How to Find a Job in a Cannabis Industry

As more states across the nation legalize the use of medical marijuana and low levels of recreational pot use, the cannabis industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds. The need for workers at all levels is increasing at an exponential rate. Making this a great place for workers to get in on the ground level, and new career choices that didn’t exist before legalization. According to New Frontier Data, a cannabis industry research firm, by 2020 there is expected to be well over 280,000 new jobs in this fast-growing market. Financially, research suggests marijuana market sales nationwide should exceed $24 billion by 2025. In 2017 job posts for the cannabis industry grew by a whopping 445%. This outpaces the high growth rates usually associated with the tech and healthcare industries. rnWith a newly formed industry expanding across the country, job hunters are eager to jump on the bandwagon. The question is, how do you get a job in the Cannabis industry?

Jobs in the Cannabis Industry

Even just a couple of years ago, no one would have expected to be able to find a legal position in the pot market. Today, the needs of an infant industry have added new jobs and careers that have never been available before. The skills needed for these jobs vary. Having experience in use of the product won’t generally be an “in” to a new job. With medical marijuana as an alternative treatment, a degree, certification, or training in the medical field becomes necessary. The cultivation and harvesting of the cannabis plant are within the agricultural industry. There is also cannabis marketing, sales, and administration. As with any business, the pot market includes many different jobs at various skill levels. According to Vangst 2018 Salary guide the top jobs in the cannabis industry are:

Director of Extraction

Director of Cultivation

Outside Sales Representative

Dispensary Store Manager

Budtender

Trimmer

Top Cities for Cannabis Industry Jobs

Currently, 33 states have approved some level of legal medical marijuana and recreational pot use. This all began a little over 20 years ago, in 1996 when California passed proposition 215 legalizing the use of medical marijuana within the state. The recreational use of pot was the next step for states to take. In 2012 Washington and Colorado were the first two states to create laws making small amounts of recreational marijuana use legal. rnWith the states on the west coast taking the lead in legalization, they also boast the most cities for jobs. According to ZipRecruiter, the top 5 cities include:

Denver, CO

Los Angeles, CA

San Francisco, CA

Seattle, WA

Portland, OR

The 2 main cities on the east coast with a high prospect for jobs in the Cannabis industry include:

Miami, FL

Boston, MA

Also on the top cities list:

Chicago, IL

Tips to Find a Job in a Cannabis Industry

As a new market, finding jobs in the industry may seem like a daunting task. Primarily due to the stigma about working in an industry that was once illegal, and still is in some areas.

Learn about the Industry

The best way to find a job in the field is to learn everything you can about the industry. With the boom, there are now a variety of websites and magazines that cater to the market. A good starting point is learning about the laws and regulations in the state where you are looking for work. An easy first step is a simple Google search for laws regarding pot in your state.

Classic Job Searches

Another way to find jobs in the pot industry is the same as for other markets, using classic job search methods. As more legislation is passed making marijuana use legal, companies are posting jobs in all the same locations as other employers do. These include places such as local newspaper job sections, word-of-mouth referrals, and holding job fairs. The most common way to find jobs in any of today’s markets is online job sites. These include sites such as Monster, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and Flex Jobs. Social media is another excellent avenue for job hunting. With networking abilities and job posting pages LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are a viable way to find employment in the cannabis industry.

Attend Cannabis Events

Attending expos, conferences, conventions and other events sponsored by the cannabis industry is a great way to meet prospective employers. These types of gatherings are also a great way to gain valuable knowledge about individual businesses and the industry as a whole.

Volunteering

Another great way to gain exposure to new employment opportunities is to volunteer for a company or group within the industry. From fundraising to social media management there are many opportunities for volunteer work. With the ongoing legalization of both medical marijuana and recreational use, the job market for the cannabis industry has moved to the forefront of new and exciting employment opportunities.