Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I Think I Have a Case for Being the Ultimate Employee

(I sort of got the idea for this from Pharmacy Chick's post about The Perfect Technician)

I didn't say that I am the ultimate pharmacist. I'm far from that. I have a lot to learn in that area. However, I believe that I may be the ultimate employee. Let me explain:

1) I'm single and without kids. There's no outside drama in my life. I don't need to make time for a wife or girlfriend. I never NEED to be home on time. I can just about always stay late if necessary. I don't need certain days off during the week. I'm available pretty much at all times. If someone gets sick, I can be there to cover in less than an hour usually. I don't need advance notice. I don't need to run it by anyone.

2) I very rarely get sick. I get maybe one mild cold per year. In my entire working history, I've never had to call out of work sick. If I'm on the schedule, I will be there... absolutely guaranteed.

3) When I'm at work, I work. I don't bullshit. I'm not there to talk. I don't need 9,000 little breaks during the day. When I'm on the clock, I work hard the entire time. I have no desire to tell anyone about my days off. I don't make any personal phone calls unless it is an absolute emergency. I just work, which is a very foreign concept to a lot of people.

4) I'm not lazy. I don't do things half-assed. When I do something, I try my best to do it right. I never assume someone else will do it for me.

5) I don't shy away from difficult tasks. In fact, I'm always looking for opportunities to try to improve in areas I'm not particularly strong.

6) I don't think I'm too good for any task. At the pharmacy, I have no problem being at the register to help out when we're busy. I'll take the trash back to the dumpster. I simply do what needs to be done without being told and without trying to pull rank on anyone else.

7) I get along with all my coworkers, even the despicable ones. I don't give anyone a reason to talk shit about me behind my back, and even if they do, I don't care. I don't respond to it. I don't treat the other person any differently. I just go about my job because that's ultimately why I'm at work... to do a job. I put all personal feeling aside in the name of doing that job. I do not get involved in workplace drama.



Basically... I have nothing that interferes with doing my job. Throw in the fact that I feel incredibly fortunate to even have a job during such tough economic times, and you get the type of employee you just don't want to get rid of. That's basically my whole goal. I don't take my job for granted. There's this constant worry in the back of my mind that pharmacy jobs will start to dry up, and many pharmacists will be out of a job. I want to work harder and be more valuable than everyone else so that if and when it comes time to make cuts, I'll be one of the last people they'd think about giving the axe.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish I worked with you. We can't even get the other techs to take out the trash. And the pharmacists feel that register, drive thru, trash, and cleaning are "below" them. They like to watch me when I'm the only other person there with them try to answer the phone, help pick up, fill, type in new scripts, get the drive thru, and clean. Then they sit in their chair and eat their salads and have the nerve to say, "someone's at pick-up." Arrrrgh! I'm on the path to pharmacy school, and I hope I never treat my techs as badly as I get treated. I like how they say they went to school too long to do stuff like that. I remind them that I have a Master's degree, which is 6 years of education, so we're essentially equal and they need to get off their butts and HELP. It's ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

You are hired.

Anonymous said...

There is no possible way you could get pregnant?

Anonymous said...

# 1 reason is pretty depressing, sounds like you have nothing to live for except for work.

Pharmacy Mike said...

And #1 is precisely why I'm a perfect employee. I work. That's all I'm responsible for in my life.

I don't have outside obligations or committments. I'm not carting kids around to practices or attending school plays.

That's what makes me the ultimate worker. Family people can't contend with my flexibility. They can have their loving family life all they want. Quite simply, I have the ability to be more productive than anyone with a wife, girlfriend, kids, etc.

It sounds sad to you. I'm actually proud of it though. I'm the type of person you want to work with. I'm the type of person that makes it possible for everyone else to do all their activities with family and friends. When they need a day off, I'm there to cover. Everyone else can take their hundred mini breaks throughout the day because I'm working the entire time and picking up their slack. The only complaining I do is the occasional venting on this blog.

You may feel sorry for me, but if you worked with me, you really wouldn't want me to change. My lack of a life makes work easier for everyone else.

Anonymous said...

When I went to school we were always told that we had to do what the techs did and then some.

I can't stand the pharmacists that sit on the phone or goof off when there is work to be done and let the 1 tech do it all. As my dad always said when I didn't take out the trash. "Are your arms broken? Who are you waiting for to do this for you? Just do it yourself."

If we get all the work done together then there is time to goof off.

PharmerGirl said...

Mike,
I will make a job for you at my pharmacy. I too will empty trash, run the register, dust shelves, etc, it's my techs who are above it. I will do whatever needs to be done. The techs are the ones who have these power struggles about who runs register and who counts pills. For some reason counting pills is the glory job?!?!? I don't know but for me, I would much rather talk to customers than count pills.


Here's my stupid doctor (PA!) story... Rx for Albuterol MDI 4 puffs every 2 hours for shortness of breath)not PRN). When I called the clinic the nurse informed me that is what he wrote. Yes, I see that, but it is way to high and I would like you to check with him. He calls me back and chews me out for 10+ minutes because I questioned his nurse. I told him the dose was wrong and he said fill it like I wrote it and don't ever question me again. I filled the Rx, but with appropriate directions and counselling. He would never see this patient again, since he was a walk-in clinic.

I too am glad everyday that I still have a job and I pretty much still like it 19 years into it. I am married with one son, but I don't bring my personal life to work, unless it is to share a funny story about the 9 year old son. The drama queens wear me out?

Anonymous said...

I am new to this blog very interesting stuff
so much I can relate to on daily basis, working as a retail RPH.
keep it coming !

Anonymous said...

I normally agree with pretty much everything you write...but when you are old and gray...i don't think your job will make sure you have everything you need. Just a thought!!