Disclaimer: The content presented in this series of blog posts showcasing job reviews and personal experiences represents the individual opinions and perspectives of the contributors. These viewpoints are based on their own unique experiences in their respective professions or workplaces. The information provided within these posts is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources and viewpoints when evaluating career choices or making decisions related to employment.
Welcome to the Job Review series of the blog where we will explore a wide range of jobs and careers in Canada directly from people working there. I reached out to my friends and connections to talk about their jobs and answer some questions to help you guys get an insight from first-hand experience.
This one is from a friend working as a Pharmacy Assistant at Walmart. Let’s see what she has to share.
Job title: Pharmacy assistant
Department: Pharmacy
Company: Walmart Canada.
Where did you hear about the job?
I heard about job on company’s website.
How did you get this job?
I talked to the Pharmacy manager about my interest in taking this job and also expressed my will to become a pharmacist in the future. She took my interview then.
What skills or qualifications if any are essential for success in this role?
Time management, Multitasking, Discipline, Communication skills, good listening skills, analytical mind.
What does your typical day look like?
I usually have an 8-hour shift with an unpaid 30 mins break in between. It’s usually busy in the pharmacy and we are often short staffed.
What are some of your job responsibilities?
Sending and receiving fax from doctors, inputting prescriptions, filling medications and blister packs, helping patients to pickup their prescriptions and stocking inner pharmacy shelfs.
What’s your most and least favorite thing about the job and/or company?
Most fav: feeling gratitude when you are able to help the patients. The job is educational if one sees their future in Pharmacy.
Least fav: job doesn’t pay well given the workload. Sometimes, it can get stressful.
What’s the management like?
In our department, we have Pharmacy assistants who work under Pharmacists. The pharmacists are supervised by Pharmacist manager. My manager is a really good Pharmacist but not everyone can manage to work with her. Our manager does have some mood swings which affect us as well sometimes. But except for this factor, I have never faced any problem when it comes to asking for a day off or extra hours as she always agrees if we inform beforehand.
What are some tips you would like to share for candidates applying to similar positions?
You should definitely go for this job if you wanna be a pharmacist in the future because it’s really educational. You can decide which environment would be more adequate for you like hospital pharmacy or community pharmacy. It’s always good to have on hand’s experience and understanding of the role you wish to take on in the future. Sometimes you might also reconsider your future occupation. That is, you should try it, in order to find it.
Looks like Walmart can be a great start to your pharmacist career. If you have more questions feel free to comment and I will get the information to you.
Thanks for reading and stay inspired!
