I have written pretty extensively on the current pharmacy job market and the topic of pharmacy career development. I have also talked with many pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who are in the thick of the job hunt and struggling to find their next opportunity.
For many, the job search often begins with some random internet searching that wastes a lot of time and gets almost no results. There is a better way. Finding a good job in a timely manner takes work. Hard work. It demands doing things in a very deliberate and strategic way. Sadly, by the time some pharmacists finally land their next job and discover what really works, it has taken so long that they have spiraled downward into significant debt.
This blog post is just about 1 piece in the job search puzzle. It isn’t the first piece or the last piece, but it is an important piece. What I am referring to is the use of an online search engine to find local pharmacy job openings and postings.
There are literally thousands of job search engines online. I’m going to share with you what I find to be a few of the most effective pharmacy job search engines on the web. I recommend starting with these based on my own assessment of the quality, quantity and variety of job opportunities they return with most searches.
But before I share them with you…
How To Use a Pharmacy Job Search Engine
Pharmacy job search engines are by no means a turnkey solution to finding a great job. But they do provide the job seeker with several valuable pieces of information. Here is how I recommend using these tools:
1) Use an online search engine to get a sense for the career opportunities that exist around you. In other words, use the search engine to begin to collect a list of EMPLOYERS, not necessarily just a list of jobs. You may be quite surprised by discovering employers you never new existed. Part of what you must do as a job-seeker is develop a list of potential employers within your market area. A search engine will help.
2) Use an online search engine to set up job alerts to be emailed to you daily. You don’t need to visit these sites daily. You can set up an “alert” to email you about new listings that match your criteria. For example, you can have the search engine send you a daily email for all jobs posted with the word “pharmacist” within a specific zip code our multiple zip codes.
3) Use the results of your searches to begin to reach out to your contacts, friends and former co-workers. Don’t waste your time filling out online applications. You need to get help getting your foot in the door through someone you know. For more tips on expanding your network, read my article on LinkedIn Tips for Pharmacists.
4) Finally, get the mobile apps. Most of the sites I will mention have an app for your phone. If you are like me, you use your smart phone even more than your computer. The free apps will give you the greatest flexibility and provide the most efficient way to get the notifications you need.
7 Job Search Engines to Use
Though most are not “specific” to pharmacy, these are (in my humble opinion and experience) the best place for a pharmacist or pharmacy technician to go online to begin their research:
Indeed.com: Begun in November of 2004, Indeed aggregates job listings from across the web. A great resource that also allows you to enter your email address after your search to have results sent to you regularly.
Glassdoor.com: Founded in 2007, in addition to allowing you to search for jobs, Glassdoor’s unique angle is that they compile reviews of employers submitted by employees.
Monster.com: Founded in 1999, one of the largest online job search engine on the web. You will want to create an account (free) and set up alerts for jobs that match your criteria.
CareerBuilder.com: The big boy. Founded in 1995 this is the single largest job research site online. Their headquarters are in Chicago, but they are a global company with over 3,000 employees worldwide.
SimplyHired.com: Founded in 2003, this website is another “must have” in your favorites folder and I recommend setting up email alerts as well.
PharmacyWeek: Unlike the above sites, PharmacyWeek is a “pharmacy specific” resource for job listings. There are many websites that cater specifically to pharmacists and have search tools for jobs. Most, however, simply pull data from one of the above sources. PharmacyWeek is different. Employers reach out to PharmacyWeek and specifically place ads with them due to their large database of subscribers.
USAJobs.gov: Note: it is “.gov” not “.com.” For government funded pharmacy jobs, this is the place to start. Sadly, it is not a very pretty website and it looks like it was designed by a grade school child. But it is your only window into government opportunities in pharmacy.
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Though not in my top 7, I would be remiss to not mention a couple more notable search engines which the serious pharmacy job-seeker should know about:
Check them out and consider adding them to your list of sites from which you receive regular alerts!
Conclusion
I hope this listing of search engines and websites is useful. It is by no means comprehensive. And, as I mentioned above, these are not a turnkey job solution. They are a tool, and like any other tool, will take some work to use correctly. The best way to use the results of these searches is to go back to your contacts and see who you might know at these companies. Then ask for their help in getting your name in front of the right people.
Stay organized as you begin your search. I recommend getting a notebook and recording all your passwords and account information. Your job search is work…hard work. But with some help and dedication, you will be on your way to finding a job in no time.
Best wishes in your search!
©Jason Poquette and The Honest Apothecary. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jason Poquette and The Honest Apothecary with appropriate and specific links to the original content..
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Last modified: April 17, 2023
