How to Fit in When Working on a Contract Assignment

Working as a per diem, temporary or contract pharmacist of pharmacy technician can be exciting. You get to meet new people frequently, learn new skills and ways of doing things (depending on the pharmacy and/or hospital), and your schedule provides you more flexibility.

Still, it’s not easy always being “the new guy.” Read below for some tips on how to get acclimated to new jobs and co-workers when on assignment.

• Your first day will be busy. You’ll be meeting new colleagues and supervisors, you’ll probably get a tour of your department/pharmacy, your on-site supervisor will talk to you about work flow and expectations, you may be asked to read some company/department literature so that you can acclimate yourself to the facility’s culture.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s better to ask a question than do something incorrectly. Most people understand that you’re new and will have questions, so they’ll more than likely be happy to help you, so don’t be shy.
• If your on-site supervisor doesn’t provide you with a list and contact information of people you can go to when you have questions, make sure you craft a little crib note yourself with this vital information.
• Make sure you arrive on time each and every day, especially during the first week. First impressions will make or break your assignment and if you arrive late, if you’re not prepared to start the day on time, it will be hard to overcome this perception of you.
• Dress more conservatively than you may think appropriate. You can always lighten up a bit after a few days and you see if your co-workers are more dressed down than up. But prepare your outfits the day before; check to see that they are clean and pressed and that buttons aren’t missing, etc. You don’t want to have rush around at home trying to find something appropriate to wear at the last minute.

As a final tip, work hard! Even though you may see your contract position as temporary, you never know what will happen in the future. In many cases, top performing contract staff are offered full-time positions. Even if a full-time opportunity doesn’t present it itself, you can use your connections and experience at the contact position to help land your next great opportunity.