Drug Store Jobs
If you have a passion for helping people, a genuine concern for the well being of others, then a pharmacy nearby may be looking to hire you. Drug store jobs can range from general retail cashiers and clerks, to pharmacy assistants and technicians, to pharmacist. Likewise, experience and education required ranges from entry level, to certification, to Doctor of Pharmacy. As long as you have a desire to work and help people, then it doesn’t matter where you fall on the scale, there is a drug store job perfect for you. While the majority of drug store jobs are in retail, such as Walgreens, CVS, and others, they are also found in hospitals, nursing homes, and other institutions. The long-term outlook for jobs in the pharmacy industry is above average.
If you are considering a pharmaceutical career but not sure it’s right for you, or you have a desire to help others but have little training, an entry-level drug store job can help on both accounts. Many of the major drug store chains have retail sides to their businesses where they sell over-the-counter medications, cosmetics, groceries, and many offer photo services. This translates into cashiers, stock people, managers, and photo finishers. Even a cashier job on the retail side of drug store can give you a valuable first-hand look at the business.
Next is a pharmacy assistant which, depending upon where you live, may or may not require some formal training. If training is required, it is generally only a certificate program consisting of a few classes at a local or online school and a short internship. Many larger pharmacies offer on-the-job training. As a pharmacy assistant, you will be the liaison between the pharmacist and the customer. Some of your responsibilities will include greeting customers, answering phones, directing questions to the pharmacist, stocking shelves, working the cash register, giving customers their prescriptions, and a host of other things. Many pharmacy assistants are in training to become technicians or pharmacists. A job as a pharmacy assistant involves a high degree of customer interaction, so a neat appearance and good people skills can be tremendous assets. If you’re interested in a drug store job and consider yourself a people person, then a job as a pharmacy assistant deserves a serious look.
A job as a pharmacy technician usually requires a bit more education than that of an assistant, exactly how much more depends on your location. A technician job generally requires a certificate and an internship like an assistant, only longer and more in-depth, and may require an associates degree, passing state exams, and regular registration with your state. A technician will need a more formal knowledge of pharmacology, anatomy, and general medical practice. If your interested in a drug store job as a technician, your duties will include dispensing medications and filling prescriptions, keeping track of inventory, dealing with insurance companies and doctors, as well as other administrative tasks. In some pharmacies technicians will assume all of the duties of, and replace, pharmacy assistants. The demand for pharmacy technicians has been rapidly growing because of a shortage of actual pharmacists. If you are thinking about a drug store job as a career, a pharmacy technician may be just right for you.
The highest form of drug store job would be a pharmacist. Becoming a pharmacist will require a medical degree, and if this is your ultimate goal then it may be in your best interest to explore working as either a pharmacist assistant or technician while working towards your degree.
If you have an interest in people, then a drug store job may be just what the doctor ordered. Opportunities abound, from cashiers, to photo-finishers, to pharmacy assistants and technicians, all the way up to pharmacist. Pharmacies have no shortage of jobs for the right people.
To discover other popular job applications read here: