Retail Pharmacists
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Retail Pharmacists dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals to the public, educate customers on health promotion, disease prevention and the proper use of medicines, and sell non-prescription medicines and related goods in a community pharmacy.
Tasks
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Receives prescriptions, checks patients' medicine histories, and ensures optimal dosage and methods of administration and drug compatibility before dispensing.
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Prepares or supervises the preparation and labelling of liquid medicines, ointments, powders, tablets and other medications to fill prescriptions.
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Advises patients on drug incompatibility and contra-indications.
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Maintains prescription files and records issue of narcotics, poisons and habit-forming drugs.
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Stores and preserves vaccines, serums and other drugs subject to deterioration.
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Supplies non-prescription medicines, and diagnostic and therapeutic aids.
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Supervises and co-ordinates the work of pharmacy technicians, pharmacy interns and pharmacy sales assistants.
Characteristics
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University
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Analytical
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Administrative
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Helping
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Sedentary
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Light
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Pharmacists, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 66% of people employed as Retail Pharmacists work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is the same as the all jobs average.
Full-time workers work an average of 43 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.
Industries
Main industries
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Most Retail Pharmacists work in the Retail trade industry. They are also employed in industries like:
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Retail Pharmacists | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 30.3 | 31.6 |
VIC | 25.8 | 25.6 |
QLD | 20.4 | 20.0 |
SA | 7.9 | 7.0 |
WA | 10.8 | 10.8 |
TAS | 2.4 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.7 | 1.0 |
ACT | 1.6 | 1.9 |
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Around 69% of Retail Pharmacists live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
- Sydney - Inner South West
- Melbourne - Inner East
- Brisbane - South
- Melbourne - South East
- Melbourne - Inner.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Retail Pharmacists is 34 years. This is younger than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.
Females make up 59% of the workforce. This is 11 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Retail Pharmacists | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.9 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 10.1 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 39.4 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 22.1 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 13.7 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 5.9 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 3.7 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 4.2 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 34 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
A bachelor degree in pharmacy is needed to work as a Retail Pharmacist.
Registration with the Pharmacy Board of Australia is required.
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Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Retail Pharmacists | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 15.5 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 78.0 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 0.5 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 0.8 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 4.4 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 0.2 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 0.5 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Pharmacists who can connect with others, provide good customer service and have good communication skills.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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70%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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63%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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61%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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61%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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59%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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57%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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55%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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55%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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54%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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54%
ScienceUsing scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
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54%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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54%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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52%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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52%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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50%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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50%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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50%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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48%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
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43%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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43%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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72%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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67%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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66%
ChemistryChemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
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65%
Medicine and dentistryDiagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
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62%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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58%
BiologyPlant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
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57%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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54%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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54%
Therapy and counsellingDiagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
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53%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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51%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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49%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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49%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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41%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
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37%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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36%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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28%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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27%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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27%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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21%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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68%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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66%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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66%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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66%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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64%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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59%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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59%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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59%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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57%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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55%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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54%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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52%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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52%
Working with numbersAdd, subtract, multiply, or divide.
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50%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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45%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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43%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
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43%
Colour discriminationNotice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
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43%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
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43%
Finger dexterityPut together small parts with your fingers.
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43%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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82%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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81%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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80%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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71%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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69%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
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68%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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67%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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67%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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67%
Helping and caring for othersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
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66%
Giving expert adviceProviding guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.
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66%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
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65%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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65%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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60%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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58%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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58%
Managing payments and ordersMonitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.
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58%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
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58%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
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56%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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54%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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100%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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76%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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62%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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48%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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38%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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19%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
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81%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
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76%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
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71%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
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67%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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67%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
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67%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
Demands
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100%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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100%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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99%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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99%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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98%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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96%
Consequence of errorWork where mistakes have serious consequences.
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96%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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95%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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95%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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94%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
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91%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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90%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
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90%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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89%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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87%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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87%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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84%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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84%
Spend time standingSpend time standing at work.
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84%
Angry or unpleasant peopleDeal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
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81%
Disease or infectionBe exposed to disease or infections.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 29-1051.00 - Pharmacists.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.