Feeling Burnt Out and Fed Up with Your Retail or Hospital Pharmacy Job?
Just Graduate from School and Not Sure What Career Path to Choose?

Read On…

Retail and Hospital Pharmacy. The two career paths that were force-fed to you throughout pharmacy school. They seem worlds apart. That there isn’t anything in common between them.

And on the surface, that checks out…

• The types of patients you see are different (healthy enough to walk up to your pharmacy vs. not)

• The scope of the job is different (Crestor and Viagra vs. heparin and vancomycin)

• And even the salary is different (retail pharmacists tend to earn considerably more than their hospital colleagues)

But if you dig a little deeper, there are a few similarities between retail and hospital pharmacy. Some common threads that tie them together.

• No path for career advancement

• Stagnant salary…you more or less enter the field at your peak

• Doing the same monotonous thing over and over again…no interesting or challenging problems to work on

• Lack of freedom, autonomy, and independent decision making

• Constantly being asked to do more with less

• Feeling babysat, forgotten, trapped, underappreciated, and stuck

That may sound harsh, but think about it. How many long-term retail and hospital pharmacists do you know that are cynical, jaded, and unhappy? How many leap out of bed every morning, thrilled to tackle another day at a job they love?

And worst of all, it’s TOTALLY understandable. Look at what an average day looks like for each of them…

Pharmacists spend a minimum of 6 years getting an advanced degree. Through sacrifice, consistency, dedication, and unsafe levels of caffeine, they earn the title of “Doctor.” Then they go to work for a retail pharmacy chain and spend their days telling people what aisle the toilet paper is in. They are subjected to such stressful workloads that they stay on their feet all day — no lunch break and frequently not even a bathroom break. They can’t use sick days due to unreasonable pressures from leadership. They deal with a never-ending sea of KPIs, patient adherence calls, and vaccine quotas. Maybe worst of all — THEY HAVE A FREAKIN DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW!

So you think, “I know! I’ll work for an independent pharmacy!” And sure, that will likely solve the problem of bathroom and lunch breaks. But there, you’ll deal with PBMs that refuse to reimburse you even your drug cost (let alone a dispensing fee). Then they’ll slap you with a DIR fee because your patient was on vacation and picked up their metformin a week late. They’ll change the contract on you with only a cryptic fax informing you that you’ve automatically opted into the new terms. You’ll receive constant pressure from the big chain retailers giving you a “Join us or Die” ultimatum. And say what you will about the big chain pharmacies, but at least they have systems compliant with Board of Pharmacy rules. You’re on your own when the board comes knocking at an independent. And let’s not get into what happens to your paycheck if the Board doesn’t like how you’re operating or the latest PBM “negotiation” leaves you hemorrhaging money every time you fill a medication.

The hospital side is different, sure. But it’s not better. You’ll work in a windowless basement under the constant hum of fluorescent lighting in a 60-year-old musty building. You’ll field endless calls asking for a “stat” docusate tablet (that you sent via the tube station 15 minutes ago). You’ll have doctors verbally abusing you for “getting in the way of patient care” because they want to order a drug that isn’t on formulary (and your boss isn’t there to approve it because she gets to leave early on Friday afternoons). Your department will somehow max out its office supply budget within the first few weeks of each quarter, ensuring that you can’t order pens, paper clips, or anything else that might help you do the basics of your job. You’ll force-feed yourself soggy, lukewarm chicken tenders and fries from the cafeteria, and you’ll do it quickly so your coworker doesn’t give you the hairy eyeball for taking an extra 3 minutes on your lunch break.

Both retail and hospital pharmacists are treated like cogs in a wheel. They’re open 7 days a week, usually 24 hours per day. There’s no work from home, flexibility, or holidays off. You’ll have to work evenings, weekends, and overnights (frequently on a rotating basis). You may have ideas for workflow improvements, saving money, or boosting morale…but they’ll fall on deaf ears. There are no opportunities to travel (not even to conferences relative to your specialty) or do anything remotely interesting to break up the monotony of every day.

