You may have recently qualified as a pre-registration pharmacist or you are looking to change path and secure a permanent full-time pharmacy job instead of locum work. To support you in your interview preparation we've put together advice and guidance on how to get ready for meeting prospective employers.
Do your research
Often anxiety stems from fear of the unknown. If you do your research effectively on your potential new company, you should ace any questions the hiring panel asks you. Check out the company blog, social channels, and LinkedIn profiles of the leadership team - maybe you’ll find a good conversation starter too!
Be organised
Have your outfit prepared the night before - this may sound like a basic housekeeping step, but there is nothing more stressful than running around the morning of an interview trying to find an article of clothing that was “meant” to be there.
Know the location of your interview
If your interview is being held in a venue you’re unsure of, make sure to leave yourself plenty of time to get there and still be comfortable. If you’re taking public transport, get an early bus or train to avoid any potential delays.
Start the day strong
Don’t skip breakfast the morning of your interview, try and have something sustainable. If you’re too nervous, try having some fruit before the interview so you don’t get flustered. Stick to your regular schedule, if you go to the gym or for a run every morning, don’t skip it - releasing some tension will benefit you for the interview.
Finish strong
The question that carries the most anxiety for some people is the final one, “Have you anything you’d like to ask us?” The hiring panel isn’t expecting you to ask some highly enlightened questions, ask about the role, what you’ll be doing day to day or what challenges the company is currently facing. This shows the interviewer that you’re interested in the role.
Ask for feedback
Whether you have been accepted for the position or not, we would recommend asking for feedback from the interview. This will provide you with guidance on what to work on in future interviews.
Competency-based questions
For pharmacy interviews, the hiring panel will ask competency and clinical-based questions. We've provided guidance on each of these and the most suitable responses.
You may be asked questions ranging from teamwork, and responsibility to your trustworthiness, ethics, and, problem-solving. This is when it’s a good time to know the job specification and the company’s core values so you can answer the questions appropriately.
For competency-based questions, you need to describe clearly what you contributed to the example and how this had an overall positive effect on the situation.
Examples: “Tell me about a time you have dealt with conflict.”, “Tell me about a time you implemented a change”, “How would you deal with a customer complaint?”
Clinical scenarios
These are the questions to show off your clinical skills. Take your time and imagine the scenario that happened to you in your pre-reg year or on a locum shift. Go through exactly what you would do from start to finish. And don’t forget, it’s okay to ask for the question to be repeated just to ensure that you haven’t missed anything.
Examples include: “You have noticed a significant medication interaction on a prescription- what do you do?”, A patient keeps returning to the pharmacy to buy over-the-counter painkillers – what do you do? “How would you educate a patient newly starting on Warfarin?
Get in contact
If you're looking for a new full time permanent pharmacy role we have multiple opportunities available nationwide, view them here. Speak to our pharmacy recruitment specialists Melissa and Ciaran and they will be able to advise you, contact them here.