Table of contents
- Pharmacy technician resume examples
- More pharmacy technician resume examples
- Choose the right resume format for your pharmacy technician resume
- How to write a pharmacy technician resume in 5 simple steps
- Add a cover letter
- Key takeaways for your pharmacy technician resume
- Commonly asked question about resume writing
Pharmacy technician resume examples
What makes this a great pharmacy technician resume sample?
It’s simple
This resume lays out the candidate’s information in several clearly labeled sections that are easy to scan and clear to read.It’s functional
This candidate has internship experience, but no experience as a pharmacy technician. As such, this resume places more emphasis on skills than experience.It uses active language
Instead of repetitive resume filler words like “responsible for,” this resum uses energetic verbs that convey the applicant’s impact.
What makes this a great pharmacy technician resume sample?
It’s chronological
This candidate is very experienced, so it makes sense for her to lay out her work history in reverse-chronological order. Telling the story of her career is the focus of her resume because her experience is her greatest asset.It uses numbers
Numerical data makes achievements feel more real. Including numbers provides extra context and credibility to the candidate’s achievements.It includes soft skills
Experienced candidates sometimes make the mistake of setting soft skills aside in favor of technical skills and experience. This candidate’s leadership and patient counseling abilities are just as important as her pharmaceutical knowledge.
Choose the right resume format for your pharmacy technician resume
To land the job you want, you need to get the right information in front of a recruiter. How do you accomplish that? By selecting the right resume format.
Visit our guide to learn more about how to format a resume to highlight your candidacy.
Select an appropriate pharmacy technician resume template
While every resume template will have the same basic sections — a professional summary or resume objective, skills, work history and education — you can customize the look and feel of your resume by selecting the right template.
While creative resume templates are a good way for professionals applying to artistic careers to stand out, as a pharmacy technician, you’ll want a template that conveys professionalism. For that, we suggest trying a modern resume template.
How to write a pharmacy technician resume in 5 simple steps
While there are some basic rules for writing a great resume, top candidates for competitive pharmacy technician jobs know that writing a resume that is specific to the industry and the role they seek is the key to getting noticed.
Let’s find out how to do just that.
STEP 1
Study the pharmacy technician job description
A well-written pharmacy technician resume should be customized to target the specific position that you’re after. Let’s dive into how to use the job listing to your advantage!
Many employers run resumes through applicant tracking systems (ATS) that screen out unqualified candidates based on preset keywords. ATS screens out candidates whose resumes don’t contain the keywords that the organization is looking for. Without those keywords, your resume might be eliminated before a human ever even sees it. To make your resume ATS-friendly, knowing how to use keywords is a must.
Don’t worry — it’s easier than it sounds.
While every pharmacy technician role is different, you can easily find out what the position is looking for by reading the job ad and paying attention to the words that they use to describe their ideal candidate’s qualifications.
For example, if the job description for the pharmacy technician role you seek asks for a customer service-oriented technician with experience processing insurance and utilizing insurance processing software, you’ll want to be sure to highlight each one of those skills on your resume.
Just be sure not to lie. Emphasize the qualifications that you have which align with their expectations and you’ll be conquering their ATS in no time!
STEP 2
Write a professional summary or resume objective
Depending on your level of experience, your pharmacy technician resume should include either a professional summary or a resume objective to start. Think of this section as your resume profile, where you provide potential employers with a summary of your most relevant skills and experience and some professional highlights.
Candidates with less experience should choose a resume objective, which states your transferable skills and your career goals. Applicants with several years of relevant pharmacy experience should choose a professional summary, which outlines your skills and experience and highlights some of your most notable professional accomplishments.
Here are some strong examples for your pharmacy technician resume:
Pharmacy technician professional summary example:
Experienced and highly skilled pharmacy technician with nine years of proven expertise in efficiently supporting pharmaceutical operations. Diligent and detail-oriented, with a comprehensive understanding of medication dispensing, prescription processing and medication inventory management. Proficient in pharmaceutical calculations and adept at adhering to all relevant laws, regulations and safety protocols. Extensive knowledge of medical terminology and insurance processing, ensuring accurate communication and seamless coordination with health care professionals and patients alike. Track record of delivering exceptional patient counseling. Excels at providing clear instructions on medication usage, potential side effects and interactions. Eager to contribute to community health and wellness through collaboration with a passionate pharmaceutical team.
Pharmacy technician resume objective example:
Enthusiastic and motivated recent graduate seeking an entry-level pharmacy technician position. Eager to apply theoretical knowledge and educational background in pharmacy technology to contribute to a dynamic health care team. Committed to upholding the highest standards of accuracy, efficiency and patient care. Possess strong organizational skills and attention to detail, ensuring precise medication dispensing and prescription processing. A quick learner with excellent communication abilities, eager to gain hands-on experience in medication inventory management and patient counseling. Excited to embark on a rewarding career in pharmacy and make a positive impact on the well-being of patients while continuously enhancing skills and knowledge in the field.
STEP 3
Highlight your most relevant pharmacy technician skills
Regardless of your experience level, hiring managers will be looking closely at the pharmacy technician resume skills you list. Skills for a pharmacy technician resume should be added to your resume skills section and peppered into your professional summary (or resume objective) and your work experience section.
It’s critical that you provide employers with a solid mix of hard and soft skills. Hard skills are the measurable skills needed to perform a job. These skills are easily taught in a classroom. Soft skills, on the other hand, are nontechnical, making them difficult to measure. They are behaviors and personality traits that help you do your job well. Below, we provide a side-by-side list of hard and soft skills to help you see the difference between the two.
