How much do first-timers earn in different regions of Russia and what to expect from 2019

Today, a pharmacist is a profession in demand in all regions of the country. According to employers, the chief manager must be competent and polite, because it depends on him whether the customer will return to the pharmacy. Recruiting sites are full of advertisements with a wide variety of salary offers. Some employers even promise income of up to 85 thousand rubles. How much do pharmacists actually earn in different parts of Russia and how has their salary changed over the year?

My native country is wide

Our experts

Irina Gladkova

Head of Recruitment Consultants at ANCOR Consumer Goods

Anna Komissarova

Recruiter at Kelly Services CIS

The average salary level for chief capital officers in Russia is from 35 to 45 thousand rubles. Specialists of the job search portal HeadHunter call the average salary offered (based on the median) at 40 thousand rubles. As for salaries in different regions, in 2018 the highest level was recorded in Moscow - 50 thousand rubles. In St. Petersburg and the Far Eastern Federal District, salaries are slightly lower - 45 thousand rubles. In the Central Federal District, the first capitalists were paid an average of 40 thousand rubles, in the North-Western and Ural districts - 35 thousand rubles, and in the Siberian and Southern Federal Districts - 30 thousand rubles. The lowest salaries are for pharmacy specialists located in the Volga and North Caucasus federal districts - an average of 27,500 rubles.

Where is the most work? Judging by the latest data from recruiting sites, the most job advertisements for pharmacists are in Moscow and the Moscow region, as well as the Krasnodar Territory

Minimum and maximum

Basically, employers in Moscow and the region offer salaries from 40 to 60 thousand rubles. The minimum salary indicated for applicants in the capital is 25 thousand rubles, the maximum is 120 thousand rubles. In a large Moscow pharmacy chain, pharmacists with at least a year of work experience, secondary or higher specialized education and a specialist certificate are offered to earn from 60 to 120 thousand rubles.

The minimum salaries offered to job seekers in the industry start from 10 thousand rubles. For example, in Voronezh, a chain of discount pharmacies is looking for a night pharmacist. Shift work - every other night, pay for one shift is 1000 rubles. A pharmacist at one of the medical units in Krasnoarmeysk can earn up to 15 thousand rubles gross. A pharmacist in a pharmacy of a large Russian chain in Balakovo (Saratov region) is willing to pay a little more - 15–18 thousand rubles.

Total in your pocket

A pharmacist's monthly income consists of a salary and a bonus. The salary ranges from 12 thousand rubles (in small towns in the regions) to 35 thousand rubles (in big cities). The bonus part of the salary is often less than the salary.

“The employee receives a bonus depending on the fulfillment of the sales plan. The premium may be paid monthly or quarterly. In most cases, this is a percentage of the employee’s salary; for example, the bonus portion can be 10–20% of the salary. In some non-chain pharmacies, the employee’s bonus is a percentage of the pharmacy’s revenue,” says Irina Gladkova, head of the group of recruitment consultants at ANCOR Consumer Goods.

The bonus part of the salary can also be a fixed amount. Thus, in a pharmacy owned by a large chain, a senior pharmacist/pharmacist, when meeting KPIs, can receive a quarterly bonus of 12–16 thousand rubles on top of a salary of 35 thousand rubles. In this case, his work must not only satisfy KPIs for sales, but also meet the requirements for displaying goods, accounting for unsold products, and managing a cash register. If the sales plan is not met, the pharmacist's total income may decrease by 15%.

“The total income of a pharmacist in Russia does not exceed 40–50 thousand rubles per month. This is the upper limit of the salary range. There are very few specialists who earn 50 thousand rubles a month; usually the heads of pharmacies receive such a salary - specialists who are located on the career ladder above the chief capital officers,” says Irina Gladkova.

According to Kelly Services CIS recruiter Anna Komissarova, pharmacists' salaries usually depend on the number of hours worked, with a fairly significant part of the total amount paid in the form of bonuses. “When calculating bonuses, various performance indicators are taken into account, but the most important thing is sales. Salaries tend to be higher at chain pharmacies. On average, you can earn from 40 to 70 thousand rubles a month in a pharmacy,” says the specialist.

Trends in recent years

According to the HeadHunter portal, the market average for 2018 saw an increase in pharmacists’ salaries by approximately 10–15%. In general, over the past five years, the average (median) salary of chief capital officers in Russia has grown almost every year. In 2013, a pharmacist and pharmacist received an average of 27,250 rubles, in 2014 - 30 thousand rubles. After this, the average salary rose sharply to 37,500 thousand, and then, in 2016, decreased to 35 thousand rubles. In 2017, the average salary reached 37 thousand rubles, and in 2018 it increased to 40 thousand rubles.

