With increased student numbers, finding a pre-reg may be less difficult than in the past, but finding the right pre-reg for your pharmacy might be slightly more challenging.
To do this, in the same way that a trainee will need to sell themselves to you, the pharmacy will need to sell themselves to the trainee.
Here are our top tips to help you find the right trainee, many of which are parallel to our trainee tips.
Things to consider when recruiting:
- Start looking early - this will mean that you have a greater pool of trainees to choose from.
- Establish which skills the pre-reg must have, and which are desirable.
- Consider how the variety of service you provide, gives opportunity to your pre-reg that might not be available elsewhere.
- Will you provide any dedicated study time?
- What additional activities can you as a tutor or your pharmacy team expose the trainee to? E.g. LPCs, training evenings etc.
- Will you be enrolling the trainee on a pre-reg support programme?
- If so, which one?
- How is it funded?
- Will you provide travel expenses?
- Is it classed as working time or a day off? - Has the pharmacy had a GPhC inspection yet? Use any positive feedback to sell your pharmacy.
- Would you consider employing the trainee at the end of the year?
- Did you and your team feel a rapport with the potential trainee; can you imagine yourself working alongside the team?
- Consider offering a one day work trial. This can be used to help you decide between candidates as well as see the suitability of the applicant and how they react and respond to you, your team and your customers.
- What will you ask in an interview? Make sure you have a structured list of questions, considering:
- What experience of working in a pharmacy does the trainee have?
- What is the trainee's university attendance record like?
- What additional activities or responsibilities has the student undertaken; what does this tell you about them?
Make sure you find out as much as possible in interview and if you are undecided as yet on which pre-reg support programme to enrol them upon, take a look at what is offered in ours.
Also, remember, to look at our top tips for trainees so you are prepared for any of the considerations given within them.
Advertise your vacancy
List your vacancy now on our Jobs Board
View current Job Board adverts
Why not put a poster in your window advertising your vacancy? You can download our template and add your pharmacy contact details. The poster can also be printed as leaflet to hand out at career fairs.
If you are in Northern Ireland and would like the opportunity to develop a pre-reg trainee next year, Ulster and Belfast Universities will advise their trainees of any Numark placements.