Pharmacy technicians are integral professions in the healthcare field, providing support to pharmacists. To be successful as a pharmacy technician, one has to have certain qualities. A pharmacy technician's essential attributes are attention to detail, good customer service skills, teamwork skills, aptitude for math and technology, and appetite for learning.
Becoming a Pharmacy Technician?
How to become a pharmacy technician involves earning a certificate or associate's degree from a recognized school.
• Certificate programs take approximately a year and are focused wholly on the profession of a pharmacy technician. In the end, there is the option to benefit from hands-on job training where you learn the day to day duties of pharmacy technicians.
• The associate degree program (AA) is two years and results in receiving distinguished credentials and providing a foundation for building upon. With an AA, you have a record of qualified courses that can apply to a four-year degree later.
How to Prepare for an Interview?
Congratulations. You've completed your certificate or associate's degree programs. Sent out resumes, and now have an interview. This is your time to showcase yourself. You only get one chance to make an excellent first impression.
Below are a few guidelines to help you prepare for your pharmacy technician job interview.
• Dress Appropriately – make sure to dress appropriately. Conservatively and professionally are appropriate dress, and give interviews a good impression you are serious about the job. Pick out your outfit ahead of time, try it on to make sure you feel comfortable and look nice in it. Be sure the outfit is clean and pressed. Put it aside till your interview.
• Study your resume – make sure you're familiar with the work experiences and skills listed. If you’re using a top resume template, it can help you present your qualifications clearly and professionally. Your resume is the only information an interviewer has to get to know you, so they will likely pick items from it to elaborate on, allowing you to showcase how you handled different situations.
• Research the Company you are Interviewing for – it looks good when you go for an interview with intelligent questions. Research the company, write down questions you wish to ask during the interview. Asking questions shows you put effort into preparing for the interview. Your questions should be relevant and genuine, do not ask questions just to ask questions.
• Know Where You are Going – do your due diligence and make sure you know where you are going for your interview. Permit enough time to get to your interview on time. Being a few minutes early is okay.
• Prepare Your Interview Questions – prepare yourself by researching questions that are asked during interviews. You want to have answers ready, and you should answer simple questions, such as "tell me about yourself" and "why you think you would be great for this job?" Don't memorize your answers, but have an idea of what you would say for each question.
Interview Questions for a Pharmacy Technician
You'll need to prepare for several questions before your interview for a pharmacy technician position. Some questions are generic, whereas others will be more specific to pharmaceuticals and your experience for the job you are applying to. Here are some samples of interview questions you might be asked during your pharmacy technician job interview:
• Why do you want this job? This question is designed to ascertain your interest in the field of pharmacy technician. It's crucial to relay you want this particular pharmacy job over another. Describe the specific aspects of the job that are most appealing to you.
• How do you handle difficult or aggressive customers? Part of pharmacy technicians' responsibilities are dealing with customers, and some might be aggressive or difficult. Having the ability to be empathetic, with good communication and interpersonal skills can help resolve customer conflicts. When answering this question, you should respond with a description of strategies you will use to manage aggressive customers, with examples.
• Why did you decide to be a pharmacy technician? This question lets you demonstrate your passion for pharmaceuticals. Look at your college notes to refresh yourself on which aspect of your education did you appreciate best.
• What do you believe is the most valuable quality of a pharmacy technician? When answering this question, make sure you mention the attention to detail, efficient administrative skills, and thorough checking techniques. You must be honest, communicative, accountable, and transparent in your answers.
• Do you work well in a fast-paced environment? Your reply to this question should be yes. The pharmacy industry is very fast-paced, from new drugs hitting the shelves, new guidelines being published to busy retail stores and offices. You need to demonstrate your ability to think of your feet and keep up-to-date with the latest policies.
Final Thoughts
These tips will help successfully prepare you for a pharmacy technician job interview. Interviewers can typically tell if a candidate is ready or not, so be a step ahead of your competition. It is impressive by showing you prepared and serious about your career as a pharmacy technician.
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