The magazine "Katren Style" in its group on the social network "VKontakte" held survey employees of the pharmaceutical industry about changes in salary levels over the past year. More than 450 people took part in the survey. The majority of respondents (43%) had no change in their income over the past year, although they would like to receive more. For 37% of employees, income decreased, and for 17%, it increased. For the rest, their wages have not changed, and this satisfies them.

Recruiter Anna Komissarova says that Kelly Services actively cooperates with pharmaceutical companies. In particular, she deals with vacancies for medical representatives, which are often filled by candidates with higher pharmaceutical education and experience in a pharmacy.

“According to them, there are practically no development prospects in the pharmacy in terms of functionality and wages. Despite the fact that successful pharmacists can receive promotion to the position of pharmacy manager after 2–3 years“, in general, the trend in the market is that most people see growth opportunity in pharmaceutical companies,” concludes recruiter Kelly Services CIS.

What awaits first capitalists in 2019?

In recent years, one can observe the consolidation of pharmacy chains: non-chain pharmacies are joining well-known brands. “There is a growing need in the labor market for specialists with higher education who are interested in the results of their work. This affects the level of salaries. Hoping to attract the necessary employees, pharmacy chains annually increase salaries, indexation is 5–10%. In 2019, we can expect that this trend will continue,” says Irina Gladkova.

At the same time, the consolidation of pharmacy chains promises not only an increase in the income of pharmacy workers, but also imposes its own limitations. Pharmacy chains are not ready to go beyond the planned indexation plans and, being in the majority on the market, reserve the last word in matters of salary increases.

“In general, if we talk about profitability: given the positive dynamics over the past 5 years, we can assume that salaries will either remain at the same level as in 2018 or will increase slightly,” HeadHunter experts predict.

Corporate party instead of bonus

Irina Gladkova, head of the group of recruitment consultants at ANCOR Consumer Goods, emphasizes that employers are interested in employees focused on the bonus part of their salary. An employee who is satisfied with one salary will not be so eager to fulfill the sales plan.

“Employers want to see responsible, proactive employees who can provide advice to customers, competently build a dialogue with conflicting pharmacy visitors, remain polite and maintain professionalism in any situation. They are ready to learn and share their acquired knowledge,” explains Gladkova.

As for the expectations of specialists, they want to earn 50 thousand rubles a month, work on a convenient schedule in a pharmacy, which is located near their home, say ANCOR. In addition, first-time workers expect their employer to provide them with training opportunities. Companies are not always ready to meet the high salary expectations of employees. Some chain pharmacies have adopted this method of rewarding employees by organizing team building events and annual corporate events with performances by pop stars.

The quantity of medicine sold is the price rate earned by the pharmacist per month. The salary level depends on the functional skills and knowledge of the pharmacist. Having mastered a specialty in this area, a newly minted pharmacist works in the production of drugs, in a laboratory, as an employee of a pharmaceutical company, or in a pharmacy. The latter job is in demand on the labor market.

A pharmacist helps people understand medications and select their analogues. The specialist is required to display the goods, monitor the expiration dates of the incoming product and carry out an inventory of medicines and other drugs. The main responsibility of a pharmacist is to sell medicines and have in-depth knowledge of the composition of medicines.

The salary income of a pharmacist in Russia is regulated by the enterprise in which the specialist works. The state, in turn, receives income tax from companies on the total profit. This is a lot of money, because there are about 50 thousand similar enterprises across the country, and these are only commercial companies.

The average income level of medical specialists in the field of pharmacology in the country varies between 20–60 thousand rubles, then the average rate per health worker is 35–40 thousand rubles per month. Therefore, to get a position as a pharmacist, you must have:

• higher education in the field;
• medical record;
• a document confirming the qualifications of a medical specialist;
• work experience and practice.

Thanks to the program adopted in the Russian Federation to increase wages for workers in medical institutions in 2012, the salary level of a pharmacist increased by 5 thousand rubles.

According to the statistics bureau, in 2018 a pharmacologist can expect a salary of 40–45 thousand rubles per month.

This is an acceptable figure based on the cost of living per person. Therefore, only the pharmacist himself can tell the exact figures about how much a pharmacist earns in Russia.

