What to Look For in Your First Job

Brandi Anders, PharmD BCOP
Hematology/Oncology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
Wake Forest Baptist Health
Winston-Salem, NC

Morgan Belling, PharmD
Hematology/Oncology Clinical Pharmacist
University of Kansas Health System
Kansas City, KS

The time has come to start the search for that elusive, perfect first job. After countless hours of preparation and intensive years of training, you want a job that will allow you to use the knowledge and skill sets you have developed. You also seek a job that will allow you to practice in an area you are passionate about. With the many different options available, you might be wondering how to even begin. As two new practitioners who have just been through the process, we would like to offer some advice on things to consider when choosing your first position.

The critical first step is to take the time to do some soul-searching and determine what is most important to you. What makes you happy? What are you passionate about? What makes you get up in the morning and look forward to going to work day after day? Is it direct patient care, practicing in a certain subspecialty, leading as an administrator, training future pharmacy and medical professionals, serving as a residency program director, or conducting and publishing research? What are your personal and career goals for 1, 5, 10, and 20 years down the road? When you look back on your career, what specific, measurable accomplishments will make you most proud? Devote time to asking these questions and coming up with honest answers. Then make a list of considerations and prioritize them on the basis of what is most important to you. 

One of the most important details in the job search is the actual job description. Although it may seem like common sense, make sure you read the job description carefully and use the interview to clarify any concerns and get a better understanding of the position. What exactly will you be doing? What is the schedule? Whom will you be working with? What is expected of you? What opportunities or responsibilities exist for committee involvement? Is the position newly created, or has it been vacant for some time? How will your performance be assessed? Does the position have multiple components, such as clinical work, order verification, research, or teaching? How much time is devoted to each part? How long will you have to develop your practice before you will begin presenting to students and residents on rotation? What is the relationship between pharmacists and other members of the healthcare team? What role does the pharmacist play on the healthcare team? Does the position seem to offer a good work-life balance? Make sure you understand everything about the position so you know what you would be walking into. Does it match your interests, passions, and career goals? It is a good idea to ask pharmacists who work at the institution to describe their favorite aspect of practicing there. Also, if they could change one aspect of their position or institution, what would it be? These questions can offer a wealth of insight into whether your primary interests and goals align with those of the institution. 

Location is an important factor for many pharmacists when choosing between multiple positions. Do you want to be close to family and friends? Are you limited to a certain geographic region, or are you free to travel? Is this an area where you would consider starting and raising a family? Consider the climate. If you love having four seasons, then Florida might not be the best place for you. On the other hand, if you would prefer a warm climate year round, Minnesota is not your best option. Keep in mind that your first job likely will not be your last, and you probably won’t stay in the same place forever. However, it is important to remember that your first job can set the stage for the rest of your career as you continue to develop as a practitioner and establish working relationships with healthcare professionals from a variety of backgrounds and specialties who help mentor you.

Many consider salary the most important factor in choosing a potential job. Though salary should be taken into account, it should not be the only factor on which your decision is based. Salary should be adjusted for the cost of living in that geographic location. One might expect a higher salary in California than in Pennsylvania, but it is not as easy to estimate how much more you would need to earn for the salary to be considered comparable. Taxes also vary in geographic areas. Cost-of-living calculators can help with this aspect of the job search. Be sure to keep in mind the monetary value of benefits provided—from health insurance to the cost of parking. Taking all these things into account will allow you to compare net (or take-home) income, rather than just gross income. Although salary is important, it’s advisable to remember that you can’t put a price on job satisfaction.

Make sure that you understand the benefits provided by your potential employer. Do they offer medical, dental, and vision insurance? What are the retirement options available? Does the company offer a match on your retirement contributions? How long are you required to remain with the organization until you are fully vested? Many new practitioners may find it beneficial to meet with a financial advisor to help navigate these often unfamiliar aspects of a new job. Also, consider the sick and paid time off provided; are there separate pools for vacation and sick days, or do they come from the same pool? How many hours do you accumulate within each pay period? These are all things that should be considered when evaluating a new position.

You also will want to spend some time investigating the company climate and departmental leadership. Company climate refers to the energy, spirit, values, and culture of an organization as well as the relationships between people in the organization. What are the values of the organization? Is there good camaraderie among employees? Do they show respect to one another and seem to value each other’s ideas and opinions? Is there good communication within the department? Keep in mind that you are going to be spending a lot of time with your coworkers, so you want to imagine what it would be like working with them on a daily basis. Also consider the values of the department leadership. What is their vision for the department? What goals have they set? Do they invest in their employees’ ideas for improvement? Where do they see the department moving in the future, and do they have a plan to address the challenges that would hinder this progression? Remember that department leadership can directly influence the success and work environment of the whole department. 

Finally, you want to consider how you can continue to grow as a pharmacy professional within the organization. What programs are provided for professional development? Are you provided with seminar time and financial assistance to attend meetings? What opportunities are there for career growth and advancement? You want to make sure that you can continue to broaden your knowledge base and stay up to date with the pharmacy literature. It is important to identify and seek out mentors in the organization who can help you grow as an oncology pharmacist.

This list is certainly not comprehensive, and there may be other factors that you consider more or less important to you as an individual. But we hope that this will provide you with a reliable starting point when searching for your first job. Wherever you find yourself, always remember to keep the care and best interests of your patients first. Continue fostering your passion for oncology pharmacy and helping others. There is a reason you chose to practice in oncology; always remember that reason! It will motivate you for your lifetime.