3 Things to Say in a Pharmacist Job Interview to Make a Pharmacy Director Yawn
In the spirit of ASHP Midyear meeting coming up, some of you are sure to be interviewing there (or maybe being the interviewer). Here are some surefire ways to make a potential pharmacy employer yawn in an interview:
1. Tell them what you’ve done and never talk about the reasons why it would benefit them. A lot of pharmacists are really good at doing this. They describe their job responsibilities….and then end there. The average pharmacy job seeker describes their experience in a typical way & expects that the employer will think they walk on water, because they do the same things as everyone else who has similar experience.
If you want to stand out from your competition, go one step further. Describe what that would mean for the employer. For example, if you’re a pharmacy manager, instead of saying “I manage 14 pharmacists”, say:
“I manage 14 pharmacists and have built a loyal pharmacy staff with the highest retention the pharmacy has seen in the last 10 yrs during my employment there.”
To impress the employer even more, take it a step further & describe the reasons why doing what you did would benefit them:
“I manage 14 pharmacists and have built a loyal pharmacy staff that has seen the highest retention in the last 10 yrs, saving my current employer over $XXX/yr in turnover costs.”
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If you’re a clinical coordinator, instead of just listing your job responsibilities”: “I have been a clinical coordinator for 7 years. I’ve been involved with rounding, developing clinical protocols, & medication safety initiatives”,
describe your accomplishments in a nutshell right away: “…..I’ve been involved with medication safety initiatives that have reduced medication errors each year by XX%. I’ve also helped establish a residency program.”
& describe the reasons why doing what you did would benefit them: “….made the pharmacy department look good by reducing medication errors each year by X%” and “increased the amount of visibility & interest pharmacists had in our institution from establishing a residency program”. Are you starting to see the power in that? Change this one thing about the way you interview, and you will leave impressing the interviewer and increase your chances for getting a job you want, vs. someone else who didn’t know better.
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Are you starting to see the power in that? Change this one thing about the way you interview, and you will leave impressing the interviewer and increase your chances for getting a job you want, vs. someone else who didn’t know better.
2. S
ay trite things that other pharmacist job applicants will most likely say. Tell them how you work well with others and that you are hard working. Be like a broken record that a pharmacy director or hiring manager will have likely heard a million times before. You can bet that your interviewer will tune out when you say trite things.
Instead, try to describe yourself in a way that relates to the job you will be doing. Perhaps you could describe your strengths in being a creative thinker who likes to explore alternative solutions to solve problems. Here’s the key: Back it up with an example, or a story. When a potential employer hears a story of you doing the great things you’ve done, they can relate to it. They can think about how that situation can apply to their needs.
3. When asked by your interviewer, “Do you have any questions?”, you say, “No, you went over everything.” Hmm..boring. Non-creative person. Probably not really that interested in the job to even have any questions! Hiring managers want to know that you are just as invested in choosing the right job as they are in choosing the right candidate. By saying that you have no questions about the position, you raise a red flag about your level of interest. Have some sincere questions ready for when you are asked, such as:
“What are the qualities of people who are very successful in your pharmacy?” (Use this to respond with the similar qualities you have)
“Can you tell me a bit about the long-term advancement opportunities at this hospital?” (This shows your interest in long-term growth and not just “a job”)
“What projects/initiatives are being implemented that I will have a part in if I am accepted for the job?”
The interviewer will be impressed by the questions you ask, and he or she can learn a lot about you by what you bring up during the interview.
Use these valuable strategies in your next interview–stop boring your potential employer(s), keep their eyes wide open & get the job!
Comment below on what you learned from these strategies & what mistakes you’ve made in the past but now you’ve realized. If you have been an interviewer before, comment on how frequently you hear boring things from pharmacist applicants.
If you’re going to ASHP Midyear, email me–I’m gifting mini resume and interview assessments to PGY2 pharmacy residents and hospital-experienced pharmacists in my community (everything’s confidential). Apply here for limited available spots. Or if you just want to meet up, email me. Have a good recruiter know you personally and they’ll put more attention on looking out for opportunities for you.
How to Network at Pharmacy Conferences When You Hate to Network – Part I
Take the Poll: Do you love or hate to network?
Are you someone who goes to pharmacy conferences & enjoy attending educational sessions or workshops, but dread anything that has “networking event” on it? You avoid them as much as possible, or make up excuses not to go. Maybe you wonder if something is wrong with you and why it is that other pharmacists around you seem to network so easily. If you hate to network, you are probably like many other pharmacists.
Maybe you’d be surprised to hear that the truth is most people don’t enjoy networking. Especially if they’re an introvert. I used to hate networking, because I was concerned about what people would think of me. It was like the possibility of being rejected time and time again each time I met a new person. And even when I went through a lot of personal growth and became more comfortable in my own skin, networking was still not something I enjoyed, until I had a significant mindset shift that changed everything.