Average salaries of pharmacists in pharmacies in Moscow and by region

Depending on the distance to the center of the capital, the income of a pharmacist and pharmacist decreases proportionally. In remote regions, professional workers are paid less than in Moscow or neighboring cities. In border areas and other cities of the country they pay even less. The salary level is significantly lower than in Moscow, not due to the small number of drugs sold. Just the cost of living in these regions is up to 5 thousand rubles per family member.

The salary of a pharmacist in Moscow differs from the salary of his colleagues from other cities by approximately 40–70 thousand rubles. When proofreading third-party expenses for work, the average figure is within 50 thousand rubles per month. For Moscow, this level of income is considered below average, but according to Russian statistical data it is significantly higher than in other regions of the country.

By region of the country, the highest salary of a specialist in Magadan is within the same 50 thousand rubles. Next come Kursk and Mordovia: earnings there are acceptable - 40–50 thousand rubles. The average salary in Tula is 35 thousand rubles. The lowest level of earnings in Omsk and Saratov is 10–23 thousand rubles per month.

Compared to Moscow, in St. Petersburg pharmacists receive up to 35–40 thousand rubles.

This is explained by the low demand for the vacancy of a pharmacologist, when in Moscow and neighboring regions the demand for medical specialists in this profile is stable.

Thus, statistics show that the salary of a pharmacist and pharmacist is up to 45 thousand rubles per month. In the labor market, it is difficult to achieve a promotion without a higher education, so employees undergo advanced training, due to which their level of earnings increases.

Advantages and difficulties in work

To guarantee a vacancy in the pharmacist profession, you must have a certificate of qualification. A certificate for confirmation of qualifications is not issued after training - for this you need to complete another year of residency. Next will be a certified cycle of 140 hours. The service is not free, so those who really want to earn good money will have to spend money on going through this procedure and pay about 7 thousand rubles.

If a pharmacist is not a specialist with a higher education, to get a vacancy you need to take training courses and work up to 500 hours. Sometimes these courses are conducted remotely, and the cost of the courses is high - 20-40 thousand rubles. The certificate itself is valid for 5 years, after which time the training procedure is repeated.

What are the difficulties of working as a pharmacist in the pharmacy segment:

1. The client is being deceived. This applies to incompetent medical specialists, especially newcomers who do not have practice, and workers hired through connections of relatives who can give erroneous advice. Therefore, if a specialist is not sure that he has sufficient skills and knowledge in this area, it is worthwhile to undergo training;
2. Stress. Dealing with a constant flow of visitors and individual needs for medications is very difficult. The occurrence of stress is also influenced by the emotional state of the visitor. However, the pharmacist must remain competent;
3. Easily transmitted diseases. Mass epidemics do not pass without symptoms for pharmacists. Even protective masks do not save;
4. Allergic reaction. The drugs that medical professionals come into contact with cause an allergic reaction if they come into careless contact with the drug;
5. Schedule. The labor market is in demand for specialists in 24-hour pharmacies. Some of these companies are commercial, so the salary there consists of more than just one indicator;
6. Incitement from friends. Friends and acquaintances often ask pharmacists to find medicine or obtain drugs illegally.

The advantages of being a pharmacist in Russia lie in the following:

1. First aid. A qualified pharmacist is able to provide first aid in a critical situation. And the more he provides such and other assistance, the greater his chances of getting a promotion;
2. Opening of a large number of pharmaceutical points. If the demand for medicines increases, then the number of open positions increases rapidly;
3. Wage adjustment. An experienced medical specialist enjoys this prerogative. The higher the cost of medicines, the more income the specialist will receive;
4. Career growth. In large pharmaceutical companies, career advancement for a specialist is possible to the position of pharmacist.

In Russia, to become a pharmacist, they receive special education. Only after this will an entry-level medical specialist be hired to work in Moscow or another metropolis where a pharmacologist is needed.

The minimum salary of a pharmacist is 10,000 rubles per month, the maximum is 80,000. The salary of a pharmacist in Moscow is 60,000 rubles, and on average in Russia such a specialist receives 45,000 rubles. Work experience and studies at higher educational institutions are important for increasing your salary.

A pharmacy worker dispenses medications and accepts payment, ensures that there is a sufficient quantity of medications and their storage, prepares medications, advises visitors, and conducts audits.

The pharmacist must have:

• Minimum secondary specialized education.
• Special certificate. Issued after completing a paid one-year course and several (140-500) hours of preparation. Its cost is 30,000, distance learning is possible. The validity period is 5 years.
• Regularly checked medical record.

