How to hire a pharmacist clerk

How to hire a pharmacist clerk, step by step

Here's a step-by-step pharmacist clerk hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a pharmacist clerk job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new pharmacist clerk
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a pharmacist clerk do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a pharmacist clerk, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect pharmacist clerk also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of pharmacist clerk salaries for various roles:

   Type of Pharmacist Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Pharmacist Clerk		$12-19
   Clerk	Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies... Show more	$11-18
   Certified Pharmacist Technician	A certified pharmacist technician is responsible for assisting patients by providing medicines based on their needs or their physicians' prescriptions. Certified pharmacist technicians must be able to supply the correct medications, including the right dosage to patients... Show more	$12-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • HIPAA
   • Basic Math
   • Allergies
   • Math
   • Customer Service
   • Computer System
   • Cleanliness
   • Nursing Home
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Telephone Calls
   • Home Health
   • Chemotherapy
   • Data Entry

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage assigned pharmacy workstations and tasks while supporting team members in promptly, safely and accurately filling patient prescriptions.
   • Operate cash register, provide excellent customer service, maintain store cleanliness, help file papers/prescriptions
   • Master customer satisfaction by assisting customers and maintaining patient confidentiality according to HIPAA and company standards.
   • Provide excellent customer service by assisting patients with pickups, transactions, and consultations regarding their medications.
   • Operate with PYXIS, OMNICELL, PHARMOGISTICS, on daily basis.
   • Receive drug and iv orders from local distributor.

   More pharmacist clerk duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your pharmacist clerk job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A pharmacist clerk salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, pharmacist clerks' average salary in north carolina is 26% less than in maine.
   • Seniority. Entry-level pharmacist clerks earn 39% less than senior-level pharmacist clerks.
   • Certifications. A pharmacist clerk with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a pharmacist clerk's salary.

   Average pharmacist clerk salary

   $15.72hourly

   $32,705 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level pharmacist clerk salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average pharmacist clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$37,854	$18
   2	Connecticut	$37,107	$18
   3	California	$37,065	$18
   4	Vermont	$36,936	$18
   5	Oregon	$35,525	$17
   6	New Jersey	$35,120	$17
   7	Wisconsin	$34,842	$17
   8	Michigan	$34,389	$17
   9	Indiana	$33,895	$16
   10	Kansas	$33,816	$16
   11	Pennsylvania	$33,565	$16
   12	New York	$33,302	$16
   13	Arizona	$30,690	$15

   Average pharmacist clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	SSM Health	$37,781	$18.16	39
   2	JPS Health Network	$36,142	$17.38	9
   3	NTT Data International L.L.C.	$36,004	$17.31
   4	Cardinal Health	$35,936	$17.28	235
   5	McKesson	$35,712	$17.17	9
   6	Kaiser Permanente	$35,598	$17.11	152
   7	Asante	$35,268	$16.96
   8	The State of Oregon	$34,885	$16.77
   9	AmerisourceBergen	$34,603	$16.64
   10	Health Catalyst	$34,433	$16.55
   11	Orsini Specialty Pharmacy	$34,338	$16.51	2
   12	Mount Nittany Medical Center	$34,150	$16.42	9
   13	Maxor National Pharmacy Services	$33,971	$16.33	53
   14	CVS Health	$33,839	$16.27	7,727
   15	CAPS	$33,654	$16.18
   16	Catholic Health Initiatives - Colorado	$33,654	$16.18	30
   17	Samaritan Health Services Inc	$33,597	$16.15	10
   18	B. Braun Medical	$33,433	$16.07
   19	Psg	$33,250	$15.99	6
   20	Truepill	$33,148	$15.94	3

4. Writing a pharmacist clerk job description

   A pharmacist clerk job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a pharmacist clerk job description:

   Pharmacist clerk job description example

   CVS Health has an opportunity to welcome a new member to the Pharmacy Operations Team in Indianapolis, IN. The Shipping Tech will partner closely with the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians to coordinate, assemble and package customer orders for shipment. The Shipping Tech will also assist with stocking supplies and other tasks associated with the department. With opportunity for growth, this is a great position to transition into if you enjoy being on your feet and working in a team-oriented environment.
   Pay Range
   
   The typical pay range for this role is:
   
   Minimum: 15.00
   
   Maximum: 17.25
   
   Please keep in mind that this range represents the pay range for all positions in the job grade within which this position falls. The actual salary offer will take into account a wide range of factors, including location.
   
   Required Qualifications
   
   • Ability to read, write and understand English • Must have a good understanding of U.S. geography (location of states)• Must possess ability to apply basic mathematical concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to daily inventory and distribution processes• Requires the ability to interpret and apply policies, procedures, and instructions• Excellent organizational skills, ability to prioritize, and to manage time efficiently • Must be able to stand, walk and lift for up to ten hours daily• Ability to reach, twist, turn, bend, stoop and walk
   
   Preferred Qualifications
   
   Previous experience in a pharmacy environment
   
   Education
   
   High school diploma or equivalent
   
   Business Overview
   
   Bring your heart to CVS HealthEvery one of us at CVS Health shares a single, clear purpose: Bringing our heart to every moment of your health. This purpose guides our commitment to deliver enhanced human-centric health care for a rapidly changing world. Anchored in our brand - with heart at its center - our purpose sends a personal message that how we deliver our services is just as important as what we deliver.Our Heart At Work Behaviors™ support this purpose. We want everyone who works at CVS Health to feel empowered by the role they play in transforming our culture and accelerating our ability to innovate and deliver solutions to make health care more personal, convenient and affordable. We strive to promote and sustain a culture of diversity, inclusion and belonging every day. CVS Health is an affirmative action employer, and is an equal opportunity employer, as are the physician-owned businesses for which CVS Health provides management services. We do not discriminate in recruiting, hiring, promotion, or any other personnel action based on race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find pharmacist clerks for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any pharmacist clerks they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level pharmacist clerks with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your pharmacist clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit pharmacist clerk candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting pharmacist clerks requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new pharmacist clerk

   Once you've decided on a perfect pharmacist clerk candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new pharmacist clerk. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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