Sure, retail and hospital pharmacy careers provide a steady source of decent income…there are worse jobs out there. And no one is denying their importance. We NEED retail pharmacies and hospitals. But keep at either of them for long, and you’ll most likely end up unhappy, burnt out, and disgruntled. They’re just not very fulfilling.

Here’s the thing…

Retail and hospital aren’t the only career choices available to you.

What if you didn’t have to choose between a blue pill and a red pill that both lead to burnout and misery?

There’s another career path for pharmacists that isn’t often spoken about. Yet it’s where some of the happiest and most satisfied folks in pharmacy are found.

The Best-Kept Secret in the Pharmacy World: Industry

You've likely heard of “industry” jobs before. You may even know someone that’s an MSL. But the pharmaceutical industry remains a “closed community” in the pharmacy world. It holds dozens of potential career paths a pharmacist could take, but from the outside, it’s difficult to see how they all fit together and what each role does. Industry seems like a Good Old Boys club where you have to know someone to get in.

And that’s a shame.

Because some of the happiest and most fulfilled pharmacists I know work in industry. I don’t know a single veteran of industry pharmacy that is burnt out, unappreciated, and miserable like our retail and hospital colleagues. Every day presents new and interesting challenges. And just about every role can be individualized. With a career in the pharmaceutical industry, you can find a role that aligns with your passion, values, and personal goals.

Imagine what it would feel like to show up to work every day with positive energy, motivation, and a sense of purpose…

A career in industry allows you to use your unique skills and situation in life to do meaningful work.

• Want a fully remote position? There’s a job for that.

• Want to travel? There’s a job for that too.

• Want to advance and grow in your career? Learning new skills and helping others along the way? Check.

• Want to educate others without grading papers or dealing with the politics of academia? You got it!

Industry careers are also flexible. It’s incredibly common to start doing one thing and then pivot to another because of a change in your life circumstances. Maybe you’re growing your family and want to travel less. Maybe your spouse was just offered a job in another part of the country, and you need to move. There are still plenty of roles for you.

Sounds great, right? Then why haven’t you heard more about careers in the pharmaceutical industry?

Because it’s REALLY difficult to get one.

Hidden Truths About Getting into the Pharmaceutical Industry

Simply put…breaking into industry is tough.

Hidden Truth #1 - The positions are usually filled long before they’re posted to the public.

You’ve heard the phrase, “Your network is your net worth.” That’s never been truer than with industry. But you haven’t had time to build your network if you're fresh out of school. And if you’re a retail or hospital veteran, you’ve never had an opportunity to (like they’re going to actually let you go to a conference without you using your PTO?!).

So most pharmacists do the exact wrong thing…

They go to LinkedIn and start “building their online presence” by posting random news stories about a drug shortage or some promising new Alzheimer’s treatment. They’ll add their sage-like commentary of “Interesting read” or “Thoughts?” to spur clicks and post interactions.

From there, they’ll proceed with spamming some person they’ve never met. They’ll send them a connection request and a vague message about their interest in an industry career. They’ll send their CV and say, “I’m willing to start anywhere!” Then they’ll take another sip of their caramel macchiato and wait for the job offers to start piling in.

I don’t mean to belabor the point, but this strategy is terrible.

Sure, it’s efficient. You can “connect” with dozens of people in industry every single day doing this. But it’s not effective.

In fact, it’s counterproductive. You’re likely doing yourself more harm than good.

Most industry roles are already filled before the job is posted. If you want a chance at one of them, you need to stop thinking of “networking” and start thinking of “relationship-building.” Effective relationship-building is a long game, and the process must start well before an open position even exists.

Hidden Truth #2 - Job performance matters. A lot.

This is a part that trips some people up.

There’s a comfort with being a cog in the wheel of the retail or hospital machine. Not much is expected or demanded of you as long as you can keep the machinery running. Sure, you’re bored, unfulfilled, and ultimately replaceable…but at least you’re not expected to do anything outside your comfort zone. You’re not asked to grow or to be creative. Just show up, punch the clock, and go home.