For successful and coordinated work, a pharmacist needs the following qualities:

• Complete confidence in helping the client. The pharmacist is often asked questions about a particular medicine. Lack of experience or ignorance of the drug will pose a threat to human health.
• Stress resistance. Constant communication with different people requires a lot of patience and understanding.
• Self improvement. The range of medicines is constantly changing, with more effective new ones replacing old ones. Reading specialized literature or attending trainings will help the pharmacist keep abreast of all developments in the field of pharmaceuticals.

In the work of a pharmacist, there are such difficulties as working at night, a high risk of contracting colds or other infections transmitted by airborne droplets, and acquiring allergies when in contact with medications.

Components

A pharmacist's earnings include not only salary, but also include:

• Percentage of the volume of goods sold.
• 30% for a certificate.
• Bonus payments for good work.
• Annual incentives.
• Payment for extra hours or night shift.

Also, some companies provide free food, insurance, Internet access, and training courses.

A pharmacist is one of the necessary professions in the labor market. This is reflected in the growth of offers and salaries: in 2016 - by 14%. As of July 2018, 986 pharmacists are needed in Russia, with 189 in Moscow.

Career

A pharmacy worker, with the proper education and work experience, can obtain a higher position, such as the head or director of a pharmacy, can engage in research in a laboratory, start his own business, or become a medical representative of an international organization.

Territorial dependence

The better the economic situation of the region, the higher the earnings of specialists will be. Average monthly salaries in some regions:

You can look at the salaries of pharmacists in more detail using a breakdown by city:

Other countries

Salaries of pharmacists in foreign countries vary:

Pension

Duration of employment, insurance and salary determine pension payments to pharmacy employees.

A pharmacist, whose salary is discussed in the review, is a sought-after profession in all regions of the country. What is the average salary of a pharmacist in Russia? Let's give specific figures by region. We'll tell you which specialists can count on higher salaries.

Average salary for a pharmacist

The pharmacist, whose salary is discussed in the material, is the main official of the pharmacy organization who advises visitors to the pharmacy and dispenses medications to them. The average salary of a pharmacist in Russia, according to Rosstat, was 27.9 thousand rubles in 2017. A specialist who has successfully graduated from a pharmaceutical college can apply for such a salary. Let us recall that according to statistics, last year pharmacists in Russia earned about 26.8 thousand rubles, which is 1,068 rubles less than in 2017. When answering the question of what a pharmacist’s salary is in Russia, Rosstat considers data by region. Thus, the maximum salary of a pharmacist in Russia was recorded in the Chukotka and Nenets Autonomous Okrug - more than 73 thousand rubles per month.

The minimum salary for a pharmacist is noted in pharmacies in Karachay-Cherkessia (about 16.5 thousand rubles), in the Ivanovo region (about 17.9 thousand rubles) and in North Ossetia (about 17.5 thousand rubles).

Average salary of a pharmacist in Russia

The pharmaceutical market, including salaries in pharmacies, was analyzed at the initiative of recruitment agencies. Research data shows a decrease in the number of job offers for medical representatives, executives and sales managers of pharmacy chains. The most popular specialties in pharmacies today were identified: Pharmacist and pharmacist whose salary averages 49.5 thousand rubles. A pharmacy manager who earns on average about 90 thousand rubles. Pharmacist remains one of the most in-demand positions. Salaries for specialists continue to grow; pharmacist income in 2017 increased by 4% compared to the previous year.

The salary of a pharmacist in a pharmacy at the level of 49.5 thousand rubles is associated with the demand for specialists who have higher education. These data were obtained as a result of a study of more than 100 proposals from employers in Moscow and St. Petersburg; the indicators are uneven across regions.

What is the salary of a pharmacist in different regions?

The average salary of a pharmacist depends on the region in which the specialist works. Also, how much pharmacists earn is influenced by the specialist’s level of education, his work experience, as well as sales volumes in the pharmacy.

According to the latest data, the average salary of a pharmacist in a pharmacy ranges from 25 to 60 thousand rubles, the average figure is 35 thousand rubles.

Such income does not always meet the expectations of graduates of pharmaceutical colleges who decide to connect their lives with this profession. For example, a junior pharmacist whose salary ranges from 15-25 thousand rubles has low chances for career growth in some regions.

Young specialists at pharmaceutical enterprises, research institutes and laboratories have more prospects. However, there are much fewer jobs in these organizations than in the country's pharmacies.

