Pharmacy technician interview questions and samples of answers
Pharmacy technicians are essential to the effective, moral, and compassionate operation of the pharmacy. They operate directly under the direction of a certified pharmacist. If you want to begin a career as a pharmacy technician, it’s critical to be prepared for the interview process.
During your pharmacy technician job interview, you can anticipate being asked a range of questions, including situational and behavioral ones. In this piece, we’ll look at numerous types of pharmacy technician interview questions and sample responses to help you be ready for a job interview.
general questions
General interview questions are the ones that let the interviewer get to know you a little bit better. Here are some illustrations of how you could contribute to the pharmaceutical team and fit into the corporate culture:
- How would you describe yourself?
- What do you think about our pharmacy?
- What traits make you successful in this role?
- Which one of your weaknesses still needs improvement?
- Which one of your personal goals are you currently working toward?
- What would your ideal work environment entail?
- What would your previous employers think of you?
- What sort of activities do you enjoy?
- Would you mind sharing one of your most recent triumphs with me?
- Where do you envision yourself in five years?
enquiries about education and experience
Questions about your background frequently encompass your educational background, your credentials, and your prior work experience. Your answers will help the interviewer assess your qualifications and how you’ll do in the job:
- Where did you receive your education and training?
- Why do you find pharmacology interesting?
- What qualifications and skills do you have that will make you successful in this role?
- Do you intend to carry on with your education?
- How has your professional development benefited from your personal growth?
- Which aspect of utilizing and learning pharmacology do you find most enjoyable?
- What do you think the most challenging aspects of working as a pharmacy technician are?
- Have you got any suggestions for the pharmacist? What was it, and how did you use your abilities to help?
- How can you use your abilities for cooperation and problem-solving to work on a team effectively?
- Have you ever gotten into a fight with a coworker or the pharmacist’s manager? What strategies did you use?
specific questions
Deeper questions typically focus on how well you function at work. These usually ask questions about conduct and hypothetical situations, such as what actions you might do or how you could react. These questions may also include fundamental concerns that demonstrate to the interviewer how well you know the responsibilities of a pharmacy technician, such as:
- How can effective customer service techniques apply to the work of a pharmacy technician?
- Have you ever had to deal with a disgruntled client? What were you like?
- What strategy would you use if a patient’s prescription was going to take longer than expected to fill?
- What should you do if it’s challenging to understand a prescription?
- How would you be able to tell whether the patient whose prescription you are filling wishes to support a drug addiction?
- How do you stay up to date on new medications and drugstore practices?
- How do you ensure that the meds you give your clients won’t conflict negatively with any others they could be taking?
- How can you determine whether a prescription is genuine?
- What factors do you consider when storing medications?
- How can the accuracy of prescription filling be guaranteed?
Pharmacy technician interview questions and sample answers
To assist you in visualizing, practicing, and creating your own responses, the following pharmacy tech interview questions include sample answers that you can use as a guide while getting ready for your own interview:
1. What would you do if a coworker exhibited suspicious behavior?
This investigation focuses on your work ethic and ability to follow protocol. Even if you haven’t faced a situation like this, explain how you, as a pharmacy tech, would respond to it. Here is an example:
Example: “I would get in touch with a coworker if I spotted them acting strangely or immorally, even if there was no proof of wrongdoing, out of concern for their welfare. If my worries were true, I would support my teammate in acting responsibly even if company rules required that I take legal action or risk being fired.”
2. For how long do you handle insurance claims?
The interviewer wants to make sure you are aware of some of the subtleties involved in managing this crucial pharmacy tech task because many pharmacies accept insurance as payment. Use examples from your former experience to highlight your attention to detail, organization, and communication skills.
Example: “In my prior job, billing insurance companies was a routine part of my day. As a result of the large number of Medicare users who used our pharmacy’s services, I am very knowledgeable about the various Medicare coverage plans, covered drugs, and prescription drug prices.”
3. Can you provide an instance where you discovered an error in a prescription? What were you like?
You can be asked a question of this nature during the interview to ascertain your ability to take ownership of your actions and stand by your team when they make a mistake. Use examples from your prior roles if you have expertise with this; otherwise, outline how you would approach the issue. A sample response is provided here:
Example: “My former teammate had a tendency to fill and arrange client prescriptions quickly, which led them to mistakenly mix up two customers’ prescriptions. When I realized my mistake, I was gathering a customer’s medicines for pickup, so I hurriedly scanned the records to find the other customer who had their prescription. I made the necessary corrections before the technician could deliver any medicines.”
4. How can you ensure that prescriptions with a deadline are filled?
This query helps the interviewer understand how you organize your tasks and manage your time, particularly in times of high activity. You can show off your organizational and time-management skills by outlining a useful method for handling this type of job.
Example: “Priority medications are first organized according to pick-up times, and then I begin filling prescriptions in order of their pick-up times. Each priority prescription is approved by my supervising pharmacist as soon as it is filled. I may then continue with the rest of my tasks after that.”
5. Have you ever used any pharmacy-specific software or applications?
Pharmacists collect, organize, and store information regarding prescriptions and drugs using software. Your answer should show the employer how knowledgeable you are about these kinds of systems. Here’s a sample of a response:
Example: “I’ve previously taken patient orders online through our online prescription filing system. I was able to complete the prescriptions utilizing this technique after receiving the prescribing instructions and dosage. I’ve also worked with pharmacy databases for a number of years, which are used to store and organise patient and prescription information.”
equivalent jobs for pharmacy technologists
You have several choices to think about whether you’re interested in working as a pharmacy technician or in another vocation in the medical field. Following are 10 professions that mirror those of pharmacy technicians:
1 pharmacy
2. Medical front desk clerk
3. Assistant to a doctor
4. Licensed nurse
5. A sales representative for pharmaceuticals
(6) Medical Assistant
7. A coordinator for patient care
8. Certified vocational nurse
9. A licensed nurse assistant
10. A doctoral assistant