That’s not so with the pharmaceutical industry. Do you want a flexible career with an above-average salary and perks? You need to deliver above-average results that matter to the company. And you need to do it consistently. Fail to do so, and you will be shown the door.

To some people, that sounds amazing. They’ve been looking for a career that stretches and challenges them. One that encourages them to learn, evolve, and grow. They WANT to deliver results for their company while enjoying the reward for their hard work. These are the sorts of people that end up with careers in industry.

Hidden Truth #3 - It IS possible for an “outsider” to get their foot in the door.

It’s not easy. You may not be able to do it alone. But it is possible.

If you’re still a student, you could try going the industry fellowship route. And if you land one, it’s probably the easiest way to get started. But with acceptance rates in the 10 - 15% range, the odds aren’t exactly in your favor.

If you’re a clinical specialist with a few years of practice experience and some BPS letters behind your name, you’ve also got the potential to be a strong industry candidate. But if you don’t have a network or don’t know how the “game” of industry is played, you’re fighting an uphill battle.

Yet, folks a lot like you get offered industry roles every day. Even without relevant experience. Even if they’ve worked in the retail/hospital coal mine for years. They don’t have to sell their soul, and they aren’t using dark magic. Is there some secret trick? Are they just lucky?

Nope. There’s no voodoo here. The folks that make the jump to industry know how to apply a system of timeless principles. When your CV looks the same as every other applicant on the pile, you’ve got to bring something to the table that sets you apart. Some solid strategies can help you stand out as an industry candidate. They range from basic to advanced, but they’ll guide you along every step of the process.

From before the position exists…

To the application…

To the interview and follow-up…

All the way to the actual job offer.

Best of all…these techniques can be taught. The skills standing between you and an amazing career in the pharmacy industry are just like patient counseling or assessing a drug interaction. They can be learned, practiced, and improved. And they don’t require you to uproot your life for a year while grinding through a fellowship. You could learn the tools you need to overhaul your pharmacy career in as little as 6 weeks.

How to Land a Fulfilling Career in the Pharmaceutical Industry — Even if You Just Graduated, Didn’t Complete a Fellowship, or Don’t Have a Network — In Less than 5 Hours Per Week

Most folks that navigate a career transition will tell you their path looked like this.

If you’ve successfully gone through any major change in life on your own, there’s a good chance that you’re familiar with that winding road. With trial and error, persistence, and time (lots and lots of time), you can reach almost any destination.

But if you have help — a mentor to guide you through the process…

Your path can look more like this.

We seem to have this over-glorified notion about “doing it on our own.” Don’t get me wrong — there can be something immensely satisfying about grinding through a process and reaping the slow (albeit sometimes frustrating) fruits of your labor. But, for me, at least, if I’m going to flounder my way through something, I’d prefer it to be something not vital to my well-being. Things like playing guitar, building a spice rack, or learning how to hang my own curtains.*

*Apologies to my wife for adding about a dozen extra holes in the wall while I figured this one out…

But for things that REALLY matter, like fitness, health, or careers…these are the big wins in life. Investing a little time and money to get yourself the right mentor or coach will pay for itself many times over. It’s totally worth it.

You see examples of this every single day. You just may not notice it.

• It’s that friend you haven’t seen in a couple of months, and she looks AMAZING. You ask her what she’s doing…and it turns out she’s been working with a personal trainer.

• It’s watching the Olympics on TV and realizing that even the best athletes in the world hire coaches.

• It’s the person who was terrified of public speaking, so they joined Toastmasters, and now they’re calm, polished, and eloquent.

• And it’s the former classmate who seemingly overnight has completely shifted their career, and now they’re on a new trajectory.

All of these folks have coaches and mentors. Our society tends to glorify being “self-made,” but in reality, no one is self-made. We all are products of the mentorship and coaching we’ve received.

And if you’ve been thinking about a career transition into industry, we have just the thing for you.