The figure below analyzes the number of vacancies open in different regions of the country. As we can see, a pharmacist in Moscow is more likely to find a suitable job compared, for example, to the Chelyabinsk or Volgograd regions.

In Nizhny Novgorod, the number of offers is also minimal compared to other regions.

A pharmacist, whose salary can range from 15 to 60 thousand rubles, is the highest paid in the regions presented below.

Pharmacist salary: high and low salaries

The difference in the average salary of a pharmacist in Russia is also evidenced by an analysis of open vacancies by employers in the country: the average salary of a pharmacist in the labor market is about 47 thousand rubles; the minimum wage for a pharmacist is about 20 thousand rubles; the highest salary of a pharmacist and pharmacist is at the level of 100 thousand rubles (doctor-pharmacist salary); The average salary level that applicants expect is 44 thousand rubles.

How does salary depend on skills and experience?

Working as a pharmacist requires the specialist to meet certain legal requirements, since pharmaceutical activity is a licensed activity:

• The minimum requirement for a pharmacist is to have a specialized secondary pharmaceutical education;
• It is necessary to have a valid specialist certificate;
• a pharmacist must have completed higher education in the field of pharmacy or medicine and master basic technologies for the manufacture of medicines;
• employees of pharmacy organizations must know the rules for dispensing and storing medications, know the basics of their prescriptions;
• modern pharmacy employees must have a minimum level of computer skills.

The average pharmacist salary increases for workers who already have experience. Thus, the salary of a pharmacist in a pharmacy increases if he has at least six months of experience, knows the rules of retail trade, current orders in the industry, and knows how to work with a cash register without training. Pharmacists who have the skills to prepare medicines also receive higher salaries. The highest salary for a pharmacist or pharmacist can be received by a specialist who has worked in this field for more than 2 years. A pharmacist whose salary is 50 thousand rubles or more often has such advantages as knowledge of a foreign language, experience working in a pharmacy warehouse, and skills in active sales of medicines.

30.10.18 48 810 35

In St. Petersburg

Our readers regularly talk about their professions and how much income they bring them.

Katya Prokudina

asked leading questions

In the new issue, a pharmacist from St. Petersburg told us whether it is easy for people without experience to find a job, whether it is possible to sell medicines without a doctor’s prescription, and why working in a pharmacy is not for the faint of heart.

Choice of profession

At school I really loved chemistry and biology. But I never wanted to be a doctor and decided to enter the Chemical-Pharmaceutical Academy (now it has become a university).

Most of my classmates were from other cities and already from the third year they worked at night in pharmacies. I preferred healthy sleep to this, since I lived with my parents and there was no need for a part-time job. And she did the right thing: it was not easy to study, almost everyone who worked immediately got bogged down in debt and failed exams. It was a little easier for them in pharmacology: I taught them the names of the drugs, and they already knew them thanks to their work. But there were problems with other subjects due to the fact that they did not get enough sleep or skipped lectures to sleep off after night shifts.

After graduation, I simply posted my resume on “Superjob,” which said that I have a diploma of higher education, a certificate of specialist accreditation (you need to go through it separately, it’s simple: learn the tickets and answer the checklist, knowing that They won’t ask you anything extra) and zero experience. Surprisingly, they kept calling me non-stop.

Most pharmacies have a two-by-two schedule. But working 2 days in a row for 12 hours is hard, after which you sleep the whole day or just lie down, because after the shift your legs hurt a lot, and you only have one day left to do your business. That's why I was looking for a five-day plan. As a result, I got a job at one of the chain pharmacies near my home. The first month was a probationary period - they only paid a salary of 29,900 minus tax. I worked there for a year.

RUB 29,900

paid during the probationary period (before taxes)

The essence of the work

Typically, pharmacists (secondary education) and pharmacists (higher education) work in pharmacies. Pharmacists are trained specifically for this job, while pharmacists have deeper training and 2 years longer. But if you want to become a manager in the future, then with a secondary education you need to stand at the cash register for 5 years, and with a higher education - 3 years. And, of course, with a higher education there are always more opportunities to find a job somewhere other than a pharmacy.

Working in a pharmacy suits patient people who want to help everyone. Clients consider us ordinary salespeople and cashiers (this is not true), but at the same time they do not go to doctors and quite often ask us to pick up some kind of medicine - usually for a cold or painkiller. In addition, people are always full of questions - from the banal “how many times a day should I take the medicine?” (can’t you read it in the instructions?) to some sophisticated ones. For example, one day a girl chose effervescent cough tablets so that they would not contain any flavoring additives. Although I immediately said that they would be everywhere, she forced me to bring all the varieties and look at every box.

