So You Hate Your Pharmacy Job...

I spoke with a frustrated pharmacist last week. He wrestles with the decision to quit his disappointing job. He reached the “top” of the corporate chain, or at least as high as he wanted to go. This pharmacist spoke powerful words about how much he hated his position, “I jump from job to job and can’t seem to find the right fit. Is *this* all that life has to offer me?”

I speak with at least one pharmacist a week who wants to leave their job.

I felt his pain, because I was there too.

I hated a past pharmacy job with burning passion. My reason was slightly different than most because I dealt with bullies. My life was miserable. I wanted to quit. I remember coming home to my wife and saying, “I don’t know how much longer I want to do this.”

Pharmacists everywhere know there is rising tension in our profession, especially in retail pharmacy. The latest polls show retail pharmacist job satisfaction declining at an abysmal rate.

If you are a stuck pharmacist (or any job) who hates your job, don’t fear. You’re not alone, and there is a way out.

The First Step

Give yourself the room to accept where your current situation.

You see, a part of me felt like my situation was all my fault. I felt almost like I deserved my predicament. I felt trapped.

It was like I tried to deny my situation to myself and others. I didn’t want people to know that I was unhappy with my job. I felt like if people knew, I would be labeled a failure, an idiot, a fool.

I felt like if I tried anything new, like a side-hustle business, I would be seen as a failure because I can’t figure out my career or that I would be labeled one of those weirdo’s who talks about dreams and goals.

The first step I took was admitting, “I’m here for a reason. This isn’t my perfect career position. I need to create a plan.”

I had to accept where I was, so that I could move on.

So many pharmacists I speak with blame themselves or others for their dissatisfaction.

Let go and move on.

Overwhelmed and Stuck Pharmacists

There is no end to the things you could start in order to change careers or start a business idea.

If you considered changing jobs, you could…

update your resume

update your LinkedIn profile

reach out to your network

attend a networking event

join a pharmacist association

search job websites

ask a friend for a recommendation

I felt overwhelmed just writing all those tasks. Being overwhelmed is like looking up to the top of a skyscraper and being told, “Make it to the top” without knowing there are stairs. It’s impossible!

So rather than trying to do too many things at once, we feel stuck, overwhelmed. It is easier to not take any action at all.

We tell ourselves it feels better to not do anything. We would rather accept our current amount of stress in the moment, than to push forward in making a change. Which in turn, only creates more stress and anxiety.

Take ONE Small Step

The way to the top of a skyscraper starts with one step. You don’t have to do everything at once. You simply need to take one step to get out of your situation.

Make the next step so small and easy that others would laugh at you.

For example, find and open your CV on the computer.

You may roll your eyes at this example, but that’s the point.

You don’t want to commit to a large task if you have too much resistance. You’re likely to say no to anything that sounds too big to do at once.

If you don’t take small step now, no one will take it for you, and you’ll continue in the same state.

One definition of insanity is doing the same over and over and expecting different results.

Take one small step.

Open your resume

Ask a friend for feedback about your crazy business idea

Heck, send me a private message

Don’t let your inner resistance stop you from making a change that could make your life better.

The job market is too big (despite what you may think). There are too many ways to make a living in this life.

There is no reason why you work at a job you hate.