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Pharmacist job questions.

Not sure I'm a good fit for new job

  • I'm not sure I'm a good fit in my new job. MeFites, what do you think and if so, is it redeemable or not? I've been told to tone down my behaviour, in terms of: - Not being so loud in volume, which I definitely have worked on and trust me, there's a noticeable differenceThen, - Not writing so big (the spaces we're given to write is tiny, very objectively, for anyone, though it doesn't help my writing is rather large). Again, I've tried and been somewhat successful, but I don't agree with making it so small that it's hard to read (which it is, it requires squinting) Then - Not questioning anything unless it is literally about to kill a patient (I work as a hospital pharmacist). My rule to myself in general, is to never talk about the places I've previously worked at, because then of course it opens you up to "well if you liked it so much, why didn't you stay there?" plus I don't like to brag. This is what I did, and especially had in mind coming here. However, everyone seems to think that just because I asked "oh so what do we do here?" or "oh how does this work?" purely in an information-gathering sense because I don't know the answer, they seem to think that it's me judging them which how can I if I don't know what the thing is to pass judgement on. So, I'm effectively being banned from asking questions unless it's outright dangerous and the problem is--IT'S MY JOB TO ASK QUESTIONS. Literally. My position is to make medicines use safer in the hospital. So yeah I'm being paid to ask the questions to find out the lay of the land, and then analyse it to bits, and then improve it. For the record, there are some pretty shit systems here but I never verbalise it because who wants to hear a newbie of 6 weeks criticise something you've done for years because why would it have stuck around for years if it wasn't good, right?! So I wonder if I'm being attacked simply for being the outsider. Am I too different? Oh, which leads me to the second part. If it really isn't a good fit (and also not getting any real direction from boss as promised, you can see my previous posts), the situation is this: - I'm 6 weeks in of a 3 month probation - I was hired at this point in time to get us to pass accreditation. Accreditation is end of Nov, so would be 5 month anniversary of me starting. If it's not a good fit, should I: a) Quit now (well not right now till I line up a job, but you know what I mean--start looking and quit by the 3 months) b) Stick it out till accreditation then decide whether to quit --> this I think is most professional and also more thinking time, but then if I do decide to quit, would it be better to ask to extend the probation to 6 months? (so it doesn't look bad on my resume). This is of course assuming it's even possible, which it may not be because it's in the public sector. Thanks.

  • Answer:

    There's three dynamics here that I see: 1) Tasks – you don't mention that your work is under scrutiny, which is a very positive sign. That would be a dealbreaker on either side. There seems to be more of a focus on the execution of your tasks (volume, writing, questions), than on the work itself. As those all seem to be soft-factors, it seems as if the bigger issue here is fit. 2) Fit – either you fit the team, or you do not fit the team. If you do not fit the team, then either you will change to fit the team, or you will not change to fit the team. I would like you to entertain a counter viewpoint. If I were to ask your manager or coworkers about you, would they say you are disruptive (loud), not adopting required practices (writing size), and ask too many questions? If that is what they would say, it may help to consider what it would be like to work with someone who was disruptive, did not follow required practices, and asked too many questions? What would you think of that person? Would you like to work with them? Would they be good for the team dynamic and results? Fit is a funny thing, for one has to choose a priority. Either one will fit with the dominant culture in place, or one will find a place where they agree with the dominant culture. If you generally like the job and want to stay on, you will conform (to some degree) to that which the team requires. If you must express who you are, and don't want to change your behaviour, it's probably best to find somewhere else to work. My own view on this has changed massively in the last five years, moving from an employee to an entrepreneur. Many people have the skills required for jobs, but fit is much more difficult. Because fit of each individual team member either has a positive or negative effect on the rest of the team. If you are seen to be standing out, and require special attention, that may well affect the motivation and results of the people around you. Thus, the issue of fit seems to be less about you specifically, and more about the functioning of your team as a whole. There was one thing that you said that raised a yellow/redish light for me: there are some pretty shit systems here but I never verbalise it because who wants to hear a newbie of 6 weeks criticise something you've done for years because why would it have stuck around for years if it wasn't good, right?! The biggest issue I have with your entire post is that you have a bit of an ego here. You have decided the systems are shit, and are not interested in working with them, rather you are keeping your real feelings hidden. This is a subtle but distinctive point, because I don't hear that you think the systems are poor and you are keen to understand why they are in place. That would be the first point in contributing a new solution. Before you can change something, you must first know the lay of the land. That is not what I am hearing. What I am hearing overall is that 1) you don't want to change your personality to fit in, 2) you've already made sweeping decisions about how to approach your workplace after three weeks. My greatest concern for you would be not in the result of this job, but in your attitude toward work in general. Given your field, there's a high likelihood pretty much any role is going to require some level of conformity and adherence to processes. Rather than seeing these as part of a job role, you seem to see them as attacks on your personality. Which is not helpful, because they are in fact part of the job role. And they're going to be part of any job role. Some jobs are very personality-driven and it really matters who people are. I want my musicians to be expressive. I do not want my accountants or doctors to be expressive. I would like them to follow codified principles and do their jobs well. I would probably not want a doctor who questioned the basis of modern medicine or the validity of established techniques. Especially not someone who had been a doctor for three weeks. 3) Timing – The timing is really up to you. You don't have a responsibility to get the hospital past accreditation. Your responsibility is to perform in the role which you were hired into to the best of your ability. The larger concerns are the concerns of the people running the show. If you have no intention of making this situation work, you should probably go sooner. If you think that this is something you want to do, and can change your attitude and behaviour and see how it goes, then you should probably stay. Overall, I don't see that this has very much to do with the role or anything else. It seems to be whether or not you are in the right career for yourself. Either you can settle down, pay your dues, and find comfort in progressing in a career role. Or you can bail out and get on the road. But after reading this a few times, I really think this is all in your hands... and also that you don't really see it that way in the moment. The fact you are thinking about how an exit will look on your CV indicates that you are looking at the wrong thing. Who cares how it looks on your CV. Much more important will be your references – which will be how you act on a daily basis. Good luck.