5 years

you need to work behind the cash register to become a pharmacy manager

The craziest request was this. The woman said her feet were itchy. I offer her an anti-itch cream, at the same time asking what could have caused it and how she was treated. Here she joyfully exclaims: “I’ll show you now.” He lifts up his skirt - his legs are all swollen, swollen veins and a terrible red rash. When I asked why she didn’t go to the doctor, the woman replied that she washed it with urine and waited for it to go away, and when it got worse, she started applying long-overdue ointment for veins. I didn’t sell her anything and asked her to see a specialist as soon as possible.

When they ask “something for blood pressure” or “some kind of diuretic,” my answer is always the same: “Only see a doctor.”

I almost never took antibiotics without a prescription either. Over-the-counter products usually offer several options. I know how they differ and what the advantages of each are - I study a lot of specialized information, read clinical studies and articles. Colleagues with extensive experience write a lot of interesting things on the VKontakte public page for pharmacy workers. Something can be clarified with medical representatives of different companies. Once a customer asked a question to which neither the doctor nor I knew the answer. The medical representative was also unable to answer immediately, but she found it out for us.

The pharmacy has mandatory online training, there are regular seminars and conferences, and tests are required for new or promotional drugs. Pharmaceutical companies often conduct courses - I attended them too.

The advantage of this job is that I always know what is best. Doctors often prescribe several drugs to choose from from different price categories. As a result, the patient chooses based on price. And I know which one is original, and I choose it, because generics will never be better.

The main disadvantage is that working with people is generally a nervous matter.

And when people are sick, they don’t have enough money for medicine, or they simply don’t understand why they pay such sums, it becomes really difficult.

If they are unhappy with the queue, the prices, or an error in the doctor’s prescription, for them it’s my fault. If I can’t give change from 5000 when buying ascorbic acid for 12 rubles, because there is no change, it’s my fault. Almost every day someone raises their voice at you. Often at the end of the working day I simply cried from the insults I had experienced. Of course, it’s also about the fact that I’m a very sensitive person. Some people are not affected by this at all - everyone reacts differently.

We were taught to mitigate conflicts. The training sheets contained dialogues: for example, the client swears at how expensive everything is, then the pharmacist explains to him that this is a very good medicine, after which everyone in the picture is smiling and happy. But in practice, if a person is aggressive, no arguments are important to him. Of course, you can’t be rude in response. The most effective thing for me is to silently listen to all the complaints and look at one point and ignore them. But it didn't always work out.

Of course, there were pleasant moments too. There were regular customers who purposefully stood in my line. There were those who said how I helped them and came to thank me. They carried chocolates and fruits. One girl even gave me a miniature perfume - she and I spent a long time selecting creams for her.

Place of work

The pharmacy chain where I got a job attracts a large number of customers with low prices. Because of this, there are always queues there. And there are big problems with staff - every pharmacy has a notice that an employee is needed. But no one wants to get settled. There is a high turnover among those aged 20-30. Among those who are older, there are people with 20 years of experience who came immediately after graduation and still work in the pharmacy.

It seems to me that such work is paid little (although, of course, more than ordinary cashiers in stores), and the work is very nervous. I thought that in the pharmacy, where the prices are higher, it was calmer. But my friends who work in these places say that scandals often happen there too.

And in one of the St. Petersburg pharmacies, on New Year's Eve, the administrator was killed - the visitor was very drunk.

If I’m alone on a shift and there’s a line at the pharmacy, some clients may start banging on the glass with their fists and shouting that they need a second cashier. One day, a thin little grandmother shook the door with all her might to break in - we have a closed display, that is, everything is behind glass.

If there were more employees, there might not be such queues. But there are different reasons. For example, when they come to buy a blood pressure monitor, they need to unpack it, show it, explain everything, measure the pressure, then pack it, fill out the warranty, and only then sell it. This all takes a lot of time. Or there are very large lists that take about 10 minutes to collect, especially if one of the new products is not in its place, but in an unmarked box. It takes a long time, people start to get angry. I understand them. When I find myself in such a situation, I just leave so as not to waste time - there are many pharmacies around. But in an effort to save money, people can wait in line for an hour.

