Patients come to your independent community pharmacy for many reasons: a warm and welcoming atmosphere, expert health care knowledge and advice, and a place they can trust to deliver the best care possible.
But, finding a talented team to fill these requirements doesn’t come easy.
Recent pharmacy school graduates and seasoned pharmacy professionals have numerous options to choose for employment. Big box pharmacies, national retail chains and other independents are seeking top talent.
Here are five tips you can follow to recruit the best possible talent at your independent community pharmacy.
1. Define the role you’re looking for
To narrow your search of potential hires, define the role you’re looking to fill.
Are you looking for experienced pharmacy technicians? Do you want to hire more non-pharmacy employees to help bolster your pharmacy’s front-end sales? Or, do you need a marketing expert to handle your pharmacy’s communications?
Additionally, limit your search to include only the candidates who have demonstrated experience and skills in the specific duties required for the role.
2. Get involved
Regularly attending networking events, having a strong local presence in the community and making your name known to the public are all great ways to capture top talent.
Get involved by attending pharmacy conferences or pharmacy-relevant networking events. Going to these events gives you the chance to meet a range of pharmacy professionals, and some might be in search of a new job.
Speaking at your local pharmacy school and mentoring pharmacy interns is also a great way to develop relationships with potential hires. You never know where you could meet your next star employee.
3. Expand the search outside your area
Depending on where your independent community pharmacy is located, it can be tough to find a candidate with the qualities you’re looking for. Don’t be afraid to expand your search for top talent outside of your local range.
Today’s technology makes it easier than ever to interview long-distance candidates. Applications like Skype allow you to communicate via your laptop or smartphone for interviews with potential hires.
4. Make use of social media
Use social media to your advantage when searching for a potential hire.
Consider joining LinkedIn, a business and employment-oriented social networking service, to showcase your latest job opening. The website is a great way to connect with like-minded professionals, grow your network and potentially find a new member of your pharmacy team.
Or, consider posting on your pharmacy’s Twitter to attract potential jobseekers. Be sure to use relevant hashtags, such as #WorkWithUs or #PharmacyCareers to attract potential hires who are job hunting online.
5. Nurture your current staff
Before you open up your job search, consider your current staff of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and non-pharmacy employees.
Does the hardworking intern have a knack for social media? Maybe she can fill the void for your marketing position. Or, has a long-term pharmacy technician proved she’s capable of a managerial role?
You might not even have to look outside your current pharmacy team to find the top talent you’re looking for.
Check out these 10 reasons new hires want to work for your independent pharmacy.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and owned by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited secondary wholesaler with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
