BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasPharmacy Aides

O*NET · 31-9095.00

Pharmacy Aides

Record drugs delivered to the pharmacy, store incoming merchandise, and inform the supervisor of stock needs. May operate cash register and accept prescriptions for filling.

Also called Certified Pharmacist Assistant · Drug Clerk · Front Counter Clerk · Pharmaceutical Assistant · Pharmacist Aide · Pharmacist Assistant · Pharmacist Helper · Pharmacy Ancillary
10 more

Pharmacy Assistant · Pharmacy Care Rep · Pharmacy Care Rep (Pharmacy Care Representative) · Pharmacy Cashier · Pharmacy Clerk · Pharmacy Helper · Pharmacy Intern · Pharmacy Support Person (PSP) · Prescription Clerk · PSP

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code CER35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Postal Service Clerks

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

CERConventional · Enterprising · Realistic — the three strongest interests, in order

  • C Conventional6.79
  • E Enterprising3.84
  • R Realistic3.75
  • S Social3.11
  • I Investigative1.57
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma15%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent61%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate18%
  • Some College Courses6%
Related work experience
None (58%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (59%)
On-the-job training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (46%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Active Listeningbasic3.53.0Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Service Orientation3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site
  • Speakingbasic3.42.9Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Social Perceptiveness3.32.9Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Coordination3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.02.3Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Active Learningbasic2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Monitoringbasic2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Writingbasic2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Complex Problem Solving2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
Show the other 23

Tasks

17 core

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Answer telephone inquiries, referring callers to pharmacist when necessary.4.8
  2. Process medical insurance claims, posting bill amounts and calculating copayments.4.8
  3. Prepare prescription labels by typing or operating a computer and printer.4.7
  4. Operate cash register to process cash or credit sales.4.5
  5. Prepare, maintain, and record records of inventories, receipts, purchases, or deliveries, using a variety of computer screen formats.4.5
  6. Accept prescriptions for filling, gathering and processing necessary information.4.4
  7. Receive, store, and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for out-of-date medications, and notify pharmacist when inventory levels are low.4.4
  8. Perform clerical tasks, such as filing, compiling and maintaining prescription records, or composing letters.4.2
  9. Maintain and clean equipment, work areas, or shelves.4.2
  10. Calculate anticipated drug usage for a prescribed period.4.2
  11. Greet customers and help them locate merchandise.4.1
  12. Unpack, sort, count, and label incoming merchandise, including items requiring special handling or refrigeration.4.1
Show the other 5
  1. Restock storage areas, replenishing items on shelves.4.1
  2. Compound, package, and label pharmaceutical products, under direction of pharmacist.4.0
  3. Provide customers with information about the uses, effects, or interactions of drugs.3.8
  4. Operate capsule or tablet counting machine that automatically distributes a certain number of capsules or tablets into smaller containers.3.4
  5. Deliver medication to treatment areas, living units, residences, or clinics, using various means of transportation.3.1

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service4.84.5Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • English Language3.42.5Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Administrative3.12.8
  • Sales and Marketing3.02.0Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Administration and Management2.92.1Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Law and Government2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Prepare documents and title papers for the purchase of a new house
  • Mathematics2.92.2Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Medicine and Dentistry2.62.5Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
Show all 33
  • Public Safety and Security2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Computers and Electronics2.32.5Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Communications and Media2.22.0Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Economics and Accounting2.21.2Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Telecommunications2.11.0Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Education and Training2.02.1Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
  • Production and Processing1.91.6Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Mechanical1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Psychology1.71.7Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Therapy and Counseling1.71.6Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Chemistry1.61.4Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Geography1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Philosophy and Theology1.50.9Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Foreign Language1.40.7Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Biology1.3—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.3—
  • Transportation1.3—
  • Building and Construction1.2—
  • Design1.2—
  • Physics1.2—
  • Engineering and Technology1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.0—
  • Food Production1.0—
  • History and Archeology1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Comprehension4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Speech Clarity3.53.0Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Near Vision3.43.6
  • Speech Recognition3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Problem Sensitivity3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Written Comprehension3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Information Ordering3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
Show all 52
  • Category Flexibility3.02.8Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Deductive Reasoning3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Finger Dexterity3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Written Expression3.02.8
  • Far Vision2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.92.3Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Perceptual Speed2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Inductive Reasoning2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Trunk Strength2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Number Facility2.62.3Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Selective Attention2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Time Sharing2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to music while entering numbers into a spreadsheet
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Flexibility of Closure2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Manual Dexterity2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Screw a light bulb into a light socket
  • Multilimb Coordination2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Dynamic Strength2.11.3Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Extent Flexibility2.12.4Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Stamina2.11.4Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Static Strength2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Visualization2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Auditory Attention2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Depth Perception2.01.3Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Memorization2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Control Precision1.91.4Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Fluency of Ideas1.91.8Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Gross Body Coordination1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Originality1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Speed of Closure1.91.8
  • Hearing Sensitivity1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.80.9
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.60.8
  • Reaction Time1.60.6
  • Response Orientation1.61.0Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Rate Control1.50.5Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.40.4
  • Spatial Orientation1.40.4
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.3—
  • Explosive Strength1.0—
  • Glare Sensitivity1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—
  • Peripheral Vision1.0—
  • Sound Localization1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Getting Information4.92.5Level 1 looks like: Follow a standard blueprint
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.64.4Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Processing Information4.64.0Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Working with Computers4.64.2Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Assisting and Caring for Others4.54.4Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Documenting/Recording Information4.44.7Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.33.4Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.34.8Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
Show all 41
  • Analyzing Data or Information4.23.7Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.23.9Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.04.3Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others4.03.4Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.83.7Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.84.1Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.83.0Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.73.7Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.64.2Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.54.3Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.44.6Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Training and Teaching Others3.33.0Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.22.6
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.92.4Level 1 looks like: Show a coworker how to operate a piece of equipment
  • Controlling Machines and Processes2.92.7
  • Developing and Building Teams2.92.3Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Thinking Creatively2.93.4Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Exchange information during a shift change
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.72.0Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.61.7Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People2.62.6
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials2.52.4Level 1 looks like: Check that doors to building are locked
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.52.0Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.90.8Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.81.8Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment1.71.6Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Scheduling Work and Activities1.71.0Level 1 looks like: Make appointments for patients using a predetermined schedule
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.51.1Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.1—
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment1.1—

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Telephone Conversations5.0
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.9
  • Contact With Others4.8
  • Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities4.7
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.6
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.4
  • Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People4.4
  • E-Mail4.4
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.4

Technology

7 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (2)

  • Microsoft Excelhot
  • Microsoft Office softwarehot

Hot (4; 2 more marked hot above)

  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (1)
  • Database software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Pharmacy Technicians
  2. Cashiers
  3. Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
  4. Medical Assistants
  5. Stockers and Order Fillers
  6. Receptionists and Information Clerks
  7. Opticians, Dispensing
  8. Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
  9. Phlebotomists
  10. Medical Equipment Preparers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

Closest occupations

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.