You always have to pay for customer mistakes. Most often the names or dosages are confused. In general, almost all medications for the heart, blood pressure, diabetes, painkillers, etc. must be available with a prescription. But now doctors do not prescribe them so often, and grandmothers who constantly take the same thing will not go for a prescription every time. Therefore, such drugs are dispensed simply if the client knows his dosage. But there are always cases when they say, for example, 20 mg, and then come running: “Change it, I needed a dosage of 10, I confused it with something else.” By law, exchanges and returns cannot be made in pharmacies. But this cannot be explained to everyone - people start swearing.

I had a case when a man bought plasters - I showed them and named the price. He paid, and then decided that it was too expensive for him. I almost broke the glass, I was afraid that he would kill me for paying the extra 100 rubles. I gave it to him from my pocket - just so that he would leave.

We also pay for our mistakes. The most common problem is called “re-grading” - when they knock out the price of a small package, but give away a larger one, which costs several times more. If you accidentally give away a small one at the price of a large package, people immediately come running to find out, but if you mistakenly give away a large one when you paid for a small one, no one comes back. In such cases, the cost of a small package is deducted from the cost of a large one, and this amount is divided among all employees. Although somewhere they may offer discounts in order to pay less, or simply write off the goods. Nothing was written off from us.

There are no discounts on medications for employees. There is vacation, sick leave too, but it is not approved: the manager has to change the schedule, the rest have to work more. When my colleague went on sick leave for 2 weeks to care for her child, we worked seven days a week.

Common workday

The pharmacy is open from 7 to 23. Employees have three shifts: from 7 to 15–16 hours, from 12 to 20 and from 15 to 23. In larger pharmacies, where 10 cash registers are open, the schedules are different.

The schedule is made by the manager. Everyone writes to her their wishes: that the shift be at a certain time or that there be days off on certain days. As a rule, one day off falls on weekdays, and Saturday or Sunday is a working day. Moreover, you have to work longer (10 hours, not 8): there are more customers, and less staff.

It happened that the manager ordered me to work on both Saturday and Sunday. Although in other pharmacies of this network the right to one day off is almost always respected.

Many times it happened that after the evening shift there was a morning one. It turns out that you come home at night and get up early in the morning.

Working from 7 am to 3 pm is probably the easiest time: in the first hour there are few visitors, you have time to sort out the goods or stick on new price tags. It’s difficult because the next shift starts at 11–12, before that you’re alone (it’s clear where the queues come from). If everything is fine with the staff at the pharmacy and the next employee arrives at 8 am, then everything is much simpler. And at the same time, half the day remains free, although I really want to sleep.

The advantage of evening shifts is that you can get enough sleep and do morning things - for example, go to the doctor or any organizations that are open until 18:00. But at the same time, you are sometimes left alone from 8 pm, at the very rush hour - people from work come into the pharmacy, and there is one window. This is where all the trouble begins.

The middle shift is definitely the easiest in terms of work, but it turns out that you only have a couple of hours in the morning and in the evening after work - you don’t have time to do anything or rest.

The working day goes something like this. You come, change into your uniform, turn on the computer, and log into the program (1C for sales) under your name. The staff taught me how to use it - I simply wrote down the basic key combinations on a piece of paper: how to select a position and quantity, make a discount, pay by card or cash - all this is quickly remembered. Then you make a change of 2 thousand - this money is collected in small bills at the end of the previous day and put aside for the morning shift.

At this time they already saw you in the window and shouted: “Why aren’t you serving?”

You run around all day collecting orders. A lot lies under the ceiling, so you constantly climb on ladders. In addition, each employee monitors the display cases and sorts out new goods, of which there is a lot - in every free second you put them in their places. In small pharmacies, you simultaneously have to play the role of manager and receive goods from suppliers.

For lunch - only 15 minutes a day. You set the food to heat up, during which time you can serve one more person. Eat quickly and head back. If there are few customers and someone else is working, you can agree to close the cash register for 5-10 minutes and go have some tea. And if there is a crowd, then they won’t even close for lunch. In small, unpopular pharmacies, if there are no customers, you can eat longer. Where I did my internship, they worked 12 hours a day and had half an hour for food - 2 times 15 minutes each.

15 minutes

lunch break lasts

Lunches, like entry or exit, are strictly based on your fingerprint. At the end of the shift, you close your window again amid screams.

“Where are you going, don’t you see there’s a line?!”

