10 Steps to Get a Job in the Marijuana Industry

Federal job counters may not readily reveal the number of people working in the marijuana industry today. But reliable job-listing sites including Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter say that cannabusinesses employ at least 211,000 people across the country.

What’s more, this number is expected to triple as more cannabis products pop up and more states liberalize cannabis use.

These figures mean that green is getting greener for anyone who wants a career change or a job in the marijuana industry.

Mind you, there are lots of things that you can do in the world of cannabis from production management to making deliveries. Some companies like THC Detox offer interesting and high-paying job openings that don’t require you to interact with weed directly

The cannabis industry isn’t any different from other industries in terms of hiring. Make no mistake, though. Despite the heated demand for workers, nabbing cannabis job offers still demands a great deal of preparation.

In the next couple of minutes, let’s show you what’s required to break into this multi-billion dollar industry.

Key Steps to Getting a job in the Cannabis Industry

1. Know everything you should about weed

Should we really expound the importance of this? There are thousands of job openings up for grabs in the cannabis market. Regardless of the post that you are eyeing, the company will require you to have absolute knowledge of weed before they can offer you the job.

For instance, do you know the difference between Sativa and Indica? Why are American potheads more attracted to Kush? What about weed production, storage, and legality?

Generally, just like pretty much any other industry, you cannot deal with what you don’t know. While you’d still expect some form of on-job training and orientation to the product, having more knowledge about weed makes you stand out from the rest. This could earn you extra marks during an interview and, therefore, get you closer to landing the job.

If you are interested in making money off legal marijuana through self-employment, extensive knowledge on weed, how it works, methods of consumption, legal requirements, and tests will open up your mind to hundreds of opportunities in this space.

2. Approach the industry professionally

The major mistake that job applicants make is failing to take a cannabis job opening with the seriousness it deserves.

Weed may have been taboo several decades back. Anyone who had anything to do with it was often treated as a crook and was never taken seriously.

But all that has changed and the cannabis industry is now expected to leave the soda industry in the dust. This means that professionalism is a key aspect if you are aiming at making a leap in the flourishing cannabis market.

If you are serious about crashing that interview, don’t meet the recruitment team in a casual ‘catching up with buddies’ type of thing. Be sure to show up in an appearance that the interviewers want for their employees; clean, neat, professional, and seemingly successful. You want them to focus more on your skills not clothes, right?

The same case applies if you want to start a cannabusiness. If you want to strike it big, and regardless of whether you are going to set up a physical store or online, professionalism is key. This is the only way to attract and keep great and quality workers who will in return help you attract loyal customers.

3. Arm yourself with a startup mentality

Despite the historic achievements that the cannabis industry continues to make, there are still lots of regulatory roadblocks, especially at the federal level.

In addition, every day brings lots of federal and state rules and regulations that make the future of cannabis pretty much unpredictable. Anything can happen.

That being said, if you want to impress your prospective employer or investors, you need to show them that you view uncertainties as an opportunity to control the future.

On this note, prove that you can shake things up with your creativity and readiness to come up with new ideas rather than sticking to the status quo.

4. Be ready for changes and thrive in them

The cannabis industry is dynamic and fast-paced. It’s also full of changes that are both unstoppable and inevitable.

A change can trigger immense growth in a business or company. But it can also lead to its downfall if it’s not managed properly.

Employers and investors in the cannabis space want to work with people who not only enjoy changes but also thrive in them.

5. Show that you are a quick study and eager to learn

What makes the cannabis industry somewhat challenging to work in for most people is that it is relatively new. There are also a whole ton of things to learn. As others view this as a challenge, it could be your strength if you are a quick learner.

In an environment where new products and ways of doing things are changing unannounced, the market wants workers who are both ready and quick to learn the ropes and pick up speed fast.

This is a very important step too if you are planning to set up a store to sell marijuana paraphernalia. Needless to mention, you want to ensure that you are stocking up gadgets and tools that fit the present cannabis lifestyle in your state.

6. Be prepared to effectively reach above and beyond basic responsibilities

Due to all the changes that are going on around this industry coupled with daily regulations, cannabusiness employers are seeking to hire workers who are willing to wear several hats around the job.

Ideally, you need to take the roles listed in your job description as the minimum. Be ready to take some initiative to offer more by reaching outside of your job bracket.

Of course, it’s much safer not to expect any reward, for instance, a pay raise or a promotion. But showing your employer that you’ve taken an initiative to offer more services beyond what’s expected of you is quite impressive and will attract some form of rewards anyway.

7. Learn new skills

In the market, your salary is, to a larger extent, determined by your skillset- and this is especially true in the cannabis space.

Well, the high demand for workers in this industry means that employers are not particularly after highly experienced and knowledgeable workers.

However, while employers are keen to offer on-job training to uninitiated employees, several skills currently reign supreme on the recruitment list including precise extraction (requires experience in biochemistry and engineering), accounting, and marketing.

Getting out of your comfort zone and learning an additional skill is a huge bonus to clinching a job in the cannabis industry. It also speaks volumes about where exactly you’ll be on the organizational chart.

Worth of mention, simply getting a job in this expansive industry should not be your key goal. Instead, bring along your skills with a determination to make a difference. With such a mindset, we can guarantee you no employer will deny you a platform.

The best part of the cannabis market is that no skills are irrelevant. If you can learn some culinary arts real quick, this could be an avenue to join lots of companies that specialize in edible cannabis products as a pastry chef.

On the other hand, if you can pursue a Ph.D. in biochemistry and add this experience to your engineering skills, most cannabis companies will want to consider you for one of the highest paying ranks in this industry; Master Extractor.

8. Go for a Post that interests you

Cannabis businesses are scrambling to fill a host of new jobs that are popping up in the industry. There just aren’t enough employees available for all the openings. But that doesn’t mean that the cannabis world isn’t plagued by employee turnover.

Experts say that the main reason why most people who get in don’t stay is the failure to get a job that makes them happy.

So, don’t be in a hurry to fill any position that pops up. Take your time and attend a few meetings to learn everything you can about the available posts before making your decision.

9. Pitch your role

It being a startup industry, most cannabis businesses and companies are picking up things down the road. Most of the ventures out there have several roles and gaps that are yet to be filled. Creativity is all about considering your skills and knowing how you could use them to shake things up in the cannabis industry.

If you are sure that you can use your skills in, let’s say, events management, content writing, or product development, go ahead and pitch your ideas to the company. It could be just what they need despite not having made an advertisement for it.

10. Meet any legal requirements and training beforehand

Another important step into breaking the cannabis industry is to ensure that you already have any legal certifications. Since marijuana remains a controlled substance at the federal level, most businesses in this industry are being hauled over the coals by an array of licenses and permits.

States such as Nevada also require employees and volunteers in this industry to get a registered agent card. This card is usually issued by the state and necessitates a background check.