Pharmacy Technician Jobs - Find the Right One for You!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pharmacy Technician Jobs...

It's not easy trying to find good pharmacy technician jobs, especially online, but we're here to provide advice on exactly what you need to do to get the pharmacy job you want!
 
Read through our comprehensive guide to finding the best pharmacy technician jobs available below and discover what is required!
 
 
 
 
     
 
Pharmacy Tech Jobs Finding Pharmacy Technician Jobs Online
Even in a challenging economy, there are some fields that are more resilient and stable than others, because people rely on them out of necessity rather than out of mere desire. One of these industries will always be healthcare. While most people imagine doctors, nurses and surgeons when they first picture jobs in healthcare, there are many lower level positions that still give  a
high level of stability without requiring the commitment of time and money that the more prominent positions entail. A person seeking a career of this type would do well to consider pharmacy technician jobs.
 
Pharmacy technician jobs, in general, require an individual to assist a certified pharmacist in the management, organization, and general administrative duties of the pharmacy. More specifically, this might include responsibilities such as counting out or measuring medication, labeling bottles, stocking shelves, managing the telephone lines, maintaining inventory control systems and offering administrative support in the management of payments from patients and insurance companies. In order for the licensed pharmacist on staff to have time to consult with each and every patient regarding the dosage, side-effects, warnings and any other instructions pertaining to their prescription medication, pharmacy technicians are necessary. Pharmacy technician jobs are generally readily available and as such are a good choice in terms of career stability.
 
If the description of pharmacy technician jobs sounds appealing to a potential candidate, he or she should begin their career journey by obtaining pharmacy technician certification. While not all states mandate that pharmacy technicians possess this useful certification, having it will easily put the aspiring technician ahead of his or her competition when vying for employment and is therefore extremely useful. This is also an excellent way to ensure that the person is truly knowledgeable about all the various facets of pharmacy technician jobs, including such subjects as pharmacy law, patient service and maintaining medication systems. Many community colleges and vocational schools offer pharmacy technician certification classes, which will prepare the candidate to take and pass the certification test administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).
 
For those individuals who are unable to attend classes in a traditional classroom setting due to family and work obligations, there are also many pharmacy technician training programs available online. These programs are perfect for the adult learner and are designed to accommodate the time restrictions of working individuals who must maintain full-time employment while simultaneously completing their classes in preparation for the certification examination. One of the distinct advantages of training for a career as a pharmacy technician is that many programs can be completed in as little as one year and sometimes even less. It behooves the potential pharmacy technician to consider the time that will be required when choosing the program that he or she will eventually enroll in.
 
 
 
 
Pharmacy Jobs Pharmacy Tech Jobs On the Internet- Your Career Options
Once an individual has completed their pharmacy technician certification course and passed the certification test administered by the PTCB, they can begin to search for pharmacy technician jobs. The vast majority of pharmacy technicians are employed by chain pharmacies, either free-standing or located inside of other large grocery stores  or  big  box  retailers.  Other
pharmacy technician jobs can be found in hospital pharmacies, where the pharmacy technician may have additional responsibilities, such as comparing a patient's chart to the medication being requested to ensure that the proper dosage and formulation is prepared and presented to the nurse caring for that particular patient. A small percentage of pharmacy technicians also work for mail-order pharmacies, helping to fulfill and ship orders made online or over the phone.
 
In today's technology driven world, almost all pharmacy technician jobs can be located by searching on the internet.  All large chains and big-box retailers will post their available jobs online. A candidate should start their job hunt by perusing the available jobs posted on the respective websites of their potential employers. Large hospital systems, which almost always have pharmacy technician jobs available as well, will also list their open positions online, making it very convenient for the qualified individual to locate and apply for employment. In addition to direct corporate sites, an individual seeking employment should also make use of high-volume career sites, which not only allow one to search for jobs, but give the user the opportunity to post their resume along with their certifications and qualifications so that potential employers may find them.
 
A person looking for pharmacy technician jobs should also consider making use of any career development resources provided by their school or establishment that helped them prepare for their PTCB certification examination. Frequently, the resources available to the current or former student can be the key to obtaining employment as a pharmacy technician. Another online resource that a job seeker would be wise to take advantage of is professional organizations. These allow a person to network, benefit from complementary industry publications, further their career through continuing education opportunities, and receive member-only discounts and invitations to special events and programs which could provide an even great boost to the job seeker's career. NPTA, the National Pharmacy Technician Association, is the largest society for pharmacy technicians and should definitely be made use of, especially while a person is seeking pharmacy technician jobs.
 
