Pharmacist Resume Sample

Follow these actionable four tips to create a winning pharmacist resume and show employers you’re a reliable and well-rounded applicant.

1. Open with a professional resume profile

The resume profile is a brief three to four-sentence resume introduction designed to give hiring managers a reason to continue reading your resume. The candidate in the sample above has succeeded with their  professional profile because they:

• describe their years of experience in the field and relevant education
• show instances where they improved procedures that had positive results
• mention their ability to deal with customers

Essentially, they make a strong argument for why they’d be a good candidate for the job in only a few sentences.

Hiring managers quickly glance at your resume profile, so use relevant resume keywords from the job posting to make a bigger impact. Most employers use applicant tracking software (ATS) to filter through applicants, so writing the exact keywords they’ve mentioned helps them notice your resume. Alternatively, if you use a good online resume builder the software will suggest relevant keywords for you, saving you time and effort.

By writing concise and relevant statements for your resume profile, you create a positive first impression.

2. Target your professional experience

Back up the claims you made in your resume profile with examples from your professional experience by listing them in a bullet point format.

Below are powerful bullet points from the pharmacist resume sample. These bullet points are the strongest because they put accomplishments on your resume that include hard numbers and are achievement-oriented.

Remember to use hard numbers in your pharmacist resume to call attention to your bullet points and give employers clarity about what you’ve accomplished. We’ve bolded the hard numbers in each bullet point:

• Implemented new guidelines and process workflow that reduced administrative errors from 2.3% to 0.1%

The above bullet point proves that the candidate knows when to make an improvement and then takes action. They devised new procedures that significantly improved the pharmacy operations.

• Provided exceptional customer service that included additional information and education about medications, resulting in a sales increase of $3K per month, while maintaining 83% customer retention

As shown above, the pharmacist’s ability to communicate with customers keeps them coming back, consequently increasing the pharmacy’s revenue.

Start each bullet point with strong resume action verbs like “implemented” and “provided” to make your statements more powerful and descriptive.

• Dispensed medications according to prescriptions with 100% accuracy and 29% more efficiency than other senior pharmacists

Here, the candidate showed that they pay close attention to detail. This skill is vital among pharmacists because they must dispense the correct amount of medications to patients.

3. Pay attention to formatting on your pharmacist resume

Pharmacists need to be precise because mistakes affect people’s health. Make sure your resume is organized and error-free by following correct resume formatting guidelines. Here are some ways to format your resume:

1. Use a reverse-chronological format by writing your most recent work experience first — this format helps present your information in a logical way for employers to read.
2. Make sure your font size is between 10.5 and 12 points and use a professional resume font like Times New Roman or Georgia so employers can easily read your resume.
3. Proofread your resume before sending it, and if possible, ask your friends or family to help you check for spelling and grammar errors.
4. Save your resume as a PDF to ensure your resume’s formatting stays consistent and successfully makes it past companies’ ATS software.

4. Showcase your pharmacist resume skills section

Your pharmacy resume should include a strong skills section that includes your hard and soft skills.

Hard skills are skills learned from previous education, training, or work experience. Your resume needs to show that you’re a trusted professional with advanced drug knowledge. Hiring managers also want to know that you can provide essential medical advice to patients. Here’s a list of hard skills employers are looking for in pharmacists:

• Computer skills
• HIPAA training
• Medicare and Medicaid knowledge
• Scientific aptitude
• Math skills
• Language skills
• Database management
• Patient needs assessment
• Patient care and counseling
• Pharmaceutical operations
• Administrative skills
• Accuracy
• Advanced drug knowledge

Soft skills relate to how you interact with customers and colleagues in a work setting. You need a number of soft skills to be a successful pharmacist: for example, you’ll need organizational skills, to track incoming and outgoing medications and supplies. You also need to be helpful and friendly to ensure that customers come back to your drugstore. Mention these soft skills on your pharmacy resume:

• Analytical skills
• Communication skills
• Customer service skills
• Attention to detail
• Management skills
• Patience
• Interpersonal skills
• Multitasking skills
• Observation skills
• Time management skills

5. Include your pharmacy licenses and certifications

Pharmacists must be professionally trained and licensed, so add your resume certifications and licenses as proof of your pharmacy knowledge. Check your state’s specific requirements for pharmacy licenses and mention them on your resume.

Move your licenses and certifications to a separate section of your resume to make them stand out to employers, or include them in your education section.

Here’s a list of certifications and licenses to start:

• Pennsylvania Pharmacy Association
• Board of Pharmacy Specialities
• Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Licensing Requirements (50 State Guide)

Here’s how to list your certifications:

Name of certifying organization
Certification board or location
Certification expiration date
Certification number

If your license doesn’t have an expiration date, write “Active” to show that your license is valid and list the date you received it.

Remember to include the full name of your licenses and certifications so ATS software approves your resume and employers understand your credentials. Here’s an example from our pharmacist resume sample:

Pharmacy Technician License
State of Maryland, Board of Pharmacy
26378
Active since February 2011