Do you know what one thing really boggles me?
Everyone wants their perfect role, their next exciting career move, but many Pharmacists never achieve what they desire because they don’t invest the “time” to understand their unique attributes, and if they do, when the opportunity arises are incapable of articulating these.
So why do they fail, when success is within reach?
I know what you are thinking… it takes time, and time is expensive and requires a lot of work.
That’s not the case though. Here are 4 actions that will instantly boost your appeal to any employer.
1. Know yourself and be prepared to own it
Do you find that you’re not yourself in a work environment? It’s not uncommon, but it’s a waste of your talent and career aspirations if you hold back your true personality and skills, just to fit in with the work environment you find yourself in. Dynamic leaders in business know that they need a diverse group of individuals, where talent is critical to maximising their businesses potential and where no two employees are the same.
It’s your right to be yourself, to achieve your potential and find a workplace that values your skills. If you don’t own your journey, don’t expect anyone else to.
2. Develop your personal brand and be prepared to never stop marketing yourself
Whenever you read a marketing blog, particularly in anything to do with sales, it’s all about your personal brand. It’s easy for a Pharmacist to think that “their” brand is that of their Pharmacy Banner, or of the owner of an independent pharmacy, but that’s far from the truth.
As a professional, every Pharmacist should as a minimum have a LinkedIn profile. If it’s not your peers, prospective employers, or industry leaders looking, it’s your customers, wanting to know “what do you stand for?” We all know how valued Pharmacists are in our community, so it’s only natural when people research travel, restaurants and shopping, that they are going to want to know a little about their local Pharmacist.
So rather than just do the bare minimum, set yourself as a thought leader. It could be in areas of particular interest to you such as diabetes, asthma or sleep apnoea, or it could be in community engagement, but in the world we live in, it may just be the difference between standing out in a crowded marketplace and securing your ideal role.
3. Attitude always beats experience
This may be contentious, but it’s a no brainer and over and over, a positive “can do” attitude will prevail over experience. Being an employer, it’s always tempting in the short-term to find a candidate with experience, it seems on face value that it is just easier. When you are thinking about applying for a role, or better yet about to prepare for an interview, put yourself in the shoes of the employer.
You might not be able to tick off every box that is required in the job description, but what other skills and attributes do you have? Commitment, work ethic, passion, trustworthiness and a strong desire to succeed are just as attractive to an employer as experience, so rather than doubt yourself, be prepared to explain how you will gain any experience you are missing and how employing you will benefit your employer in far more ways than they had anticipated.
4. Have a preparedness for change, be adaptable
Never in the history of work has the need for an individual to be able to embrace change in the workplace been greater than it is now. Put another way, joining any business or organisation and not being prepared to adapt as changes occur, is a good way to become irrelevant very quickly. Any modern workplace needs to be constantly adapting to change, whether that be technologies, products, services or work practices.
The innovative and forward-thinking employers will look for the involvement and buy-in of their team. Most businesses don’t always get things right, but as long as they have the right intentions then to resist your employer is fraught with danger. Having a mindset that no matter how well a business or process is, that there is always potentially a better way, will ensure you are seen as a positive agent for change and improvement - an attribute that your employer and team will find appealing and will which will assist with your career development.
By Alan Sutton, Director at Raven’s Recruitment.
At Raven's Recruitment, we’ve been specialising in Pharmacist recruitment for a long time, so we have expert knowledge in the space. If you’re looking for an exciting opportunity to work as a locum pharmacist or want a permanent job, then look no further - get in touch with our Recruitment Consultants now.