Allow me to introduce: Roadmap to Industry, the fastest, most direct way to get from “Current You” to “Future You with an Awesome Industry Career.”

Roadmap to Industry is a 8-week program where we work with you step-by-step to prepare and navigate your way into your dream job. Simply put, it’s all about making yourself the rockstar candidate the pharmaceutical industry deserves.

It’s not a generic pharmacist coaching service. It isn’t a random collection of vanilla tips such as “Leave a 1-inch margin around your CV” and “Be sure to follow up with a thank you email the day after your interview.”

We give you personal and individualized guidance…this isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s full of direct interaction and communication with our team. In fact, it’s the ONLY way to get this level of access and one-on-one mentoring from us. Here’s a bit more about what you’ll get inside:

• Laser-focused coaching on getting into the pharmaceutical industry (even without a fellowship). This isn’t one of those coaching services that falsely claims that it’ll prepare you for whatever you want to do in your career. If you're interested in transitioning from retail to hospital pharmacy, or if you're interested in starting your own consulting practice, THIS IS NOT THE PROGRAM FOR YOU

• A complete breakdown of Industry vs. Agency work, and we'll help you conduct and analyze a self-SWOT to determine the best functional area for you

  • Have you ever heard of Agency work? Did you know it's one of the easier paths to break into industry? Agencies actively seek out pharmacists (even new grads) for hire, and industry steadily uses them like a pipeline to recruit 

• How to craft an industry-worthy resume and letter of intent (Hint: no one cares about percentages and KPIs. We'll show you what they DO care about and how to highlight your unique skills to solve their problems)

• Networking without sounding desperate or coming off as a creep. We'll teach you how to do it in person, how to (appropriately) use LinkedIn, how to send a cold email, and how (and when) to follow-up

• How to REALLY research a company to see if their goals and direction line up with yours. If you want your application to stand out, you need to go deeper than Googling the company mission statement. This is also a crucial way to find out if the company culture is a good fit for you. We’ll show you how

• Acing your industry interview. You can't just memorize a few situational answers using the STAR system and call it a day. We'll teach you what to do instead (and we'll even give you a mock interview to gauge your performance)

• Giving a memorable presentation. Industry presentations differ from what you've done in pharmacy school, P&T, or any other pharmacy area. They emphasize different things and require different skills. This is a critical part of most industry interviews, and we'll help make yours shine

Let me introduce you to your new bestie (and instructor for Roadmap to Industry), AnnMarie Mohan-Narine, PharmD, MS.

She’s the Assistant Director of Market Access for an International Consulting Firm.

That wasn’t always her job title, of course.

She entered pharmacy school more interested in the business side of pharmacy than the clinical side. But, often felt like she didn’t fit in (at best) or that she was a discredit to the profession (at worst) in a program that pushed hard for all of its students to become top-notch clinicians pursuing a residency.

AnnMarie took a stab at retail after graduation, but it soon became apparent that it wasn’t the right path for her. With some skillful networking and a little bit of luck being in the right place at the right time, she landed a role in Managed Care.

She poured everything she had into that role. She was more than a model employee. She worked longer hours, took on more projects, sought more opportunities, and did everything possible to help the company. She had her heart set on an opportunity in the operations department. But after a lot of empty promises and a lot of “Now isn’t the right time” or “Someone else is a better fit for this role,” it became clear that she was at a dead end. AnnMarie was in that special place called “Career Purgatory,” where you feel disenfranchised, unmotivated, and unappreciated.

Oh. And then her company did massive layoffs across a bunch of their workforce, and she was unceremoniously cut right before boarding a flight for vacation (how’s that for appreciation?).

This led AnnMarie to Industry. But it wasn’t an easy and direct path. She didn’t have an “in.” No warm connection to reach out to for guidance. No one to use as a reference. So, she did what a lot of folks do in this situation. She tried the shotgun approach. She applied to every position. She reached out to everyone on LinkedIn. She even hired multiple coaching services. Paying thousands of dollars for generic, unhelpful advice from people that don’t even have roles in the pharmaceutical industry (a fact that many pharmacy coaching services aren’t upfront about).

