Tips on Starting a Career in Cannabis

Insider Tips From Recruitment Agents at the Forefront of Cannabis Staffing

Cannabis is seeing incredible growth, and there are hundreds of thousands of companies across the country, focusing on advancing this industry further. Outside of dispensaries, there are also many ancillary companies that directly support cannabis, and with that, plenty of opportunity for career growth.

Over 243,700 full-time positions at cannabis companies already exist, and this number is only expected to rise. Just because there are opportunities within cannabis doesn’t mean that landing a top cannabis job will be easy. If you are considering starting a career in cannabis, read our insider tips below to help you ace your interview and start your journey in cannabis on the right foot.

Make Yourself Marketable

For anyone trying to transition from a more traditional field into the cannabis industry, one of the most important things you’ll need to do is market yourself correctly. You know, that in any job interview, you need to sell yourself and the value you bring to an organization; the same goes for cannabis. However, applicants will also need to translate their previous experience to the role they desire in the world of cannabis.

A great way to understand your skills and how they translate to a role at a cannabusiness is to research. Look at the job you are applying to and see what skills or experience are desired and how your background lines up. This could require further research into cannabis terminology, or by looking at similar job descriptions to help inform your responses.

Translating your more traditional business experience into a role in cannabis will be crucial not only to acing your interview but also for your transition into cannabis after you land the job. Understand that your past experiences might not line up directly with a position in cannabis. Still, you should draw on your background as a point of opportunity for growth within a cannabusiness.

Define your strengths

The cannabis industry is booming; in fact, this growth has been referred to as the Green Rush. With this influx of demand for product and innovation, there is also a demand for talent, but that doesn’t mean getting a job in cannabis is necessarily easy. While jobs in cannabis are increasing, so are the number of applicants.

If you’re starting on your cannabis job search, don’t be discouraged by the competition! In this growing market, there is a need for difference; define your strengths to make yourself stand out from other applicants. What can you bring to the table that no one else can? Hiring managers in cannabis are looking for uniquely talented individuals who can bring value to their growing teams and help the company thrive. Make sure you can speak to your experiences and skills and how they set you apart from the rest and make you a better candidate.

What Cannabis Companies Are Looking For

While no company or position will ever be the same, there are certain things that cannabis companies are all looking for. One of those main characteristics is a self-starter. A self-starter is someone with inherent motivation who can power through challenges and have the confidence to try again if at first, they don’t succeed.

Cannabis companies are looking for self-starters who can keep up with the pace of this evolving sector. This industry is growing and evolving at a rapid pace (remember the Green Rush?), and the ideal cannabis candidate will be able to take on the challenges of a growing sector head-on. If you don’t know if you’re a self-starter or not, think back on your past work experiences. Did you focus on successful outcomes when starting a project that you followed through on? Have you had the confidence to push through adversity and failures? If you don’t have past experiences to draw on, don’t worry; like any skill, taking the initiative and confidence can be learned.

In Conclusion

If you’ve been on a job search before, you know that being prepared, and being able to speak to your skills and experiences, is crucial. These requirements are the same when looking for a position in cannabis, but with some caveats. You will need to be able to translate your experience to fit the cannabusiness’ needs and set yourself apart from other applicants by defining your strengths. Lastly, as a rapidly growing and changing industry, cannabis companies are looking for self-starters who can keep up with the pace and challenges of this booming sector.

If you’re interested in making a move to a career in cannabis, Growing Talent is here to help. With more than 25 years in the recruitment space for new verticals, Growing Talent is well equipped to help you navigate this budding industry. We’ll connect you to a network of top minds in cannabis today and help you find your perfect fit within the world of cannabis.

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