I went from wondering what I could get out of a networking event to “who can I help in this room today?” This shift changed everything for me, because I no longer had the pressure of having to say the right things or made sure I got what I wanted out of the conversation when I met someone. It became much less about me & what I could get out of the networking, but rather how I can help another pharmacist get to where they want to go. It was about thinking who can I introduce them to, or what resources I could offer them. Networking became more enjoyable (although still not my favorite thing to do). As a result, I also ended up with more helpful relationships and connections.
Now, you can have your own style of networking that works for you as well. For example, if you’re an introvert, your needs are different compared to an extrovert. I will discuss that in a future article in this series.
For those of you going to the APhA Meeting in Seattle coming up, have a good time! Go into the conference with your new mindset shift and comment below to let me know how it changes your experience.
How to Make the Most out of Pharmacists You Meet at APhA Meeting (or other Pharmacy Conferences) – to Get What You Want
Are you going to the APhA Meeting next week? Here’s how to make the most out of the contacts you’ll be meeting. Watch this video on the quick & easy steps to take that most pharmacists don’t think of doing when they attend a conference. You’ll love how simple they are. They will help you build relationships that can lead to you finding pharmacy jobs, sharing best pharmacy workflow/management practices, pharmacy residencies, developing friendships, and support that can get you to where you want to go professionally. Comment below on what you think about this video.
Prefer reading instead? Then scroll down to read on…
One of the challenges I hear from pharmacists who attend APhA Meeting, ASHP Midyear, or other pharmacy conferences is getting excited about receiving many business cards during the meeting, but then stuffing them in their drawer and never looking at them again. This happens even if they had the best intentions of doing something after the conference with the connections they made. You’re missing out on so much opportunity & one of the most valuable opportunities of attending a pharmacy conference by doing this. If you’re like most pharmacists, this happens to you because you’re busy or don’t know easy steps to take to make the most from pharmacy contacts you meet.
Here’s a quick tip for you. Once you meet someone, write down a few impressionable things about them, so you’ll remember what they look like and it will refresh your memory down the road. Write down something that you can help the person with or what you’d like to reach out to them about, based on your conversation. And before you go to the APhA Meeting (or a conference in the future), bring cards or postcards with you. After you’ve met someone, you can write a note after you get back to your hotel room about how you appreciated meeting them. Reach out to share potential resources that you feel would be helpful to them, or something else of value.
Mail the note when you get back home. This will save you time and from not doing anything at all. You won’t have to face the challenge of having another thing to do after you get back home from the conference. Most of the time when you get back from a conference, you will probably have a lot to catch up on. Read on for additional tips on what to do after this.
After ASHP Midyear – Business Cards in the Drawer?
Are your business cards still in your drawer after ASHP Midyear or other pharmacy conference? If so, read Part I of this article on what to do right away before they become clutter in your drawer. Don’t miss out on some of the most long-lasting benefits of attending a pharmacy conference that most pharmacists overlook.
(In pharmacy school, I remember hearing that it’s not what you know, but who you know. Looking back, I find this to be so true and wish I recognized this earlier. I’d like to take it a step further and say “It’s not what you know, but the relationships you grow to help each other.” You get catapulted faster in the direction you want by having the support around you vs. doing it alone.)
If you are a pharmacy director who has an assistant, you can have your assistant take over pieces of what to do immediately after the pharmacy conference in Week One. Here are two more quick things to do before Week Two:
- Week One– Never under-estimate the value of a handwritten card or postcard. Following an event like ASHP Midyear Meeting, email inboxes can be backed up with emails from being away from the conference. They can blend right in with yours and get lost in the shuffle. Choose at least a few key contacts and mail a thoughtfully written thank you note that expresses how you enjoyed meeting them and that you look forward to helping them/working with them soon or down the road. Wish them the best, and let them know that you will stay in touch.Taking this extra step is memorable, simply because it is not often done and you will stand out. Come from the perspective of connecting and giving, rather than asking for anything in the note. It is a gesture of appreciation and/or helping. Try to send as many notes as possible in the weeks following the conference.BONUS “No-Procrastination” Tip: To make things as easy as possible, before you attend another pharmacy conference, bring blank cards or postcards and stamps with you to the conference. Write your handwritten note in your hotel room or on the plane ride home.
In this week, pick up the phone and call your top 3 priority connections. These are connections whom you either really hit it off with personally and want to grow that connection, or whom you can mutually benefit professionally in an immediate way. For example, your expertise or a connection you have aligns with something that your new pharmacist friend needs right now.
You may be nodding your head because you understand the benefits of taking action right away. If it’s not simple and easy, I guarantee you will not do it. You have too much on your plate already as a busy pharmacist.
“If you’ve always done what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got…” Do you want to experience a new way of developing relationships and networking which will give you help and resources that you need at the most unexpected times, or do you want to stuff business cards in your drawer? It’s your choice.
