Las Vegas Budtender Jobs: Cannabis on the Strip

Now that Nevada has finally joined the west coast in regulating adult cannabis use, the thought on everyone’s mind is cannabis jobs, specifically, Las Vegas budtender jobs. Las Vegas is located in Clark County, Nevada, the most populous county in the state. The passing of Question 2 will allow for up to eighty recreational dispensaries to open up and operate in this municipality once regulations have been decided upon.

The news has Las Vegas residents eagerly waiting to pounce on Las Vegas budtender jobs, especially for those already working in the service industry or fed up with their current job.

When the citizens of Nevada voted “Question 2” into law on presidential election day 2016, adult possession of cannabis, as well as the future sale of cannabis products became legal. When the law officially kicks in on January 1st, 2017, adults (21+) will be allowed to possess up to one ounce of cannabis, ⅛ of concentrate and up to six plants per adult, with a total of twelve plants per household.

Similarly to how Oregon’s recreational marijuana policy operates, Nevada will preliminarily allow adults to shop at medical marijuana dispensaries before January 1st, 2018, when the Nevada taxation department must decide upon recreational dispensary regulations. Also like Oregon, residents will still not be allowed to consume cannabis publicly or drive under the influence of cannabis. Additionally, any job (especially those in local, state and federal government) can continue to drug-test candidates for THC.

What is a Budtender?

Maybe you’re already well-versed in the legal cannabis industry’s developing job sector, but if not, it helps to have an overview of what budtender jobs entail. The most basic way to describe the position is by labeling it as a sales job. Consumers drive the cannabis industry, so a supportive dispensary staff is of utmost importance.

For this reason, we have the budtender. These folks behind the cannabis dispensary counter are packed to the brim with cannabis knowledge and are the perfect liaison between the creators of cannabis culture and its disciples.

Mainly, Las Vegas budtender jobs are filled by outgoing, compassionate individuals who can represent their products as both medical and recreational, depending on the consumer’s needs. By the time a budtender is fully trained, they will be well-versed not only in the products behind their dispensary counter, but many of the diverse products being sold throughout the country.

Being a knowledgeable budtender is more than just knowing the difference between sativa and indica strains. In fact, Las Vegas budtender jobs require workers to have information on every flower strain, cannabis concentrate, edible and all other products.

While Las Vegas budtender jobs are a fantasy for many, the position is deceptively difficult. After speaking to several established budtenders in Oregon and Colorado, I discovered how much time and energy good budtenders put into their service.

The cannabis industry is looking to shed its unprofessional image, in favor of a more credible one that can be integrated into popular culture. This only encourages dispensary staff to work more diligently in achieving their company and personal goals.

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Who Can Work This Job?

Something I often hear from individuals just beginning their research of Las Vegas budtender jobs is: “Am I experienced enough to work as a budtender?” This question doesn’t have a “right” or easy answer. On the contrary, the hiring staff for Las Vegas budtender jobs look for different qualities in job applicants depending on their company’s needs.

Clearly, a major aspect of this job is being passionate about cannabis. While some dispensaries will only accept applications from those with legal cannabis industry experience, or from previous budtenders, other businesses are more concerned with candidates’ sales and service industry experience.

Using the former as an example, it makes sense why some hiring managers only want to hire those who have direct weed experience. The cannabusiness is a cash based industry that experiences a lot of internal theft and is still working its way out from under the black market shroud. Thusly, owners and managers want to hire people who know what it’s like to work with weed, and who can be trusted with the high volume of cash and cannabis that passes through their hands on a daily basis.

With that said, it is also discouraging to an excited pool of job applicants when they are repeatedly toward they are inexperienced. Given that the cannabis job market was illegal until very recently, there is only a small group of individuals who have found legal pot positions in the past.

Therefore, some employers have decided to concern themselves more with the budtender’s ability to suggest and push products. After all, business is business, whether you’re dealing with high quality cannabis or artisanal coffee. This is why some service industry workers will move from barista to budtender after proving their efficacy with customer service.

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• Six Tips to Help You Land a Budtending Gig

A Day in the Life of a Budtender

Daily operations in cannabis dispensaries vary from business to business, but maintain some similarities regardless of what state they are located in. A typical budtender’s shift begins at the earliest around mid morning. Most dispensaries open around nine or ten, though there are some with earlier openings. For the most part though, Las Vegas Budtender Jobs don’t require you to wake up super early like working in a coffee house would.

Before assisting customers, budtenders may be responsible for taking inventory and restocking products. Additionally, most dispensaries require budtenders to be proficient in rolling and filling “pre-rolled” joints, as well as measuring and pre-weighing flower for sale. Some light bud trimming may also be needed in select cases.

When engaging in direct service duties, budtenders assist a steady stream of customers in selecting products. It is likely that the budtender will be asked to make suggestions or to give some background on specific products. In the case of first time clients, budtenders may seek information from the customer to gauge their cannabis experience, tolerance and medical needs.

After helping the customer choose, budtenders complete any weighing or packaging that needs to be done, before cashing them out using a POS system. Finally, budtenders must ensure to distribute any legal literature to customers, in order to correctly perform compliance measures.

Depending on the shift, budtenders are required to stand for long periods without breaking or sitting. Employees also have to be able to handle periods of high customer traffic, as well as use lulls in business effectively to restock or clean the dispensary showroom.

Budtender Wages

Now that you have a general idea of what it is to be a budtender, let’s get down to the details. Though Las Vegas budtender jobs are competitively pursued, the pay most employees receive is commensurate with standard service industry wages. This means that budtenders can be paid as low as minimum wage (with or without tips) and average between $11-12 per hour. More experienced budtenders or those who have shown consistent progress can make upwards of around $15 per hour.

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Las Vegas Budtender Job Perks

While the hourly wages of Las Vegas budtender jobs may be nothing to write home about, there are some definite perks that come with the position. For starters, budtenders often get cannabis products at a discounted rate, which saves dedicated stoners a lot of money they would normally spend at a dispensary already. Under the black market industry, budtenders were once free to take home weed at the end of a shift. Now, compliance measures limit instances like these, though some budtenders do get to bring home samples from sales representatives.

Another significant upside to working Las Vegas budtender jobs is the level of credibility it gives candidates looking to develop successful careers in the cannabis industry. Working as a budtender is a great launch point for advanced positions in the industry like cultivation jobs and extraction technician positions. Budtending is a unique post that involves direct contact with pot and cannabis customers, which can be applied to other jobs in the industry.

The Future of Las Vegas Budtender Jobs

When projecting the outcomes of the recreational cannabis industry, only time will reveal exactly how the state of Nevada integrates adult marijuana possession and sales from a previously medical program. As more states pass legislation, the cannabusiness is growing stronger and more confident in its ability to operate and perform respectfully.

If you are looking to start your career with Las Vegas budtender jobs, be at the forefront of developing regulations–visit nv.gov or Norml.org to continue your cannabis education and keep up with local and federal cannabis legislation.