If you are looking for employment in pharmacy, do not constrain yourself to just hospital pharmacies. You can work in a private non-hospital affiliated pharmacy businesses, an online pharmacy or even in a pharmaceutical company's research department. The skills learned throughout the pharmacy courses are designed to equip you to work in any of these environments.
One can specialize in different aspects of pharmacy employment depending on one's interest and advanced studies undertaken in pharmacy specialty. For instance, one can focus on a pharmacy career in drug manufacturing or opt to specialize in clinical laboratory tests and analysis pharmacy jobs. There are pharmacists that pursue advanced training in the management of particular medical conditions such as cancer or psychiatry.
How to find Jobs In Pharmacy
Overall, the following 7 steps can help you find jobs in pharmacy and launch your career:
1. Start while you are still in pharmacy school. The career office is an excellent place to kick off your job search. Many universities put some effort towards developing good industry networks that can help graduates secure employment in pharmacy as early as possible after they graduate. However, you may need to do a little prodding if you want to make the most of the pharmacy school's contacts with local hospitals and pharmacy chains.
2. Leave a good impression during your internship. Internships not only provide a valuable opportunity to gain hands on experience and increase one's learning but also present a chance to leave a good impression that may win you a permanent pharmacy career position after your studies.
3. Have a well written resume that highlights your academic credentials, achievements, and experience as is relevant for pharmacy employment. Send the resume to all healthcare institutions that you would like to work. Follow up your application with a phone call to reinforce your interest for the job. A good resume plus a passion to work for the organization can form a strong case for you.
4. Join local, national, and international societies that bring pharmacists together. Attending and participating in such forums improves your industry network thus increasing your chances of getting jobs in pharmacy. Such societies also provide a good forum for learning about the latest industry trends so you can position yourself accordingly.
5. Read widely. Other than the information technology industry, no other job sector is as fast changing and requires as much constant reading as the healthcare industry. Subscribe for medical and pharmacy journals and visit authoritative websites that discuss the latest developments in the pharmaceutical industry. By doing this you will remain on the cutting edge of news in the industry placing you in a good position to engage in an informed conversation with key decision makers if and when you do meet in professional forums. Reading pharmacy journals and the web has the added advantage of giving you access to the pharmacy jobs frequently advertised on these media.
6. Still on using the internet, check online job boards for pharmacy employment opportunities. You can register with such job boards where you will be required to key in your credentials that will be matched with recruiters looking for someone with your skill set.
7. Be your own boss. Instead of looking for employment in pharmacy, consider creating jobs in pharmacy. Starting your own pharmacy store however small, is also an option. If you do take this route, you must undertake a thorough feasibility study to identify the opportunities in the areas you would want to set up shop. If you are happy with the projected numbers, set out to obtain the necessary business licensing and establish a working relationship with drugs suppliers. This option can be difficult especially for a fresh graduate - if you opt to do it, the best approach is partnering with an already experienced pharmacist.
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