About salary and moving for a full time job....

[stephanie1206]

Hi,

I am newly qualified pharmacist and l live in london at the moment. l know its very competitive to get a full time jobs in london so l am ready to relocate if needed. I ve got a job offered for 38K/year in Crewkerne/ somerset. Its a new pharmacy (due to open next month or two) located in health centre with doctor surgery ( thery are in partnership).

Do u think its a fair salary? Do u think l should go for it and take the job? l have never been to Crewkerne, does anyone know this area and what is the area like?
Do u think its a good opportunity to work in a brand new pharmacy as a newly qualified pharmacist?

I am so confused now coz l will have to live alone in a place that l ve never been. I dont drive as well.

what should l doooooo

Thank you

[johnep]

Go for it, good experience. look for digs/room/flat as near as possible and start driving lessons. Get a bike/motor cycle to start as can drive around on a provisional. I started with an old BSA 125cc and then got a Lambretta. Find out about local Pharmacy branch/LPF. You will soon make friends. perhaps marry one of the Drs daughters/sons to get really established.
johnep

[stephanie1206]

Thanks for your advice, johnep.

[zakkaz]

Haha, I wouldn't go recommending a motorbike to someone who hasn't driven a car!

Sounds like a tough call. Do you have friends or family in other parts of the country where you could relocate? Sounds daunting for a newly qualified to jump into a contractual job in a new place knowing absolutely no one, but hey you're braver than me.

Perhaps check forums in the area to see what it's like?

The salary...depends? Company? Staff? Items? Addicts? Holidays, sick pay? Pension? Personal development? Obviously these would be projected, but what they looking at?

If it's next to a surgery, and in an area of demand like yours is, I would be inclined in commanding more

[johnep]

I could not afford a car. Learnt to drive and passed. When tried to hire a car told had to have licence for a year. This ensured that when I was able to hire, had not driven a car since the test over a year earlier. Most lads started with a motor bike, mine cost £10. When I started teaching in Essex I bought a Lambretta (£192) on HP.
johnep

[Merlyn]

I could not afford a car. Learnt to drive and passed. When tried to hire a car told had to have licence for a year. This ensured that when I was able to hire, had not driven a car since the test over a year earlier. Most lads started with a motor bike, mine cost £10. When I started teaching in Essex I bought a Lambretta (£192) on HP.
johnep

Just for the record, you can't drive a motorbike with a car licence. Motorbike test is quite complex. I THINK you have to pass theory test before you can drive at all. Certainly, John, it's not like it was in our day.

Crewkerne, as I recall it is a pleasant town in a nice area. I should think it's a good place to live. If you're inside the surgery premises, you should at least have some work colleagues to start making friends.

It is difficult though, going somewhere new absolutely cold.

No-one though, is going to bite!

[hibernia]

It is difficult though, going somewhere new absolutely cold.

It is difficult, especially if you aren't very outgoing and if public transport is poor learning to drive and getting wheels will have to be a priority.
On the other hand it isn't all bad. You start with a clean sheet. You can be whoever you want to be, which means that often for the first time you can just be yourself.

[Merlyn]

Crewkerne isn't that big, so you ought to be able to get somewhere close enough to at least be able to cycle to work (healthy option!). Accommodation shouldn't, I would have thought be too expensive, either. Take it you're not managing the place? If so, newly qualified I would think the salary's OK.

Wouldn't advise managing at this stage. There could be some quite big egos to deal with.


PS. Just had a look at the HC website. They're asking quite a lot of a newly qualified if on their own.

[stephanie1206]

thank you for all the advices above. l just received a call this morning for a second interview. I wont be the manager as there will be a superintendent pharmacist (more experience), a part time pharmacist, possibly three dispensers and three assisstants all together. my post/role would be support pharmacist. the shop is not opened till next two months, so l am not sure what services l will need to provide. They asked if l was accredited for MUR which l did. They didnt mention about addicts/methadone.

There is no public transport. A £10-motor bike is really cheap! Driving a motor bike would be an option but l think l need to do a theory test? l want to find somewhere close to the pharmacy so at least l can cycle to work then get a driving license, but so far l havent find anywhere yet.

I asked for 45K but she said it was too high for a newly qualified pharmacist. The other problem is that l have been told l wont get any bonus until the business develops. Well, positive things are 5 weeks hoiidays paid, GPhC free paid, C+D CPD paid.

l still dont know if l should move as its such a big decision. my family and friends mostly in london, cambridge, nottinghom which means l will be on my own in Crewkerne-.- but like Johney said, its good experience. l will definitly go for 2nd interview and check out Crewkerne area.

[greenmonkey]

Good luck Stephanie xxx