Tips to Turn a Temporary Pharmaceutical Position Into a Permanent One

Many retail and hospital pharmacies come to Rx relief® to find temporary pharmacists and pharmacy technicians for different reasons.

Those reasons can include coverage for maternity leaves, long vacations, a sudden increase in patient population and seasonal increases in the number of prescriptions received. Additionally, many pharmacy managers bring in temporary professionals because they believe they’ll need to increase the number of permanent staff, but don’t want to make that final commitment yet.

In fact, many pharmacy professionals who work a temporary assignment often are hired on to the pharmacy’s or hospital’s payroll.

Read below for some tips on how to turn your own pharmacy assignment into a permanent one.

• Begin your assignment with the goal of becoming a regular employee. This means having the mindset that you’re already a regular employee. So what do regular employees do? They take the time to learn about a company’s culture, its brand and its specific ways of doing things. To do this, find out who is president of the hospital/pharmacy, as well as whom his or her deputies are. The more quickly you learn about a company, the more you can decide if it’s a place you’d like to be employed by. In other words, look at the assignment as an extended job interview, one in which you can prove yourself on the job.
   
• Make an effort to get to know your colleagues and direct supervisor more closely (in a professional context).
   
• If you want your colleagues to treat you as part of their team, act like one (but don’t act like a know-it-all). If you see that someone could use some help, offer it.
   
• Come to work on time, offer to work overtime if needed. Get back to work from lunch on time.
   
• Show initiative and flexibility. Show commitment and a strong work ethic. Exceed expectations.
   
• Talk to your recruiter at Rx relief® (not your assignment supervisor). He or she more than likely has a great relationship with the pharmacy’s principals or hospital’s managers, and if you’ve decided that you’d like to see if the temporary assignment can become more permanent, talk to your recruiter first. He or she can talk to your assignment manager about your desire and see if something can be worked out. Let Rx relief® work as a strong advocate for you.
   
• If your assignment manager approaches you first about becoming a regular pharmacy employee, let her know of your interest, but remind her that she needs to speak with your recruiter to work out the transition details.
   

Whether you’re a pharmacist or pharmacy technician, if you’re looking for new career opportunities, send your resume/CV to the recruiters at Rx relief®. We look forward to hearing from you.