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If you are unhappy, get a new job. If you can get a better job, leave. You work for YOU, and no one else.

Ruthless Bunny

I think all of the above commenters have done a great job giving context to your fit for the job, but nobody has addressed the part where you struggle to write legibly in small spaces. Have you thought about bringing your own pen to work for this task? I have an uneasy feeling that you've been using a standard ballpoint for this, and that just won't do. Think about using a fountain pen with an extra fine nib, or maybe a decent felt tipped pen. Make sure to use the proper color ink.

oceanjesse

If I'm reading your question right, you're in a change management role in a hospital pharmacy - maybe some kind of medication safety officer or quality improvement specialist. This is a role that requires relationship-building skills and a strong understanding of how to get people to accept change. You should come into the role with a plan for gathering information (both about the processes and the culture), selecting changes based on urgency and feasibility, building support for those changes and managing implementation. You have to come into these roles with a demeanor that indicates you know your stuff but are not there CHANGE EVERYTHING for no reason. A mix of competence and openness. This requires a high level of organizational and interpersonal savvy. Based on this and some of your previous questions, I think you're just out of your depth here. It seems like you're still figuring out how to operate effectively in a workplace and what is and isn't normal and appropriate. Leading change requires a much higher level of interpersonal skill. You can get there, but this position sounds like a mismatch for you at this point in your career. These deficiencies are probably apparent to the people you are working with, which may explain the reactions you're getting. I think your situation is compounded by the fact that you are young, female and Asian. Behavior that would seem "normal" for an older white man may be characterized as "pushy," "intrusive," "bitchy" or whatever because of a cultural expectation for women (especially young women and Asian women) to be subservient. People also just assume that younger people don't know as much and are generally less qualified. It sucks, but without that cultural baggage people might give you a little more wiggle room to find your feet in this job before shutting you down. If I were you, I'd look for another job. I would not plan to stay through accreditation.

jeoc

I'm being paid to ask the questions to find out the lay of the land, and then analyse it to bits, and then improve it. Is that actually in your job description for the position for which you were hired, or do you assume that this is what all hospital pharmacists are supposed to do and are taking it upon yourself to do so? Because it sounds like you are an entry level staff pharmacist, not someone brought in from the outside to evaluate and re-engineer processes, which would be the job of a more senior level person. If you feel as though you're not a good fit, and there isn't good chemistry with you and the rest of the workplace compared to other places you've worked, then feel free to look for another job as soon as you can. But be aware of the "no matter where you go, there you are" problem-- if you have problems getting along with coworkers in the workplace in general and being able to "read" the culture of a workplace, that will be something that follows you no matter where you go.

deanc

From this and your previous question, it does sound like you are coming across as very critical and not happy with the co-workers/way things are done. If indeed you were hired specifically to be in a monitoring position, then you need to talk with someone about the proper form your questions and criticism need to take. It sounds like there is some sort of perception gap here, either you not understanding your job role or them being unclear about what you are supposed to be doing. You what, though. We just had someone leave my workplace. She quit; she was not fired; but I am sure she thinks she was pushed out and specifically not encouraged to ask questions. The thing is, she asked with a certain tone and a certain look on her face. When I was assigned to work with her, I always felt she was giving me needless and, frankly, inappropriate pushback. I was glad to see the back of her because in my view she clogged up the work process. We're not dispensing potentially lethal drugs though, so accuracy is less of a priority.

