Aki Shah: Hiring Strategies for Pharmacy Professionals in 2025

By Aki Shah, BSc. Pharm, MBA, MPH, TdFS

I was recently asked to share my thoughts on hiring strategies, and I recognized how vital this topic is — especially post-COVID, with a tighter pharmacist job market and limited room to increase incentives. 

Recruitment now goes beyond pay. It’s about building a standout workplace culture and offering benefits with out-of-the-box ideas. This article highlights the strategies I’ve used, from compelling job ads to effective retention practices and lessons learned, and I hope they’ll spark fresh ideas for your organization, too. 

1. Leverage BCPhA’s mass mail-out

Why it works: The BCPhA recruitment mailing mass mail-out for Corporate Members puts your job directly in front of every registered pharmacist in British Columbia, including those not actively job hunting. One of my earliest hires came through this method and has been with me for four years. It also helped us fill a position at our Qualicum Beach location, a small community where recruitment is typically challenging.

Key takeaway: The mass mail-out is invaluable. Don’t rely solely on platforms where candidates need to search — let the opportunity come to them.
 

2. Don’t discount Indeed.com

Why it works: While the BCPhA mail-out can be most effective to reach currently practicing pharmacists and BCPhA members, Indeed.com might be a better tool to reach student pharmacists and international pharmacists who might not be full pharmacists yet. For example, our Parksville pharmacist found us on Indeed when she was weeks away from being fully licensed.

Key takeaway: Casting a wide net ensures you don’t miss candidates who rely on general job sites, especially those close to licensure.

3. Tap into networking

Why it works: Word-of-mouth referrals through current staff can be a game changer. If your current team loves their work environment, they’ll naturally speak highly of the position to friends and colleagues. That personal testimony goes further than any ad because it comes from a neutral, trusted source. One past hire at our Qualicum Beach location came solely through staff referrals.

What I do differently: If someone commits based on a referral before the ad campaign starts, I offer a higher signing bonus (budgeting it from the hiring campaign). This adds a bit of urgency and rewards quick decisions. 

4. Retention is part of recruiting 

Competitive incentives PLUS supportive culture:

In my view, good retention strategies are essentially part of the hiring process, because who wants to keep running the same recruitment campaign over and over?

Giving pharmacists great incentives is helpful and recognizes their hard work. There is also an emotional aspect. Your workplace should feel like home, with the freedom for employees to showcase their strengths while maintaining a sensible level of oversight, which help them feel both independent and supported. When employees see that you’re invested in their success, they’re more likely to stay. This can include structured mentorship, constructive feedback, and a clear pathway for professional development.

5. A peek into my hiring ad strategy (AIDA)

I have an MBA in marketing, so I approach job ads like product packaging. You wouldn’t buy a product with a bland, cryptic label, right? When you’re creating a job ad, consider using AIDA:

1. Attention: Grab them with a strong headline — mention your awards, unique community vibe, or highlight a major selling point (e.g., Monday–Friday work schedule, with weekends off).
2. Interest: Share the features that set you apart. Do you provide better extended health than usual? Are you a fun, close-knit team? What makes you different from your recruitment competitors?
3. Desire: People want to know how your workplace supports professional growth. Highlight your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) match, bonuses, or other benefits you support.
4. Action: Make it super easy to apply. Provide a prominent “Email Us” button or direct phone number (BCPhA mass mail out has this feature, make sure to utilize it). Studies from the Kellogg School of Management have shown that if there’s no immediate action button, the likelihood of follow-through drops by over 70 per cent.

Final thoughts and lessons learned

Invest in your Pharmacists’ Financial well-being

A former pharmacist left due to the lack of a group RRSP, underscoring the importance of tax-saving options for high-income earners. Offering smart financial incentives like matching RRSP contributions or directing bonuses into tax-advantaged savings can often provide better net income than higher wages. It’s also easier for smaller pharmacies who are not governed by rigid corporate HR structures to provide better options in this aspect.

Invest in your Pharmacists’ Financial well-being:
A former pharmacist left due to the lack of a group RRSP, underscoring the importance of tax-saving options for high-income earners. Offering smart financial incentives like matching RRSP contributions or directing bonuses into tax-advantaged savings can often provide better net income than higher wages. It’s also easier for smaller pharmacies who are not governed by rigid corporate HR structures to provide better options in this aspect.

Transparency in Job Ads

When speaking with several pharmacy owners, I often hear concerns that listing too many specifics will “reveal their cards” to competitors. This is why many ads still omit details about pay or schedules. But let’s be honest: when considering a new job, you want to know if the pay is better or if the role offers a better balance for personal and social time. Once I began including salary specifics, bonuses, work hours, and other details in my ads, I received far more inquiries and created a sense of transparency that naturally correlates with trust. 

Proactive Staffing

Reactive hiring — waiting until reaching a certain prescription volume to recruit — often leads to burnout and team stress, which made us lose one of our good pharmacists. Hiring takes time, including notice periods, which can overburden existing staff and harm morale. A proactive approach, such as predicting prescription growth and hiring ahead of time, avoids this issue and ensures you have time to find a better fit. Free AI tools can assist with trend prediction and hiring timelines, making it easier to stay ahead of the curve.

Best of luck, and I hope this was helpful. Feel free to reach out with questions or ideas — I would love to hear from you.