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Seeking personal fulfillment over money can help in assessing one’s worth as a pharmacy technician.
Knowing their value is key to helping pharmacy technicians move into more advanced roles in pharmacy, according to a presentation called “Journeying Up the Ladder” by Judy Neville, CPhT, CSPT, executive director at the American Association of Pharmacy Technicians ( AAPT), at the 2022 AAPT Annual Pharmacy Technician Convention.
“When you look at where you are in your career and where you want to be, don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Never do this. You have your goals and you compare yourself to yourself,” Neville said in the presentation. “Know your worth, you know, as an individual beyond being a technician…I tell my students that I do this because pharmacy is a small world, it’s a small community, and I know one of you will touch my life personally.”
She added that looking for personal fulfillment instead of money can help assess one’s worth as a pharmacy technician. She said to choose a pleasant job in a place with delightful colleagues who set good examples.
“You need to be around people who you think are role models for you,” she said in the presentation. “Look for a job in an environment where, if you didn’t have the money, you would still choose to work there.”
Communication in the field is essential, especially as pharmacy technicians prepare for more intensive roles. Neville listed some tips to help pharmacy technicians build relationships with colleagues at every level in the pharmacy. These tips include smiling more, actively listening, making eye contact, inviting colleagues to lunch, and maintaining education in the field.
She said technicians need to develop relationships with other technicians, but it’s also important to get to know other coworkers, including pharmacy owners, graphics and managers.
“Ask for help, and asking for help is something that will help you navigate relationships,” Neville said. “I used to tell my daughters when they were in elementary school and junior high, give someone a compliment today and it will help you build a relationship.”
In addition, pharmacy technicians should look for jobs that meet their personal needs, such as the benefits to people, including health benefits, working hours, co-workers, job title and job issue.
When it comes to opportunities, pharmacy technicians can branch out into a variety of paths, including as a pharmacy owner, pharmacy auditor, or prior authorization coordinator. She mentioned some practical tips that could help pharmacy technicians format a well-targeted application.
“What I mean by well-targeted applications is if you’re an individual looking for a position where you’ll feel more fulfilled, where you’ll feel more respected, where you’ll feel like your talents are being used,” Neville said.
She advised not to do “blanket applications,” but to research the job beforehand and tailor the resume to match what the job description is looking for. She further added that the job should be suitable for the individual and their talent and skills.
Adding a resume with accomplishments and a letter of recommendation from a colleague also helps pharmacy technicians stand out to recruiters, she said.
She also listed some older tips and how they’ve changed over time. For example, cover letters, she said, should not be so formal. She suggests tailoring a cover letter to fit the job opportunity and always attaching a cover letter, even if it’s optional.
She also said that talking about your weaknesses and how you approach them and overcome them strengthens your interview. She also debunked social media, saying many employers now use social media to advertise job opportunities. It used to be taboo to have social media to get a job, but now it’s much more acceptable as long as the person watches what they post.
She also touched on job hopping, which may be frowned upon by employers. However, she said if there was a clear direction or reason for job hopping, such as getting more education for different types of work, employers might actually be more accepting of it.
She said a career is like a journey and changes as much as the individual in the position.
“I really feel like a career is a journey. It’s something that’s not a 2-year thing, it’s not a 5-year thing — it can be a lifetime journey,” Neville said in the presentation. “We think we want to be in one place, get there and decide that maybe that’s not really where we want to be.” Maybe we want to be here instead.
She said that personal fulfillment is what makes a pharmacy technician’s job. It doesn’t matter how much money a pharma technician makes, it matters if they are happy with where they are in their life and career.
reference
Neville J. A trip up the ladder. Raleigh-Durham, NC: 2022 AAPT AAPT 2022 Annual Convention of Pharmacy Technicians; July 22, 2022
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