CVS is looking to fill 25,000 clinical and retail positions as flu season approaches and customer demand for COVID-19 vaccination and testing remains high.
According to the pharmacy retailer, the majority of the available positions are for full-time, part-time and temporary licensed pharmacists, trained pharmacy technicians and nurses at CVS Pharmacy store locations. CVS is also looking to beef up its workforce of retail store associates.
CVS says the accelerated hiring campaign will help the company administer flu shots, COVID-19 vaccinations for those who have yet to receive them, and COVID-19 booster shots pending regulatory approval. It will also support testing at CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide.
On Friday, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel endorsed emergency approval of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine booster shot at least six months after the second dose among people ages 65 and older and those at high risk of occupational exposure and severe COVID-19. CVS Health has administered more than 34 million COVID-19 vaccines and more than 32 million tests to date.
Qualified candidates interested in the open positions can apply by texting “CVS” to 25000 or visit the CVS Health Career Website, where they will enter a digital screening process that includes an online application, virtual job tryout, and immediate hiring. There will be no on-site applications or interviews.
CVS Health employees who refer full-time pharmacists or pharmacy technicians that are hired into the company will be eligible for a cash bonus.
The recruitment effort comes as nearly 70% of employers worldwide are having a difficult time filling vacancies, according to an employment outlook survey by Manpower Group.
In order to attract and retain workers, CVS has announced it will hike its corporate-wide minimum wage to $15 per hour beginning in July 2022, with incremental increases to its hourly rates starting immediately. It also said it has eliminated high school diploma or GED requirements for the majority of its entry-level roles, and will eliminate the GPA requirement for university recruitment.
Other companies that have stepped up their hiring efforts in recent weeks include Amazon, Walmart and Delta Airlines.