Any career in the healthcare industry is a stable one and being a pharmacy technician is no exception. In a very short time, a person can use the internet to entirely map out their future career. From selecting a school to receiving certification to locating a job, becoming a pharmacy technician can be accomplished entirely online and can ensure a person a long, established, lucrative career. With the right research and preparation, anyone can enjoy a new life with a new job in under 12 months.
 
 
     
 
 

 
     
 
Planning Your Career As a Pharmacy Technician
 
If you are someone who has always loved to work in the medical field but prefer a less intrusive interaction with patients, then you might find a pharmacy technician career to be particularly rewarding. The path to becoming a technician is not that difficult to understand and traverse. However, as with any career, performing a thorough research on what exactly is required and what the merits and demerits of each path are must not be taken for granted as it helps one avoid future surprises.
 
One of the things that is particularly important to understand is the benefits and shortcomings of obtaining certification. Since most US states do not require certification (Virginia and Massachusetts being notable exceptions), deciding whether to obtain the pharmacy technician certification or not can be a difficult choice for most aspiring pharmacy technicians to make. The main factors that weigh into this decision are whether the certification will help a job candidate land a job easier, and whether a certified pharmacy tech will have a higher salary (and how soon).
 
The process must first begin with deciding on which certification board to use. The two most widely accepted certifications are given out by the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy technicians (ICPT) and the Pharmacy technician Certification Board (PTCB). Regardless of which certification program you decide on, you will need at least a G.E.D. or equivalent foreign diploma and a clean criminal record. The tests for certification are in multiple-choice format, with 90 to 110 questions depending on which certification you take. Both tests will focus heavily on administrative duties, techniques, laws, and classifications of drugs. Classes are available to help in preparation, which can be an asset for those that identify themselves as normally poor test-takers. However, do your research ahead of signing up for any classes, as some unethical persons may attempt to charge more than the classes are meant to cost.
 
As of recently, the cost of the exam given by the PTCB is $129, and requires re-certification every two years. Re-certification is given contingent on taking twenty hours of continuing education. The cost of the exam given by the ICPT, known as the ExCPT, costs $105, and also requires at least twenty continuing education hours every two years in order for one to be re-certified. For both organizations, re-certification will require a $40 fee every two years as well.
 
As stated earlier, certification is not required in most states, although the number that do require it is growing. If you are applying as a pharmacy tech in one of the states that does not require certification, you may be hired as a pharmacist's aide or clerk in order to learn the role of a pharmacy technician on the job before you are eventually elevated and confirmed for the technician role. Effectively, this means you will be able to avoid the cost of certification and get into the rigors of executing the role much faster than if you had to go through the certification process. That said, you must be aware of the opportunity cost that being a non-certified technician comes with.
 
 
 
 
 
 
One method of determining long-term value of certification is checking the average starting pharmacy technician salary for a non-certified versus a certified pharmacy tech. Nowadays, you may be able to do that online with a decent level of accuracy. If you choose to use any of the realistic online salary generators, you will notice that the average starting salary for a technician without certification is about $11.53/hour while the starting salary for a pharmacy technician with certification was $11.81/hour. This means that pharmacy technician certification does on average lead to a higher starting salary even though the difference is not that big.
 
However, what is interesting is that after five years on the job, the gap between the average hourly wages of both the certified and the non-certified technician continues to narrow. This is not entirely surprising since as with any career, future salary increment is often pegged on the hands-on ability to execute the job competently. Of course since this is an average statistic, individual results will vary; ultimately each person's skills, experiences, qualifications, and geographical location will affect their expected wages.
 
Financial incentives aside, the certification process may be of some benefit to job seekers who seek to gain educational expertise in the pharmacy field. Nevertheless, attending a certification class is not the only way one can grow their knowledge. There are plenty of short courses and self-study programs that are available via local adult education centers, community colleges and medical centers.
 
Overall, the long term prospects for the pharmacy technician career are positive. According to the U.S. government's Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for pharmacy aides and technicians is projected to rise 25% over the next 8 years. The factors contributing to this rise in employment are an aging population, which means more medical attention will be needed for their increasing health concerns. Another cause for this hiring surge is the rapid spread of mini-clinics throughout the US.
 
Pharmacies may appear to be the most natural place where a pharmacy technician may work. However, not all technicians are employed by pharmacies. There are technicians working in hospitals, assisted-care centers, pharmacy warehouses, and even for the US government. The actual duties of the pharmacy technician will vary depending on who their employer is and what industry segment they are in; but there are certain core duties that will remain more or less the same.
 
These duties are both administrative and technical. The main responsibilities of a pharmacy tech are preparing and dispensing medication for patients, and assisting the pharmacist or doctor in his or her regular duties. Examples of administrative tasks may be inventory maintenance, record-keeping, or answering telephones. Employer-specific assignments may be packaging, labeling, or general management, amongst others.