Originally published on AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org
Pharmacy technician schools can provide techs with the basic knowledge and technical savvy they need to perform their jobs effectively, but employers consider more than just a candidate’s training. There are many other qualities that make an excellent technician. Pharmacy techs must be friendly, cooperative and have a strong attention to detail, for instance, and administrative tasks are common. They must also be able to stand for several hours a day and keep their cool under pressure. Here are some of the professional and personal skills and qualities that serve pharmacy technicians well.
Job-specific knowledge.
The duties pharmacy technicians perform can vary by state and employer, but most rely on a similar set of professional skills. These including knowing how to:
- Read, verify and manage patient prescription requests
- Properly dose and fill prescription orders
- Use and maintain laboratory equipment and tools
- Store prescription and over-the-counter medications properly
- Track inventories
- Maintain a safe, sanitary environment
- Find, review and relay drug safety information, including potential interactions
- Keep records in accordance with patients’ privacy rights
- Communicate with pharmacists, insurance companies, patients and healthcare providers
- Bill and collect payment for prescription orders
General workplace skills.
Pharmacy technicians often need other workplace skills that are not industry-specific. Among them:
- Strong customer and personal service skills
- Clerical and administrative know-how
- Using computers, software, printers and related equipment
- Organizing, planning and prioritizing work
- Working well independently and in a team
- Communicating with colleagues, supervisors and other work groups
Personal aptitudes.
Like most professionals, pharmacy technicians can benefit from having a number of seemingly more innate skills and qualities. These include:
- Service orientation
- Excellent time management
- Multitasking
- Active listening
- Strong reading comprehension
- Excellent critical thinking and problem solving
- Time management and organization
- Social perceptiveness
Personal qualities.
According to O*Net OnLine, it is often helpful for pharmacy technicians to have the following qualities and characteristics:
- Near vision
- Clarity of speech
- A warm disposition
- Self-control
- Dependability
- Personal initiative
- Problem sensitivity
- High tolerance for stress
- Adaptability
- A cooperative nature
More key resume-builders.
Formal training can give some pharmacy technicians an edge over lesser trained career competition, but there are other ways candidates can set themselves apart. Among them:
- Certification
- Graduation from an accredited program
- Membership in educational and professional organizations
- Practical experience via labs and externships
- Continuing education courses, especially to maintain certification
- Participating in extracurricular and community service activities
- Personal and professional recommendations from former employers, instructors and other qualified contributors
- Work history and experience
Future pharmacy technicians who want to get a better sense for the field’s demands and requirements can look for pharmacy internships or entry-level jobs as cashiers in retail clinics. Interested in taking the first steps toward a career as a pharmacy technician? Consider online pharmacy technician courses to help you break into this fast-paced, exciting field!