This is simple, so do it and comment on your experiences below. Stay tuned for the next step of what to do to make the most out of your new relationship with another pharmacist/other contact.
After ASHP Midyear – It’s Not Just About You
I was talking to pharmacists who have come back from ASHP Midyear & we all agreed this was a common thing to procrastinate on when coming back from the meeting…so here are easy action steps you can take right away.
You’ve attended the ASHP Midyear Meeting and met other pharmacists & new contacts. Some you were excited to meet & made strong connections with. Others you met and it was just a gesture of courtesy that you accepted their business card– you did not see how they would be a match for you. Now you’re back home with a huge stack of business cards, flyers, and notes.
If you’re like most busy pharmacists & pharmacy directors, you come back and stash them in a desk drawer with the intention of using them in the future when you have a need to connect with that person. Or maybe you are well-intentioned to connect now, but keep procrastinating until that connection is not as memorable.
Unfortunately, many people only follow-up after networking events if they can see a direct, immediate benefit to themselves. Using that approach will cause you to miss out on opportunities that you can mutually support each other with.
Networking is not about meeting people and taking what you can from them at this moment and time. It is about relationship building and creating long-lasting, mutually beneficial connections that can follow you throughout your pharmacy career. It is also about reaching out to others to see what you can help them with. By doing this, you will actually be amazed with the support you receive from others relating what you need.
This year, make a plan for getting to know your new pharmacist and other contacts.
• During ASHP Midyear (you can do this next year, or at future pharmacy conferences) – Write short phrases and memorable things about each person so you will be able to remember them later on. Add project or networking ideas while they are still fresh in your mind. Write down one thing you can help them with, whether it’s an introduction you can make for them, something they need help with, or just to develop a friendship with.
Include on the business card what someone looked like or was wearing. You think you may remember what they look like now—but you may scratch your head later.
• Immediately after the conference (click below to read more):
ASHP Midyear – Setting Yourself Up to Be Overlooked for Pharmacist Jobs
ASHP Clinical Midyear Meeting is coming around the corner.
A lot of pharmacists who go to ASHP to interview for a residency or job think their experience or personality will speak for itself…until they show up and see that they are only part of a herd of cattle. Everyone is dressed in dark suits and being asked the same interview questions. Do you realize how everyone starts to sound the same and resumes look the same after awhile?
(For those of you who are NOT going….if you are job hunting right now, do you know confidently that you will beat out your competition?)
Here’s how to stop being part of the herd of cattle. If you miss an important step, you will be in the herd.
1. Figure out what’s important to you. Write down your preferred job situation (practice setting environment, schedule, salary, geographic location). Take a moment to think about your “must haves” and “negotiable” desires.
Be clear about why you want a new job. Not only is it important to figure this out for yourself, a potential employer will want to know this. If your desire for the position doesn’t make sense (ie, you are not wanting the job for the right reasons), you are less likely to stay. As a result, you may be a less desirable pharmacist candidate to an employer, so you are less attractive. You are also not likely to be as happy in your new job.
2. Figure out how to impress, starting out with your sizzle. Your sizzle is your unique pizzaz that makes you special from any other pharmacist. It inspires a hiring manager to want more. You will use it to write your resume that rises to the top and to make your first impression in a conversation with a hiring manager. You will also use your sizzle in the interview to stand out from your competition.
This foundation to your job search will move you from feeling frustrated to taking control of your job search. Creating your sizzle is step one of the 5-step formula I teach in the Kick Ass Resume Bootcamp to help you rise to the top of the resume pile. Get access to the free prerequisite training teleseminar: “5 Simple Secrets: How to Write a Kick Ass Resume that Stops YOU From Getting Tossed.”
3. Tap into the hidden job market. This is one of the biggest challenges you have shared with me. How to find jobs before other pharmacists find out about them and how to approach your interest. Stay tuned—I will be teaching this soon.
4. Create a resume that rises to the top of the pile. Learn the #1 thing you need to change about how you’re writing your resumes, if you care to get noticed (not knowing this can cost you many interviews). Write a resume that leaves a hiring manager wanting more & inviting you in for an interview.
5. Ace the interview with confidence. I will be creating a series of videos to help you get the edge in your interviews at the ASHP Midyear Meeting or elsewhere. Be the first to get them when they come out.
Do you want to be busy in your job search, or do you want more interviews and job offers to choose from? Evaluate whether you have currently control of your job search and what you will do differently to gain control back.
Wishing you all luck when you get to your interviews. Whether you learn from me or someone else, learn from a pharmacist job market expert whose job is to get pharmacists on the top of the resume pile. Don’t rely solely on fellow pharmacists, preceptors, or professors who may have a limited view of what it’s taking to beat out the competition right now.
If you are doing all of the above….and there isn’t something fundamentally wrong with your work history (ie, frequent job hopping), your fit with the company, or how well you get along with others, you should be getting offers you deserve….even in this tough job market.