As states medicalize and legalize cannabis at a rapid clip, many people are eager to join the Green Rush. If working in cannabis sounds like your dream job, but you don’t know where you fit in, read on.
When considering a career in cannabis, it’s important that you align yourself with the movement that created all the new opportunities. Marijuana advocates have labored down a long, hard road to get us where we are now, and continue to do so. One of the best ways to break into the industry is by volunteering for a compassionate organization first.
But before you start submitting resumes and even before putting said resume together, first look at your own skill sets, really consider where you might add the most value and then begin by networking.
Getting to know the community around you and as a whole is essential to entering the work space. Join legalization groups on Facebook, LinkedIn and organizations like NORML. Reach out to people simply by leaving a comment on their Instagram feed or by commenting thoughtfully on their newest blog post.
Whether you’ve been waiting tables, trading on Wall Street, creating social media or actually have a green thumb, apply the skills you have to the direction you go with marijuana. The industry needs public relations gurus and webmasters as much as it needs dispensary managers, budtenders and distributors.
Once you’ve established and educated yourself in the community, then start researching companies and organizations in your area or conduct nationwide searches if you are able to contribute remotely or have the luxury of being mobile. When you’ve found some dreamy positions to apply for, personalize your cover letter to each place and be sincere. Personality and a compassionate comportment go a long way in this industry.
Don’t be afraid to sell yourself, but also don’t sell your soul. There are a lot of businesses out there that only aim to capitalize on a burgeoning market. You don’t want to go down the road of profiting off of patients who are being taken advantage of or to be aligned with a company that is clearly in it for the wrong kind of green.
The cannabis plant deserves our utmost respect and working in its field can be rewarding on many different levels, from helping strengthen the sick to building up a startup with the right intentions, you can be the difference needed in a brand that is truly high-minded. Research cannabis placement agencies, enter cannabis as a keyword in job searches and best of luck!
