Pharmacist Job Interview Tips
Preparation and Interview Strategies for a Pharmacist Position
Oct 7, 2009
A pharmacist must be knowledgeable and precise in his applications. It is therefore easy to see why the interview process for a pharmacist is so rigorous. A prospective employer wants to know that the pharmacist he employs meets or exceeds his company’s standards. To help secure the job, the interviewee must be prepared for the interview.
Preparation Tips for a Pharmacist Job Interview
The interviewee should learn everything she can about the company before the interview by researching their website. For larger corporations, she can check her local library for manuals such as Dun & Bradstreet, Standards and Poor’s and Moody’s Manuals. She may use the Hoover's Inc. website to learn the company’s contact information, key employees, and sales and employee ranges. She can also call the company and request a copy of their annual report.
For smaller companies, she can call and request their brochures or newsletters. If they have none, she can explain that she has an upcoming interview and would like to know if they could answer some of her questions over the phone. If that approach proves futile, she should try to connect with an individual working in the pharmaceutical industry and ask them to share details of what she should know for her interview.
The interviewee must prepare herself for the questions her interviewer may ask. She should notate her thoughts and rehearse them, but refrain from memorizing her answers. Having copies of her resume, presentation materials and attire (business suit) ready helps to ensure she is prepared for the interview.
Body Language Tips for a Pharmacist Job Interview
Smiles are infectious; therefore, the interviewee should greet her interviewer with a sincere smile and a firm handshake. During the interview, it is important that she maintains eye contact, and displays proper posture by sitting up straight and leaning forward a bit. She should also refrain from exhibiting any irritating habits she may have (e.g. constantly gesticulating, unconsciously licking the lips).
Questions During the Pharmacist Job Interview
During the interview, the interviewee should listen carefully to each question asked, speaking slowly and pausing for effect at the end of her sentences. Possible questions include:
- What is your most fulfilling experience as a pharmacist/pharmacy student?
- Why did you choose pharmacy as your career?
- How adaptable are you to change at work?
- How would you describe your communication skills?
- Tell me about an experience you had with an upset patient? How did you handle it?
- If you could be a drug, which would it be?
- What is your strategy in making important decisions?
- What appeals to you the most (or least) about this position? Why?
- Review the following case about a terminally ill patient. Demonstrate a related plan that includes drug therapy management.
Responses During the Pharmacist Job Interview
The questions asked will undoubtedly be tough. The best way for the interviewee to handle these grueling questions is to respond honestly, but ensure her answers reflect what the employer needs to hear. She should put a positive turn on any questions that involve her having to depict any “weaknesses”. Example:
Question: What is your main weakness?
Answer: I am not very keen on being closely supervised, as I possess exceptional initiative and work very well alone.
To display her interest, the interviewee should ask questions about the position. She can tactfully inquire about the job's stability and ask more questions about the company. To gauge their interest, she should find out the next hiring step.
Follow-Up Tips After the Pharmacist Job Interview
The interviewee must remember to send a thank you letter or email to all her interviewers shortly after leaving the interview. If no one contacts her within the timeframe specified to her, she can call the company to reiterate her interest and to gauge theirs.
By following the preparation and interview strategies for a pharmacist job interview, a job applicant can increase her chances of securing the position.
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