In short, she made every mistake. And she spent quite a bit of time spinning her wheels. And she reached a point where many folks give up and go back to doing whatever soul-sucking job they had before. But AnnMarie used every setback as fuel. She got really serious about figuring out why she was getting rejected (if she got a response at all).

• What was causing the ATS to spit out her application?

• Why was her resume not conveying her full potential and capabilities?

• Why were people unwilling to help her on LinkedIn?

• Why wasn’t she getting any callbacks?

She had done great work in Managed Care and had many notable accomplishments on her CV. But she realized that she was either highlighting things that didn’t matter to industry, or she was highlighting them in a way that didn’t showcase their value to the folks reviewing her application. Her cover letter read like a 5th-grade essay (remember, she had several coaching services supposedly review her CV and cover letter). She realized her LinkedIn networking was ineffective and her expectations were out of line with reality. When she got interviews, she found that her presentations never landed how they should (her coaches were also notably unavailable when she requested help with interview prep).

AnnMarie treated her job search like a job. She set outreach and application goals for herself. She did extensive research both on pharmaceutical companies and in various roles in industry. She prepared for every application and every interview like she was preparing for the NAPLEX. And after months of failed attempts, she finally got an offer. And with her top-performer mentality and work ethic, it was only a matter of time before she ended up in her current role.

All that to say…

AnnMarie has walked the walk. She didn’t have a dream job handed to her. She had to work her way there systematically. Step by step and rejection by rejection. She did it without a background in industry. She did it without a fellowship. She did it without a network.

And she can teach you how to do it too.

She brings a refreshing real-world perspective on how to get into the pharmaceutical industry. She’s learned from her own application mistakes. She’s grown from her mediocre interviews. She’s gained insight from all the folks that she has mentored. And, perhaps most importantly, she’s learned her “Why.”

AnnMarie spent thousands of dollars on career coaches who talked a good game but couldn’t back it up. They didn’t have real insight into getting into industry (retail to hospital career transitions are not the same). They left her with a busted CV and cover letter even after supposedly reviewing it. They were non-existent when it came time for interview prep. They didn’t really care about her success. She was a transaction to them, nothing more.

From that experience, AnnMarie learned how NOT to coach. She internalized the things that she would never do when working with someone. She learned an expensive but valuable lesson. She decided that she wanted to help others get into the pharmaceutical industry. But unlike every other pharmacy “coach” out there, she develops a relationship with her clients. When you work with AnnMarie, you get a mentor that is relentlessly dedicated to your success. You get someone who works with you as an individual. Instead of giving you some generic, cookie-cutter process to follow, you’ll get a unique action plan and feedback that is specific to you.

That’s what Roadmap to Industry is all about, and that’s why AnnMarie is our instructor.

How Roadmap to Industry is Different

Your time and your money are valuable. And we’re not interested in wasting either of them. That’s why Roadmap to Industry has been designed to fit into your busy schedule. You can get noticeable, meaningful results in as little as 5 hours per week.

But, don’t be fooled. Roadmap to Industry is a serious investment, and you need to carefully consider it before deciding if this is the right fit for you. This isn’t just one of the dime-a-dozen “coaching” services clogging up your Instagram feed. You need a hell of a lot more than a cell phone and a PharmD after your name to effectively help people transition into a career in the pharmaceutical industry. You need a proven system that actually works. Roadmap to Industry is loaded with advanced material but provides the tools and support you need to implement them. It’s simple, but it’s not easy.

