who are familiar with the geographic career markets where you are applying. Not all job markets have the same progressive style of pharmacy.
Start early. Finding a position can be all about timing. Unlike the residency match process, organizations are usually looking to hire (the right) pharmacist who can start relatively soon, if not as soon as possible! Do not fall prey to thinking that you should wait until April or May to start your
job search. If it is only January and you see a great job posted, go ahead and apply. They could decide you are the best candidate after an onsite interview and offer the job knowing that you cannot start for several months. No position posted? Consider sending your CV to the director of pharmacy with a note requesting consideration for future opportunities.
Be prepared. Ensure that your CV is sharp, up-to-date, well-detailed, and error-free. If you do not see any errors, look again. Request trusted mentors and colleagues to review your application and requisite documents before submitting. If possible, share what position you are seeking beforehand. They may advise highlighting certain experiences that will set you apart from other candidates that you may have overlooked. Your CV is arguably the most important part of your application. Recruiters and hiring managers sometimes spend just a few seconds on a CV before deciding whether a candidate is a good fit. A key tip to contribute to success is to ask your mentor for their first impression as well as for advice for where improvements may be made.
Most job applications give you the option of including additional information, such as a letter of intent. While a letter of intent is not often required, voluntarily providing one can help you stand out from other candidates. If you choose to have a letter of intent, put in the time and effort to perfect it.
Ace the interview. From pharmacy school interviews to residency recruitment, you are more prepared than you may think! Search online and ask within your network what the most common interview questions are for a specific role. Prepare answers to these interview questions and practice saying them aloud. However, avoid sounding rehearsed! Being natural in interview conversation and question answering will have a positive impact.
Perform thorough research on the position, department, organization, and every person on the interview itinerary. Knowing an interviewer’s work history and/or research experience can facilitate more professional connections and points of conversation. Ask the recruiter or hiring manager who you will be interviewing with if this information has not already been provided.
You may have to give a presentation to a panel of interviewers, or alternatively, you may not have to have anything prepared at all. Iron out these interview details before your interview date. A good rule to observe when answering interview questions is to listen carefully, think how each question is related to the position (and then how best to answer), then incorporate one to two specific experiences or accomplishments in your answer.
Consider requesting the contact information of all interviewers before you leave. Try to send your thank you notes within 24 hours, while your face is still fresh in the interviewers’ minds. There are varying opinions on whether to email or send handwritten thank you notes. Sending a thank you via email will ensure the interviewers receive the note before hiring decisions are made, which may not be the case with handwritten endeavors.
Understand setbacks. If you do not end up getting the job, remember that it is not the end of the world. If you started your job search early, you likely still have a few more months to find a position. Certainly, we all have areas in which we can improve, but do not let a job rejection destroy your confidence.
As a new practitioner, it is not uncommon to lose out on a position to someone with more experience. This is inevitable, and it is okay. Be respectful and professional in all your interactions with the recruiter or hiring manager, whether or not you get the job. Thank them for the opportunity to learn more about the organization. Ask them to keep you in mind for future job openings and to stay in touch. You never know, they may call you in a few months when another position opens.
Do not be afraid to negotiate. If they do offer you the job, congratulations! Typically you will receive the preliminary job offer via phone rather than by email. Show your excitement and genuinely thank them for the opportunity. Unlike matching with a residency program, details of the job offer may not be set in stone. Often it is not expected that you accept the job offer immediately. However, be prepared to give the recruiter or hiring manager an accurate timeline in which you will accept or decline that is no more than 2 weeks. Be transparent and specific if you require even more time, such as in instances when you have other desirable interviews elsewhere scheduled that you wish to keep.
In conclusion. Searching for your first job is exciting. Seek guidance from a mentor, define your priorities, and start early. Be patient with yourself and with the process. Remember, there is not an end date to your first job like there was in residency or pharmacy school. Find opportunities that motivate you and make you excited to come to work. It is not always about finding a job. Rather, it is about finding the right job or an ideal stepping stone that gets you to where you want to be.