BibiRose

Either way I would start looking for a new job now. That's all BS. Hell, it'd be BS if you didn't have people's lives depending on you... when you add that factor, it's about a million times worse. I, personally, would not wait until accreditation to take any new job that came up, because from the sound of it, they need a LOT more work and that work is more than you yourself can do, especially with these restrictions. If asked, I would just say that it was a bad fit. Probation isn't just for them to evaluate you, and all that.

gloraelin

What are you asking questions *about*? I mean, sure, you need to ask about things like what other drugs a patient is taking; but are you questioning procedures unconnected to your duties, or how other people do *their* duties? Look, one of the things you're questioning is the amount of entry space on forms: since I'd say it's a fair assumption that these forms weren't just developed --- everyone else has apparently been successfully using them for a while --- that's not your business, and it just makes you sound like a complainer or troublemaker. If you're being "attacked for being an outsider", maybe it's because you've positioned yourself that way, and aren't making any effort to become an insider. And the talking too loud thing..... yeah, that's objectionable. It's annoying to everyone around you who is trying to work quietly or hold a conversation or listen on the phone; as a pharmacist, you might even be broadcasting patients' personal info to everyone in the area.

easily confused

You say you're banned from asking questions. So there's two possibilities: your work environment is pretty damn toxic OR you're coming across as judging (even if you don't think you are). I have had new employees ask me how we do things in a certain tone. As in, they're not explicitly saying "I have a better way" but I can hear it in their voice and see it in their face. Then another new person will ask the same question, but their tone is one of someone who is eager and curious. The latter person tends to take that information and apply it properly. They also tend to be the people whose opinions are valued as they become more senior employees. Just something to think about.

futureisunwritten

I'm not sure I'm a good fit in my new job. MeFites, what do you think and if so, is it redeemable or not There are pieces of information missing in your question (your description of your perceived job role does not sound consistent with what you describe doing on a day-to-day basis, especially the way people are responding). I'll leave that aside and still give this a stab. Think about some of the things that they are asking you to do and why. Would writing smaller really be a sacrifice on your part? This in particular: Not being so loud in volume If I understand your job description correctly, and you are a hospital pharmacist in a place that patients can hear you, the concern would be everything from patient privacy to if you do not like a procedure and question in a place that other people can hear it. Back up and ask yourself why they are doing this because if you leave this work environment, it can be a problem in other work places. Not questioning anything unless it is literally about to kill a patient How are you asking these questions? So if you are a new pharmacist in a new hospital, even if you worked at one before,it would be logical that you would not know a procedure. Asking how to enter a certain medication into the computer system, which you did not do at your previous (pharmacy,hospital) would be a logical question. The way that you write this question and describe what you are thinking makes me wonder if people feel attacked or that you are not asking it for a real reason. So I would really evaluate what information do you need and how you ask the question. This is a critical skill for any job that you have. My greater concern is what you state you think the outcome should be (in your 3 weeks there,you can see the changes that should be made). Let's just say that you have. How do you think these changes would be made at a hospital? On the floor when pharmacist A sees something and makes an observation and then a sweeping change is made across the hospital? OR in a meeting with pharmacists, doctors, nurses, staff, discussing things that are done and making policy changes? This is how changes happen in hospitals in the states(committees meet for various topics in a hospital setting either every week,month, etc.). If someone wants to select a certain medication, they look at the literature and a representative from each team discusses why to decide to go with decision A or B. So if you truly see problems, then I would ask to participate in committees that pertain to your interests or concerns. I would first observe what they discuss and how changes are made. But from reading your entire question, ask yourself if the changes are difficult and why not do some of them (writing size, speech volume) and why there may be a problem with your questions and how to go about and make changes if you truly feel committed to them.But I suspect that this may potentially be a problem in your next job- so consider learning how to work at your current work place to deal with these challenges. I did peek at your former questions (i.e. trying to get your manager to respond)- backup and look at your colleagues. Are there colleagues that you really respect and get along with? Consider observing how they behave and if you feel comfortable, ask them how to deal with some of these things. Soft skills can be learned from those around you.

Wolfster

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