• Roadmap to Industry is not a meet-and-greet mastermind. This isn’t the place for casual, “feel-good” job seekers looking for validation. This program is for folks that are serious about learning the strategies required to get into the pharmaceutical industry

• Roadmap to Industry is not a “How to Polish Your CV” video course. It’s a 8-week cohort with weekly meetings, homework assignments, and direct interaction with AnnMarie and the tl;dr team. We don’t just send you a 50-page PDF of random interview questions and say “Good Luck!”. You’ll learn high-impact strategies that will make a difference in your pursuit of an industry career. We only allow a maximum of 4 people to join each cohort in order to ensure everyone gets the individualized attention they deserve

• Roadmap to Industry is not a magic fix. We can teach you strategies until the cows come home, but we can’t go out into the world to network and send in job applications for you. You have to put work in if you want results. If you’re just looking to throw money at a problem and magically end up with a solution, this is not the program for you

What’s Included with Roadmap to Industry?

• Live and recorded access to weekly group sessions

• Individualized SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis to determine the best pathway to industry based on your unique interests and skills

• A full suite of downloadable resume, cover letter, and interview prep resources

• Complete guides on networking and researching a pharma company

• Personal review and feedback of your CV and Cover Letter

• Interview presentation prep and review session

• One-on-one mock interview

Participation in Roadmap to Industry costs $2,500.

We’re tentatively planning our next cohort to start in early February 2024. If you’re interested in finding out more, request a spot below.

We limit the enrollment of each cohort to a maximum of 4 people. This program is a considerable investment from both your standpoint and ours. We are investing significant time and resources to ensure Roadmap to Industry is top-notch. We wouldn’t even offer it to you if we didn’t think it was the best resource available to propel you forward in your career.

If you’re interested (and available) for the next cohort, request a slot here.

And we’ll be in touch with more information.

“What if my availability changes or the program isn’t for me?”

Look, we get it. Life happens. Family emergencies spring up. Or maybe you decide early on that Roadmap to Industry is too much work for you. Or maybe a team of Decepticons has come down from Cybertron with plans to take over the earth, and you’ve decided to join the resistance to fight them (thank you for your service, by the way).

We’ll give you a full, 100%, no questions asked refund (we’ll even eat the credit card processing fees)…up to the point of you attending two group meetings.

If you’ve attended 3 or more group meetings, your refund will be prorated based on how far you’ve gotten in the program.

That means, you can get through a third of Roadmap to Industry, including all the resources and guides that we provide, completely risk free.

Important: Read this before you join

Roadmap to Industry is not a “casual” program. It’s not for people looking to dip their toe in the water.

I’ll be straight with you…if you’re not sure whether you should join or not, then you should not join.

If you’re reading this, and you’ve followed tl;dr for a while, you know that we can help you. We’ve been putting stuff out into the world since 2016. We’ve helped tens of thousands of people pass the NAPLEX, the MPJE, or land a residency. Our antibiotic cheat sheet (which we give away for free) has been downloaded by over 50,000 people.

The one thread that has tied together everything we do at tl;dr is a relentless (let’s be honest, obsessive) pursuit of quality. Our first priority is to make useful things and to help people.

Unlike a lot of folks out there, every single one of us at tl;dr still practices pharmacy or is otherwise employed. There’s a big upshot to this…we aren’t relying on Roadmap to Industry sales to pay our mortgage. Our goal by offering this program isn’t to “maximize revenue.” I assure you, if it was, we would NOT be capping enrollment at 4 people.

We’re offering Roadmap to Industry because we genuinely believe that a career in the pharmaceutical industry is one of the more flexible and fulfilling paths a pharmacist can take right now…and we want to help people take the leap. But this is not a cupcake, cookie-cutter program. We will be spending a considerable amount of our limited time and energy, and we want to work with people that are serious and ready to dive in.

There is a premium price tag on Roadmap to Industry for the simple reason that we are investing 6 full weeks (at a minimum) for every person that joins. There is no other way to get direct, one-on-one mentoring from anyone on the tl;dr team. What you learn in Roadmap to Industry can be carried with you for your entire career.

What will the next 1, 2, 5 years of your life look like with a career that challenges and inspires you? How much better will you be as a friend/spouse/cat-mom when you don’t come home completely drained from yet another 15-hour shift?

The next 6 weeks are going to pass by whether you join Roadmap to Industry or not. Do you want to be stuck in the same place that you currently are, or on your way to something better?

We’ll see you inside…