Pharmacist Resume Skills: Top Examples, Tips, and Keywords

Use a simple, clean format that highlights your skills and experiences. Focus on readability by using bullet points and short phrases to present your skills. Properly organize your resume into education, experience, and skills sections.

“Adding a skills section to your resume is a great way to draw the recruiter’s attention to your most relevant strengths and competencies.”

– Ashley Watkins, NCRW, NCOPE, Job Search Coach

For example, pharmacist resume bullet points might look like this:

• Reduced medication errors by 10% through the development and implementation of a standardized double-check process for high-risk medications.
• Increased flu vaccination rates by 20% during the annual campaign by organizing on-site clinics and conducting community outreach initiatives.
• Resolved 95% of patient insurance issues efficiently and effectively, ensuring timely access to necessary medications and improving patient satisfaction scores.
• Decreased prescription processing time by 5% by streamlining workflow procedures and optimizing the pharmacy dispensing system.
• Contributed to a 5% increase in positive patient satisfaction survey scores by consistently providing comprehensive medication counseling and addressing patient concerns promptly.
• Generated $5,000 in additional revenue within three months by identifying opportunities for over-the-counter product recommendations based on patient profiles and needs.
• Successfully managed and reconciled $100,000+ in pharmaceutical inventory, maintaining 99.9% accuracy and minimizing waste due to expired medications.

Hitting all the top job requirements with your skills list will help you rank highly for a keyword search within an applicant tracking system. But don’t stop there. Add context for every skill elsewhere in your work experience.

If a recruiter is excited by your customer service skills, for example, the first thing they’ll do is skim your work experience to figure out when, how, and how much you used that skill.

As you list your responsibilities, it’s also important to highlight your specific achievements wherever you can.

“For soft skills, it’s often more effective to demonstrate them in the context of your past work experience. Instead of merely stating “excellent team player”, you are better off saying “collaborated with a cross-functional team of 6 on a new product launch that boosted sales by 30% in one year”. Examples of specific accomplishments or business outcomes speak louder than buzzwords.”

– Ana Lokotkova, Career Coach and Advisor

For example, if you increased sales, be sure to mention that accomplishment.

Instead of saying,

“Responsible for dispensing medications.”

You could say,

“Accurately dispensed an average of 150 prescriptions daily while maintaining a 0.05% error rate, ensuring patient safety and efficient workflow.”

This demonstrates your level of expertise with the skills you listed. It gives the recruiter more reason to be interested in you as a result.

If you’re applying for a role requiring a broad skillset, categorize your skills.

“If you opt to include a designated skills section on your resume, include up to 10 of your core competencies. Excessive skills lists are overwhelming and sometimes confusing to the reader.”

– Kelli Hrivnak, Marketing and Tech Recruiter

For example, someone applying for a role as a pharmacist might benefit from segmenting their skill lists as follows:

• Pharmaceutical Knowledge
  • Pharmacology
  • Medication Therapy Management
  • Immunization Administration
  • Regulatory Compliance
• Patient Care
  • Patient Education
  • Medication Reconciliation
  • Collaboration
  • Compassion
  • Communication
  • Patient Safety Advocacy
• Professional & Administrative Skills
  • Problem-Solving
  • Organization
  • Professionalism
  • Collaboration

Use numbers to quantify your accomplishments wherever possible. This helps potential employers understand your abilities and the impact you can have on their organization.

“Recruiters and hiring managers are looking for relevancy of how and when you applied those skills, so provide examples of this in your experience section. Bonus tip: Don’t just insert the skill like a task–include results.”

– Kelli Hrivnak, Marketing and Tech Recruiter

Instead of saying,

“Managed pharmacy inventory.”

You could say,

“Managed and maintained a $75,000 pharmaceutical inventory, conducting regular audits to minimize discrepancies and reduce potential waste.”

By using numbers, you give hiring managers a better sense of your value.

Read the description carefully and emphasize the relevant skills and experiences. Highlight the skills that the employer seeks and provide examples of how you’ve used those skills in your previous roles. Doing so can demonstrate that you’re a strong fit for the position and increase your chances of being invited to an interview.

“The ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach doesn’t work when it comes to your resume. For every job application, tailor your skill set to match the job description. Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that filter candidates based on keywords and skills listed in the job description. So, research the role you’re applying for and distill the skills required.”

– Ana Lokotkova, Career Coach and Advisor

In order to do this, “you must first understand what skills are most important for the target role,” says Ashley Watkins.

Sample job description

We are seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Pharmacist to provide exceptional patient care, accurately dispense medications, and ensure compliance with pharmacy regulations. Responsibilities include verifying prescriptions, dispensing medications, providing patient counseling, managing inventory, and collaborating with healthcare professionals. Proficiency in pharmacy dispensing software, knowledge of relevant legislation, and strong communication skills are essential.

Tailored resume description:

• Accurately verified and dispensed an average of 100+ prescriptions daily, maintaining strict adherence to state and federal regulations.
• Provided comprehensive medication counseling to an average of 15 patients daily, addressing potential drug interactions, side effects, and proper usage, contributing to improved patient care.
• Managed and reconciled a $50,000+ pharmaceutical inventory, utilizing [Inventory Management System] to optimize stock levels and minimize expired medications, resulting in a 10% reduction in waste.
• Collaborated effectively with 3 physicians and other healthcare professionals to clarify prescriptions and address patient needs, ensuring seamless and safe patient care.
• Successfully administered over 200 immunizations during the flu season, meticulously documenting patient records and adhering to established protocols.

“Focus on the sought-after and in demand skills. A great way to figure out what is currently in demand is by researching current job openings from your preferred companies and reading through the posting. Pay close attention to the preferred requirements section and build your skills section based on this list.”

– Chelsea Jay, Career & Leadership Development Coach – Seasoned and Growing

Start each bullet point with an action verb. An action verb expresses an action, such as “create,” “build,” “manage,” “lead,” or “implement.”

Action verbs grab the reader’s attention and paint a vivid picture of what you accomplished at work.

Action verbs make your resume more interesting to read. They also show the kind of can-do attitude that employers are looking for.