Chemist Assistant Interview Preparation Guide

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This question is designed to assess whether you’re familiar with new developments in the field, and to help the interviewer gauge your excitement for the field.

This isn’t the time to be modest. As a chemist, you’ll conduct research and you may participate with product development. If you’re an experienced candidate, mention personal contributions you’ve made to projects working at other companies, and if you’re new to the field, highlight any research completed as an undergraduate or graduate student.

Retail environments are competitive, and business can go down with one honest mistake. Discuss with the interviewer how you ensure that your customers receive the best service from you.

This is a common question for workers dealing directly with the public. If you have previous customer service experience, think about the ways in which you dealt with these situations. What worked and what did not?

Think also about the fact that many of the clients may be seniors dealing with age-related problems and pain issues. Stress that you are empathetic and patient, but also recognize the need to help others waiting in line.

It is always interesting to reflect on how we come across to others,” explains Brown. “Because we work in big teams in community pharmacy, both in the pharmacy and the broader primary care settings, we have to have a level of self awareness.” She would encourage candidates to reflect on why their friends might say particular things about them: “If they give good examples to back this up it means that they are considerate of others.

Keeping the patient's information undisclosed is very essential, given that as a pharmacy technician I have complete access to a customer’s private details. It is imperative for me to keep all information confidential because it is morally wrong toreveal information which thepatient has trusted me with

A pharmacist deals with all kinds of problems. Angry customers, a prescription they can not read, lack of medication, conflicts with colleagues. Show us that you see your job realistically, that you count with the difficulties, that you are ready to face them with smile and dignity.

Once you list the problems, interviewers may give you additional questions. They may ask you about one of the problems, for example they may inquire how you would spot a drug seeking behavior. And if they do not ask about it, you can go ahead and talk about the way you plan to address particular problems…

The employer probably received many applications for this position, and he needs to know why you’re more qualified for the job. It’s a difficult question to answer, especially since you know nothing about the competition. However, this is a good opportunity to sell yourself. Be specific and highlight personal qualities that make you an excellent match for a chemistry position. For example, you might be a problem-solver, safety conscience, detail-oriented and possess excellent math skills. Also, highlight any awards or recognition you’ve received in chemistry research.

Here is another opportunity to impress the interviewer and demonstrate a genuine interest in working with the company. If you know absolutely nothing about the company, the employer will likely hire an applicant who did his homework. To get to know the employer better, read the company’s About Us page on the website, or search online for press releases and news articles that provide insight on what the company does or the type of research it conducts.

This is a very common one for many different types of jobs. Stress your dedication to customer service and helping people. Mention how you recognize the way in which care and the proper medication can make beneficial changes in a person’s life. Research the company you are applying to, and talk about why you think they are a great organization, and how your abilities would benefit them. Talk about your attention to detail and how important it is for a pharmacy assistant.

Pharmacy is a job that pays well. This question tests why applicants would want to be a pharmacist, beyond a high salary. What to look for:

☛ Interest in helping others
☛ Understanding of the role
☛ Why they are passionate about the pharmacy profession

I've always had an interest in the medical profession from the treatment of various diseases to drugs and surgery. I narrowed my interests down to pharmacy, and it's been my passion ever since. There was never another career choice for me. What's more, I believe I have both the knowledge and personality to become a good pharmacist, bring value to the store and offer excellent service to customers.

Patients don't always follow the instructions listed on their prescriptions. This question will let you see how applicants handle a situation where the patient isn't following directions and because of that, not seeing results. What to look:

☛ Interpersonal skills
☛ Patient communication

I would first ask why they thought the medicine didn't work. I would check the type of medication they were prescribed since certain meds require the entire amount is taken for them to work, and if that were the case with their prescriptions, I would let them know they needed to take all the medication to see results. If that wasn't the case, and the store policy allowed for a refund, I would let them know I was sorry the medicine didn't work for them and immediately issue a refund.

☛ What does prn/NR/(other sig codes) mean?
☛ Do you have experience with online prescription systems? What other pharmacy software have you used?
☛ How do you keep abreast of new medications and pharmacy practices?
☛ How do you go about verifying whether a prescription is valid?
☛ What are a pharmacy technician’s duties before the pharmacy opens?
☛ What challenges do you face as pharmacy technician?
☛ What does excellent customer service mean for a pharmacy technician?

☛ Imagine a customer wants you to refill a prescription before the appropriate period has passed. After you refuse, they start getting demanding and aggressive. How do you handle it?
☛ What do you do if you suspect a customer is a drug seeker?
☛ Walk me through the process of filling a prescription
☛ How do you deal with a rejected insurance claim?

☛ Have you ever disagreed with a pharmacist’s instructions? What did you do?
☛ How do you stay motivated when performing routine tasks?
☛ How do you deal with stress on a busy day?
☛ Did you ever have to face a customer who didn’t speak the language well? How did you handle it?
☛ Recall a time when a coworker asked for your help but you couldn’t help them. What happened?

Your answer to this question helps us to understand your attitude to work and to pharmacy. I suggest you to speak about practical subjects. Emphasize that you enjoyed your practice, and that the experience has helped you to confirm your career choice.

On the other hand, each of us struggled with a subject or two. Be honest, tell us that you struggled, but ensure the interviewers that you did your very best to eventually pass the exams, becasue you understood the importance of each single subject at pharmacy school.

Most retail positions require a wide range of hours that may include evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime, and split shifts. Assure the interviewer that you can commit to a wide range of hours. If there is anything in your schedule that may hinder your availability, be sure to address this.

Loss prevention initiatives are incredibly important in the retail sector. Discuss with the interviewer how you would handle a situation surrounding employee theft.

Be sure to avoid sounding self-righteous in your answer. Be diplomatic and refer to company protocol in these situations.

Pharmacy is a job that requires a lot of responsibility, so pharmacists should truly enjoy what they do. This question asked applicants what they did and didn't like about their studies to see if they enjoyed the overall experience of studying pharmacy. What to look for:

☛ Self-awareness
☛ Commitment to the pharmacy profession
☛ Communication skills

I enjoyed the APPE we had to complete. The chance to work in a real job, with supervision, reinforced my belief that this is the career for me. It was excellent preparation for the job and probably the best time I had in school. As far as weaknesses go, Calculus is the one class that caused me the most trouble. I had to study extremely hard to pass my exams, but I did, and while I didn't enjoy it, the sense of accomplishment I felt when I passed made it all worth it.

Pharmacists have to deal with all types of people. This question will let you know if they are capable of handling the different personalities they will encounter on the job. What to look for:

☛ Applicants ability to interact with difficult patients
☛ Ability to diffuse potentially volatile situations
☛ Problem solving

Instead of waiting for the patient to come into the pharmacy, I would call them and let them know their medication is out of stock, we are ordering some more immediately and that I was sorry for any inconvenience this would bring. The goal with the phone call is to get ahead of the situation and prevent an in-store confrontation.