3 reasons why you’re not getting the Pharmacy Interviews you want
Whether you are a newly qualified Pharmacy graduate or a more experienced Pharmacist looking to move up the career ladder, looking for a job can cause a great deal of stress. Often, people stay in their jobs due to the simple fact that they don’t want to go through the change process – which can be long and drawn out, not to mention the fear factor of leaving their comfort zone.
From my own personal experience, I see lots of Pharmacy jobseekers go through this stress when considering a job change. I never tell people that making that change is easy, but if you have the desire and willingness to succeed and are ready to fight for it, then you can make it happen. If you’re struggling then it could be down to one, or all, of these common job hunting mistakes:
- You’re not networking
Are you networking? If your answer is no, then why not? Not all jobs are advertised so sometimes, you have go beyond the daily flick through the job boards and think how can you find the pharmacy job you want.
Just because a website lists ‘no current vacancies at present’ it doesn’t mean that there aren’t opportunities available. By networking you will build your own professional network and connect with people who may be able to introduce you to people who are currently working for your organisation of choice.
Start by attending an event that the organisation is linked to, where you can network with other delegates. If the event in question is too expensive to get into, then look to volunteer at it. Talk to your past and present colleagues, previous lecturers and you will find that someone somewhere will possibly be the connection you need that will get you closer to your dream job.
You could also try writing a series of blogs. In doing this, you can showcase your knowledge to your network. If you don’t try and put yourself, your work and your experience out there then your dream job may just remain a dream and never become a reality.
- Your CV lets you down
Most people assume that one CV will suffice for all positions that they are applying for. This is 100% incorrect and is probably why you are not getting called for the Pharmacy Job interviews you want. Why would the one CV work for all the vacancies that you apply for?
If you are applying for a Hospital Pharmacy position but your CV is tailored towards Community Pharmacy, then this isn’t going to come across well to the hiring manager who is reviewing your CV.
You MUST target the correct area of practice, otherwise it will result in you falling at the first hurdle. If you need advice on your CV, talk to your recruiter. If you don’t have a recruiter then get one. They are experts in this field. As the saying goes ‘you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression’.
- Your job search isn’t proactive
It’s easy to spot a job online, attach a CV and click submit. In doing so many people tend to send their CV off for more vacancies than they are really interested in and fail to pay enough attention to detail.
We are all busy which is why it can be difficult when applying for a new opportunity, but if you fail to put the time and effort in, then how can you expect to get a job out of it! In my experience, if you’re proactive and do the following simple things you’ll get results:
- Choose 2/3 vacancies that you really interested in and focus on these
- Pay attention to spelling mistakes in your cover letter
- Avoid using the wrong address or marking the cover letter to “To whom it may concern.” Instead identify the hiring manager’s name or the HR contact and then address the cover letter for their attention
If your feeling particularly fearless you could even ask for a job interview, again this can be done via contacting the hiring manager directly. After all, if you don’t ask you won’t get! Yes, it takes you out of your comfort zone but if you get the reward you want, then it will be well worth the time invested.
If you carefully plan and implement a strategic approach to your job search while ensuring to address these 3 points, you can and should get the Pharmacy job interviews you want. The market is extremely competitive across the Pharmacy sector but if you follow this advice, you’ll make finding your dream Pharmacy job a lot less stressful.
