Andrew Lanier, PharmD, BCMAS, is a clinical science liaison at Verastem Oncology based in Dallas, TX.

If you are anything like me during my final year of pharmacy school, you are approaching graduation and don’t have a solid post-graduation plan. That is a valid and understandable place to be. With residencies and fellowships being increasingly competitive and a job market that is unkind to new graduates, I know all too well how daunting finding your first job can feel. I found myself staring in the mirror, dressed in my doctorate regalia, thinking “what now?”

As a student pharmacist, I was actively involved in clubs and organizations, and I worked as an intern at a grocery store pharmacy. I knew that my heart just wasn’t in community pharmacy, but I felt the pressures of a residency or fellowship would not be the best for my mental health. Combined with the pressure of lingering student loans, I was desperately looking to enter the job market as soon as possible.

Undeterred by rejection

I knew that I wanted to work in either a hospital or industry oncology setting, as oncology pharmacy is my passion. Immediately following graduation, I began applying to as many entry-level jobs as I could, most of which preferred 5 to 10 years’ experience, a PGY-1 residency, a fellowship, or other requirements that weren’t entry-level. I got rejection after rejection. Due to the overwhelming number of rejections, I pushed myself to earn my pharmacy license as soon as possible. However, even with my newly acquired license and updated curriculum vitae, I was still receiving numerous rejections.

I decided to chat with some personal mentors of mine and used LinkedIn to reach out to random strangers who held positions I wanted. I asked them how they broke into their field, and what paths they would recommend for a new graduate to break in and work up to their current position. Unsurprisingly, I got back a lot of “well, you either have to do a residency or fellowship,” which was not helpful advice for me in mid-June.

Landing the job

I have never liked it when people told me that something can’t be done or that there is only one way to achieve a goal. I believe it to be narrow-minded, and I thrive off the challenge.

After many more applications and some interviews, I ended up being offered an entry-level industry position as a clinical research associate (CRA). The pay was bad, and the job not much better, but I knew it was a foot in the door.

While in that first job, I learned as much as I could, all while still networking and discussing how I could leverage my experiences toward my dream career. I also completed an online board certification program in medical affairs, as that is the area in which I aspired to work.

After several months working at my new CRA job, I realized that I had exhausted all the learning opportunities for my current role, so I decided to discuss growth potential with my boss. I was told to wait 4–5 years for any meaningful growth within the company. Deeming this an unacceptable timeline, I started to look elsewhere. This led me to finding my dream job as a clinical science liaison at Verastem Oncology.

Believe in yourself

The biggest asset I had while trying to land my dream job was my continued resilience. Although there were other aspects—such as networking, obtaining insight from those who have similar positions, gaining valuable experience, and achieving a board certification—the underlying driver was an unwavering commitment to self-improvement so that I could be a better clinician.

I truly believe that the next generation of pharmacists will bring meaningful advancements in medicine. The job market may not be friendly toward new graduates, and you are facing an uphill battle. But we all work on our own timelines, and with proper preparation and hard work can achieve any goal. When the time is right, you will find the right position and you will be prepared to succeed.

My advice to you is to be bold, be engaged, always believe in yourself, and be resilient. I know that you will not only obtain your dream career but excel within it.