Of course, you can work longer, but you won’t be paid for it. Then you also take reports, fill out logs - write down what amount was in the cash register at the beginning of the day, what at the end, how much was paid by card, how much in cash. It’s simple, it takes 10–15 minutes, but you have to be careful - then an accountant checks everything. And finally home.

Happening

I have a queue of 10 people, and the customer’s payment does not go through, although the money (4 thousand rubles) was debited from the card. This sometimes happens, which means that the bank will return them to her. That is, if she takes the purchase, I will then have to pay for it myself. She tries to snatch the bag of medicine from my hands, but I don’t give it back.

After some time, her mother comes running - medicines for her and the card is also hers, she shows a notification on her phone that the money has been written off, and starts shouting that her patient was lifted out of bed, that I am a thief, that she will report to the prosecutor's office. She swears, the whole line swears, I cry. By the way, there is another pharmacy across the road, but more expensive. But there is still a queue for peroxide and citramone - although they could have bought it opposite for 3 rubles more.

As a result, the conflict was resolved. I called the bank and asked the operator to explain the situation, the goods remained with us.

After this incident, I wrote a statement and quit.

But then, of course, I wanted to declare a technical break and close the pharmacy. But you can’t do that - you can be fined. I had to calm down and pretty quickly continued working.

Part-time jobs

There are plenty of part-time jobs in our network - you can simply take extra hours in your own pharmacy or in others where there is a shortage of staff. Also, work from 22 to 23 is paid additionally - plus 50 rubles. But, on the contrary, I lowered the rate to 0.75 and went to paid advanced training courses.

Income

Working full time (that's 4 days a week for 8 hours and a 10-hour shift on the weekend), I received 51 thousand before taxes. This is a little more than in other pharmacies. Of course, you can always get more if you work harder.

Expenses

I don’t need to rent housing, so my main expenses are food and rent. True, my man pays for them. For a one-room apartment in the summer we pay 2 thousand, in the winter 4–5.

I spend my income on myself - cosmetics, clothes, travel. If I live simply, then I need at least 30 thousand a month. But this, of course, is bleak. I think 60 thousand a month for myself personally would be quite good.

While I was working, I saved everything I didn’t spend. I didn’t count exactly how much, it depended on expenses. One month you go buy clothes and give away your entire salary, another month you don’t need anything, and a decent amount remains. It's always good to have a financial cushion.

I saved enough to not have to work for several months.

After resigning, I went to travel around Europe, where I spent quite a lot, but at the same time I had a rest and updated my wardrobe. I also improved my health - a significant part of my savings was also spent on visits to doctors.

I have a loved one who supported my decision to quit, including financially. Of course, if I were single and had a rented home, I would most likely continue to work at the pharmacy until I brought myself to a nervous breakdown.

Saving

I keep an eye on discounts on products - I receive SMS from hypermarkets and I buy a lot for future use. As an example: your favorite pasta costs 200 rubles for a 0.5 kg pack, and in the summer there was a promotion at Perekrestok and they were sold for 72 rubles, we took 10 packs at once. Or, let's say, I only eat certain butter, with a very good composition. When Lenta has a 30% discount on all butter, I take a couple of pieces. It’s the same with cosmetics - I keep an eye, for example, on the selection of Rive Gauche or discounts at Podruzhka.

I use the Tinkoff Black card with cashback - sometimes there are good categories at an increased percentage, for example beauty, pharmacies or transport, sometimes they are useless. My boyfriend still has All Airlines - he accumulates miles.

There were also big expenses. For example, I once spent 1000 euros in 6 days in a very cool hotel. Or I bought a photoepilator for 20 thousand - for now I consider it a reckless purchase, because I don’t see much effect. But I think it’s better to buy and regret it than not to buy and think about it all your life.

It would be great to save up for an apartment and rent it out. Or understand bonds to earn passive income. In the meantime, money is always put aside for travel. Usually I get to fly abroad a couple of times a year - I really love the sun and sea, and of course this is lacking in St. Petersburg.

Future

After my dismissal, I just rested and recovered for 3 months. I spent a lot of time at the dacha, started going to fitness again and taking better care of myself, read a lot of books, improved my language skills, met with all my friends. I even completed several psychological trainings. This allowed me to relate more easily to the pharmacy story.

Most graduates of pharmaceutical universities or faculties start in pharmacy, but many then leave. You can go to medical representatives, to large warehouses, to laboratories, to factories, to clinical research. Career growth depends on desire and aspiration. Now I like to organize my family life, do housework, take care of myself and my man more than build a career.