Hard and soft skills for a pharmacy technician resume
Here is an example of a strong pharmacy technician skills section:
- Experienced in medication dispensing and insurance processing
- Empathetic and customer service driven
- Skilled at performing pharmaceutical calculations
- Extensive knowledge of pharmacy law and regulations
Pro Tip
Your technical knowledge might seem more important, but don’t neglect your soft skills. Handling patients with empathy and effective communication is just as vital as performing calculations or managing inventories.
STEP 4
Write a strong pharmacy technician work experience section
While the required background and experience will be different for each role, the key to getting noticed is writing a work experience section that demonstrates what you will bring to the table.
Here is an example of a great pharmacy technician work experience entry:
Pharmacy Technician, Laurel Family Pharmacy
Butte, MT
January 2019 – Present
- Dispense medications accurately for an average of 150 patients daily.
- Process and manage prescription orders using pharmacy software systems.
- Assist in maintaining inventory, ensuring proper stock levels of essential medications, resulting in a 35% reduction in inventory record-keeping errors.
- Counsel patients on medication usage, potential side effects and interactions.
- Collaborate with pharmacists and health care professionals to optimize patient care.
- Provide exceptional customer service, addressing patient inquiries and concerns.
- Prepare and package specialized medications and compounded prescriptions under sterile conditions.
- Manage adverse reaction reporting, identifying and responding to potential drug interactions.
- Ensure compliance with pharmacy regulations and safety protocols.
Pro Tip
Make your pharmacy technician credentials pop by using action words along with numerical data and metrics to capture the attention of a hiring manager.
STEP 5
Showcase your education and training on your pharmacy technician resume
To be hired as a pharmacy technician, you’ll need to show employers that you have the required education and training. While most pharmacy technician roles require a high school diploma, some vocational training or further education may be required.
How to list your pharmacy technician education:
Education
High School Diploma
West Mountainview High School, Billings, MT
Certifications
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE)
Pro Tip
Depending on the role and the state, pharmacy technicians may be required to pass a certification exam. Even if this is not the case, certifications can be a great way to demonstrate your expertise. List them under education or in their own special section at your discretion.
Optional sections for your pharmacy technician resume
Awards and certifications
Add accolades to your resume to show off your abilities, achievements and qualifications. Awards emphasize exceptional performance or leadership, whereas certifications offer hard evidence of your expertise and abilities in a specific domain.
Including certificates and awards on your resume sets you apart from other contenders. They tell the employer you are truly dedicated to your field and capable of making significant contributions to their organization — ultimately increasing your chances of landing the job.
How to list awards on your pharmacy technician resume:
2021 Clover Valley Pharmacy Employee of the Year – Awarded in recognition of commitment to customer service.
Projects
Projects are a great addition to your resume because they show you’re capable of applying theoretical knowledge. It’s one thing to learn something in class — it’s another thing to put the ideas into practice.
Projects are also a tangible demonstration of the types of skills — from problem-solving and time management to teamwork and leadership — that are valuable to employers. Not only that but also a relevant project can highlight your long-standing passion and expertise in a given subject.
How to list projects on your pharmacy technician resume:
-
Medication Safety Enhancement Project:
Collaborated with the pharmacy team to review and implement updated safety protocols, focusing on minimizing medication errors and adverse drug reactions. Assisted in the development of new procedures for double-checking high-risk medications, resulting in a 20% reduction in dispensing errors over a six-month period. -
Prescription Order Process Optimization:
Led a project to streamline the prescription order processing system by implementing barcode scanning technology and integrating it with the pharmacy software. This initiative reduced processing time by 30%, improving overall efficiency and ensuring accurate medication dispensing for patients. -
Inventory Management System Enhancement:
Played a key role in enhancing the pharmacy’s inventory management system by introducing a real-time tracking mechanism. This project improved medication stock levels, resulting in a 15% reduction in expired medications and minimized supply shortages.
Languages
Languages give you a chance to showcase your cultural awareness and adaptability, two qualities highly prized in today’s globalized job market. Being multilingual also expands your communication abilities, giving you access to a wider variety of clients, customers and stakeholders, opening the door to potential international opportunities.
Additionally, knowing multiple languages suggests you have impressive mental agility and determination. Ultimately, all else being equal, if a job opening comes down to two candidates and one of them lists multiple languages on their resume, the multilingual candidate will be more attractive to the employer.
How to list languages on your pharmacy technician resume:
- Fluent in Spanish and English
- Proficient in Urdu
Interests and hobbies
Adding hobbies to your resume is appropriate only if they’re relevant to the job. They give you the opportunity to show your personality and meaningfully connect with a potential employer. Plus, they emphasize your transferable skills, like creativity or leadership — qualities you take from job to job.
Finally, hobbies and interests can demonstrate whether you’re the right culture fit for a company. They enrich your overall profile, showing the employer how you are a unique and fully defined person.
How to list interests and hobbies on your pharmacy technician resume:
- Passion for physical fitness
- Volunteer mindfulness meditation instructor
- Enthusiastic amateur baker
Add a cover letter
Adding a pharmacy technician cover letter to your application can help you stand out. Why? Because it gives you extra space to convince the employer that you’re the right person for the job.
Learning how to write a cover letter is easier than it sounds and can be key to a job-winning resume strategy. Use your cover letter to add context to your resume and persuade employers that the experience on your resume applies to their needs. Study our cover letter examples to learn how to express your unique candidacy in a compelling way and how to format your cover letter for success.
Or, if you want a job-specific cover letter in a matter of minutes, use our professional Cover Letter Builder, which offers professionally written text suggestions for every section. Use the wording as-is or customize it to suit your needs.
Hailey Brophy is an experienced writer with a diverse career in digital publication. She is passionate about using her unique skills and experiences to help job seekers find the information that they need to succeed.