HOW'S THE JOB-HUNT?

Nothing beats all the fun of searching for a new job. You know apart from literally anything and everything else being more fun. I've been thrown into the California job market and honestly it hasn't really been ideal for the most part under circumstances out of my control. A job in pharmacy shouldn't be the hardest to come by even if it's part time to get my feet wet, however external forces have apparently been working against me and all the new grads residing in California.

Needless to say we as a collective are all a bit frustrated as this delay makes the duration of our studying much longer and the impending deadline of our "grace period" more terrifying. There's a good chunk left with no job prospects, no family support or families TO support, jobs have been letting people go unfortunately, and we're all just grasping at straws because what should have been a summer of studying for exams is turning into a summer-slash-fall-slash-dare I even say winter. 

As I wait for things to finally clear with the board I am also looking into what's next for me moving as a licensed pharmacist (soon to be). Those of you who do know my career goals know experiential stepping stones will do wonders. I'm moving from being in Nevada for 3 years so hello job listings, got any stones?

Newly minted, on the job hunt like me? Here are my tips while you're looking.

Update your resume This is obviously one of the most important things to start on. This is what you're giving a potential employer in the beginning for your foot in the door and what you're leaving them with after any interview. Lay out all your job experience and relevant volunteer work with short descriptions under each of what you’ve done. Make sure to include references, your education history, certifications, boards/credentials, etc... AND HAVE IT UPDATED ← can't stress that enough, it's easy to forget.

Pro Tip: When writing your prior job descriptions avoid being broad and use strong verbs for actions. Instead of “Managed a busy schedule between patients and prescriptions”, say, “Succeeded in providing in depth consultations and reviewing new prescriptions in a timely fashion”.

Create a LinkedIn profile You'll be surprised how necessary and actually useful this is, I learned around my P2 year. Yes it's basically your work resume on a social media platform and this is huge because we all know how social media is taking over these days. Employers are really using LinkedIn to find candidates and learn more about them. I suggest you hop on the train create a profile, add all of your past job experience, skills, certifications, just copy what's down on paper. Then make connections with past coworkers or classmates to build your network!

Check out sites like Glassdoor, Indeed, ZipRecruiter and more... I have all these pages bookmarked actually. They post new positions under my specific search and update me weekly, along with job descriptions and links to direct site access. It’s honestly super helpful to get aquainted with these pages. And you don't necessarily have to create an account. The links straight to the job listing on the companies site make it more than convenient for me. I rather go straight to the horses mouth.

Ask Around! Have you ever heard the saying it's all about who you know? In the pharmacy program I finished at the slogan may as well have been "pharmacy is a small world". And it truly is. Ask your old classmates, the clinical sites you used to rotate at, or even your professors if they know of any work or if they know of someone who may know of any work. Chances are you'll find something and if they don’t at that time, ask them to keep you in mind. I’ve had old classmates reach out to our cohort via Facebook saying, “I don’t know if anyone is looking for work, but ________ is hiring right now!” We all got to look out for each other. Keep your connections and you might even get good words put in for you along the way.

Follow Up Once you’ve submitted an application, give it a few days, then try finding a number to call or send in an email just to check on the status of your application. Ask to speak to the leading name on the application if possible, and always leave a message as to why you were calling if no one is available. This shows your interest, keeps you name in the air and sets you apart from other people applying.

Treat applying for a job, like a job Most importantly, devote enough time weekly --if not EVERY DAY, to your job search. Check all the websites, the apps, the google searches, and follow up on submitted applications as often as you can. Don’t just submit them and wait to be contacted! Stay on top of it.

God luck to all of you out there! Let's get this shmoney!