17 Pharmacy Technician Supervisor Interview Questions and Answers

A pharmacy technician supervisor is responsible for the daily operations of a pharmacy. They oversee the work of pharmacy technicians and ensure that they are providing quality customer service. They also train new employees and resolve customer complaints.

If you are interested in becoming a pharmacy technician supervisor, you will need to have excellent customer service skills and be able to work well under pressure. You will also need to be able to multitask and have excellent attention to detail.

In this article, we will provide you with a list of pharmacy technician supervisor interview questions and answers to help you prepare for your next interview.

Are you comfortable training new pharmacy technicians?

As a supervisor, you may be responsible for training new pharmacy technicians. Interviewers ask this question to see if you have experience with training and developing others. Use your answer to share how you would approach training someone new to the role of a pharmacy technician.

Example: “I’ve had several opportunities to train new pharmacy technicians in my previous roles. I find that it’s important to provide clear instructions and expectations when training someone new. I also like to give plenty of time for questions so they can fully understand what is expected of them. In addition to verbal instruction, I often use visual aids such as diagrams or videos to help explain concepts more clearly.”

What are some of the most important qualities for a pharmacy technician supervisor to have?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the necessary skills and abilities to be successful in this role. When answering, it can be helpful to mention a few of your strongest qualities that will help you succeed as a pharmacy technician supervisor.

Example: “I believe some of the most important qualities for a pharmacy technician supervisor are communication skills, problem-solving skills and attention to detail. As a pharmacy technician supervisor, I would need to communicate with other technicians, pharmacists and customers about any questions they may have. In addition, I would need to solve problems that arise during work hours. Finally, I would need to make sure all tasks performed by my team members were accurate.”

How would you handle a situation where a pharmacy technician was not following protocol?

Interviewers may ask this question to assess your leadership skills and how you would handle a challenging situation. In your answer, try to show that you can use your problem-solving skills to help the technician understand why they need to follow protocol and also encourage them to do so in the future.

Example: “If I encountered a situation like this, I would first talk with the pharmacy technician about what they are doing wrong and explain why it is important for them to follow protocol. If they continue to not follow protocol after our conversation, I would document the incident and speak with my supervisor about what happened.”

What is your experience supervising a team of pharmacy technicians?

This question can help the interviewer understand your experience with managing a team and how you might approach this role. Use examples from previous work experiences to highlight your leadership skills, communication abilities and problem-solving skills.

Example: “In my current position as pharmacy technician supervisor, I have two technicians under me who assist me in completing tasks throughout the day. In my last position, I also had two technicians working under me, but one of them left for maternity leave. I was responsible for overseeing all aspects of their job while they were out on leave, including training new employees when they returned.”

Provide an example of a time when you had to help a pharmacist prepare a prescription for a challenging patient.

Interviewers may ask this question to learn more about your interpersonal skills and how you work with others. When answering, it can be helpful to mention a specific example of when you helped a pharmacist prepare a prescription for a challenging patient and the steps you took to ensure that the medication was prepared correctly.

Example: “In my previous role as a pharmacy technician, I had experience working with patients who were very ill or in pain. One time, I worked with a pharmacist on a prescription for a patient who was experiencing severe back pain. The patient was also quite demanding, which made it difficult for the pharmacist to focus on preparing their medication. I stepped in to help them by gathering all of the necessary supplies and organizing them so they could quickly find what they needed. This allowed the pharmacist to spend more time talking with the patient about their condition and treatment plan.”

If you could change one thing about the way pharmacies operate, what would it be?

This question helps employers determine how you would implement change in their pharmacy. When answering this question, it can be helpful to think about the ways that pharmacies could improve customer service or efficiency.

Example: “I believe that one way pharmacies could improve is by offering more evening and weekend hours. Many people work during these times, so I think it would be beneficial for pharmacies to offer extended hours to accommodate them. This would also help reduce wait times for customers who need medication right away.”

What would you do if you noticed a coworker making a medication error?

This question can help interviewers understand how you would handle a challenging situation at work. In your answer, try to show that you value the safety of patients and are willing to speak up when you notice an error.

Example: “If I noticed a coworker making a medication error, I would first make sure they were aware of it so they could correct it before administering the medication to a patient. If they didn’t seem to be aware of the mistake, I would ask them if they needed any help with the task or wanted me to double-check their work. If they still seemed unaware of the mistake, I would alert my supervisor so they could address the issue.”

How well do you communicate verbally and in writing?

Pharmacy technicians must be able to communicate effectively with their supervisors and other pharmacy staff members. Employers ask this question to make sure you can speak clearly, write well and listen carefully. Use your answer to show that you are confident in your communication skills. Explain how these skills have helped you succeed in previous roles.

Example: “I am a strong communicator who is always willing to help others understand what I’m saying. In my last role as a pharmacy technician, I often had to explain complex medical information to patients and their families. This required me to use clear language and simple explanations so everyone could understand. I also learned how to write reports about the medications I prepared for patients. These writing skills have been useful when communicating with my supervisor.”

