Fresh off of graduation the world is your oyster.
You’re taking on internships, volunteering or finally landing that first “big” job post graduation.
At one point in time you were one of those hopeful pharmacy graduates looking to find your place in the field. And, as you know, what recent pharmacy graduates lack in experience, they make up for in potential.
Pharmacy grads need a strong leader who will help guide them throughout the beginning of their career. As an independent community pharmacy manager or owner, you can help shape that process.
Here are five tips to help you successfully manage recent pharmacy grads who are working in your pharmacy.
1. Define goals
Although the young pharmacists you’ve employed may be self-motivated, there’s no harm in setting objectives for them. And, it’s important that they understand your pharmacy’s goals.
For instance, if you expect your employees to fill a certain number of prescriptions, or sell a certain quota of front-end products, it’s important to let them know.
Regardless of the years of work experience, when you let employees know how they can contribute to your pharmacy, this communication can only benefit your business—and their future career.
2. Provide feedback
Whether it’s positive or negative, feedback is critical to recent pharmacy graduates. Constructive criticism can affect how they do their job, and it’s up to you to give that.
If they’re entering patient information wrong, or if they’ve bumped up your front-end sales, it’s important to let new hires know how they’re doing. You can give feedback in the form of regular performance reviews, or just meet one-on-one every so often. Taking the employee out for lunch or a cup of coffee is also a great opportunity to provide feedback in a comfortable setting.
3. Communicate
Communication is mandatory.
You can develop greater communication by holding regular staff meetings, office hours or even fun team-building events.
Recent graduates can benefit from open communication, and so can you.
When a young pharmacist is comfortable enough to approach you, she’ll be more likely to go to you for questions she wouldn’t have been comfortable asking otherwise. And, communication ensures that your employees are knowledgeable about what’s happening in your pharmacy.
4. Give recognition
Recognizing a high performer is essential to any level of work experience, and it can especially benefit your recent pharmacy graduate employees.
A young pharmacist may not feel as confident in his abilities. So, when he goes the extra mile for a patient or helps take the reins in planning an event for your pharmacy, recognize his hard work with a thank you note or small token gift.
Recognition will do more than give him a confidence boost; he’ll also likely work even harder.
5. Become a mentor
Beginning as an entry-level pharmacist can be trying. But having an advisor or someone to count on for advice can be extremely beneficial during these early times in a pharmacist’s career.
Help guide your young pharmacists by sharing your own knowledge and personal expertise as a mentor. For example, if you’re well-versed in the ins and outs of polypharmacy, you can help coach a graduate on how to spot this behavior.
Although graduates may not feel as confident when they first start out, they’ll never forget the guidance you gave during their earliest years in the field.
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