Do you have experience using pharmacy management software?

This question can help the interviewer determine your experience with pharmacy management software and how you might use it in this role. If you have experience using these types of programs, share what you’ve used before and why you prefer them over other systems. If you don’t have experience using pharmacy management software, you can talk about your ability to learn new technology quickly.

Example: “I have worked in a pharmacy that uses an integrated system for tracking prescriptions, inventory and patient information. I found this system very helpful because it allowed me to see all of the relevant information about each prescription at once. This helped me make sure we were following protocol when filling prescriptions and ensured our patients received their medications on time.”

When filling a prescription, what is the correct order for verifying the patient’s information and checking the prescription’s validity?

The interviewer may ask you a question like this to assess your knowledge of the pharmacy’s procedures. In your answer, provide an overview of the steps involved in verifying and checking prescriptions.

Example: “When filling a prescription, I first verify the patient’s information by comparing their name, address, date of birth and signature with the information on file. Next, I check the validity of the prescription by looking for the pharmacist’s initials, the time it was written and the type of medication prescribed. Finally, I double-check that all the necessary information is present before dispensing the medication.”

We want to improve our customer service. What ideas do you have for doing so?

Customer service is an important part of any business, and the interviewer may ask this question to see how you can help improve their customer service. In your answer, try to include specific ideas for improving customer service in a pharmacy setting.

Example: “I think one way we could improve our customer service would be by having more technicians on hand during peak hours. This would allow us to provide better service to customers who need refills or other services while also allowing technicians to spend more time with each patient. Another idea I have is to implement a rewards system where patients receive points for every purchase they make at the pharmacy. These points could then be redeemed for discounts on future purchases.”

Describe your experience working with pharmacy inventory systems.

This question can help the interviewer determine your experience with inventory management and how you use technology to support pharmacy operations. Use examples from previous work experiences to describe your knowledge of inventory systems, including how you used them to complete tasks like updating databases or entering data into computer programs.

Example: “In my last position as a pharmacy technician supervisor, I helped develop an inventory system that integrated with our electronic medical record software. This allowed us to track all incoming and outgoing medications in real time so we could ensure accurate counts at all times. We also used this system to update patient records when medications were returned for refill or disposal.”

What makes you stand out from other pharmacy technicians?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your skills and abilities as a technician. They want to know what makes you unique from other technicians in the industry. When answering this question, think of two or three things that make you stand out. These can be specific skills or experiences that have helped you develop into an effective pharmacy technician.

Example: “I am passionate about helping others through my work. I find it rewarding to see patients leave the pharmacy with their medications and feeling better than when they arrived. Another thing that makes me stand out is my attention to detail. In previous positions, I’ve noticed that many technicians overlook small details like expiration dates on medication bottles. I take pride in ensuring all of our prescriptions are accurate and safe for patients.”

Which pharmacy software programs are you most familiar with?

This question can help the interviewer determine your level of experience with pharmacy software programs. It can also show them which ones you prefer to use in your work. When answering this question, list the specific names of the software programs you’re familiar with and explain how often you’ve used each one.

Example: “I’m most familiar with Medi-Touch, Pharmacy OneSource and RxConnect. I have worked primarily with Medi-Touch throughout my career as a pharmacy technician supervisor because it’s the system we use at all three pharmacies where I’ve worked. However, I have also used Pharmacy OneSource and RxConnect when working with other systems.”

What do you think is the most important aspect of customer service?

Customer service is an important part of any job, but it’s especially vital in the pharmacy. The interviewer will want to know that you understand how to provide excellent customer service and what your priorities are when interacting with customers.

Example: “I think the most important aspect of customer service is being able to listen to a customer’s needs and respond appropriately. I always try to make sure I’m asking questions to get as much information from a customer as possible so I can help them find exactly what they need. It’s also important to me to be friendly and helpful while maintaining professional boundaries.”

How often should a pharmacy technician inspect and restock inventory?

This question can help an interviewer understand your organizational skills and attention to detail. Use examples from past experiences where you organized inventory, inspected supplies or restocked products.

Example: “In my last position as a pharmacy technician supervisor, I had two technicians working under me. We were responsible for inspecting and restocking all of the medications in our department once every three days. This helped us ensure that we always had enough medication on hand to meet patient needs. In addition, it allowed us to rotate out any expired medications before they could cause harm to patients.”

There is a nationwide shortage of a medication that many patients need. How would you address the issue?

This question is a great way to assess your problem-solving skills and ability to work with others. When answering this question, it can be helpful to describe the steps you would take to address the shortage and how you would ensure that patients received their medication in a timely manner.

Example: “I have worked in pharmacies where there was a nationwide shortage of certain medications before. In those situations, we had to prioritize which patients needed the medication most urgently. For example, if someone’s life depended on receiving the medication, then they were our top priority. If not, we would give the medication to the patient who could wait until the next shipment arrived. This helped us manage the inventory while ensuring that everyone got the care they needed.”