How to Become a Budtender in Michigan
Our cannabis career guide teaches you how to become a budtender in Michigan. Learn the type of budtender training needed to excel in the retail cannabis field, budtender job descriptions and requirements, budtender salary, and which cities are hiring the most.
What are the Cannabis Laws in Michigan?
Michigan legalized recreational cannabis use on December 6, 2018, to widespread fanfare. Under the new laws, any adult 21 or older can possess or use cannabis. If you’re 21 and over, you can travel with up to 2.5 ounces of flower or 15 grams of concentrate (with few exceptions).
You can have up to 10 ounces at home, but anything over 2.5 ounces should be locked away. Adults can grow up to 12 cannabis plants per household. If you grow your own weed, you can hold an unlimited amount of marijuana at home.
For most people, however, a cannabis dispensary is their one-stop-shop for cannabis flower, infused products, and accessories. Michigan issued a number of recreational dispensary licenses to open up the market with more shops set to open in the coming years.
Patients can still obtain a medical marijuana card with a doctor’s recommendation. Patients must have a qualifying condition to be eligible for medical marijuana use. People can visit medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries (and some with both types of cannabis).
Michigan Budtender: Job Description & Requirements
As Michigan continues the success of its new recreational market, cannabis dispensaries in the state are in search of fun, outgoing, friendly, and knowledgeable budtenders who can answer any and all of a customer’s questions about the available products.
While budtenders work in a traditional retail setting, the job entails more than just completing a cash transaction. Budtenders are tasked with recommending cannabis products such as edibles, concentrates, and topicals to customers to elicit their desired effects.
A Michigan budtender’s job responsibilities include:
- Greet customers when they enter the dispensary showroom
- Provide exceptional customer service
- Develop and maintain a positive relationship with patients, vendors, and staff
- Payment/cash handling
- Communicate the effects of different strains and products to customers
- Manage POS and state Metrc database entries
- Assist in inventory activities
- Maintain a clean and organized work environment
- Must comply with HIPAA guidelines
The requirements to become a Michigan budtender include:
- Minimum 21 years of age
- Must be a Michigan resident
- Must pass a criminal and background check
- High school diploma or GED
- Customer service and retail experience (preferred)
- Proficient computing skills
- Excellent oral, problem-solving, communication, multi-tasking, and teamwork skills
- Knowledge of cannabis
- Reliable transportation
- Flexible schedule
How To Become a Budtender in Michigan
If you’re interested in becoming a budtender in Michigan, there are a few things to consider to improve your chances of getting hired. First of all, you must be 21 years or older and have a clean record to pass a background check.
Most dispensaries prefer budtenders to have at least one to three years of previous retail, customer service, and cash handling experience. More importantly, budtenders must be knowledgeable about the cannabis industry.
Budtending training is available in a variety of learning environments including online classes that catch you up to speed with the medicinal, legal, and commercial landscape of the industry. Cannabis certification could be the difference needed to stand out from the competition.
Create a resume with all of your transferable skills including prior customer service and cannabis experience. Don’t hesitate to include any cannabis training you’ve completed to show your passion for the plant and the community.
A short cover letter explaining why you want the job and why you’re the best person for it can also shine on your positive qualifications and skills. With a resume and cover letter completed, you can start sending out applications to any dispensaries hiring in your area. Search for budtender, dispensary agent, herbologist, and wellness/cannabis consultant positions on online job boards.
If your skills match the dispensary’s requirements, you’ll get a call or email from the hiring manager to schedule an in-person interview. Research common budtender interview questions. Make sure you know the basics of cannabis terminology, strain types, effects, and consumption methods. Dress to impress. A cannabis dispensary interview is anything but casual.
Even if you don’t get hired on your first try, Michigan’s burgeoning cannabis market is always looking for new budtenders to meet the surging demand. Keep applying to different dispensaries, reading up on cannabis topics, and learning from your mistakes.
If budtending isn’t your thing, there’s a wide range of cannabis careers you can aim for. From cultivation to cooking to extraction and more, the cannabis industry and its ancillary businesses offer exciting job opportunities for passionate individuals.
How Much Do Budtenders Make in Michigan?
Budtenders in Michigan can expect to earn between $12 and $16 an hour depending on experience level. According to data from Indeed, the average base salary for a marijuana budtender in Michigan is $13.37 per hour, five percent higher than the national average.
Budtenders can also expect certain job perks such as store discounts, employee discounts, paid sick time, flexible schedules, health insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, paid time off, professional development assistance, and retirement plans.
Where to Find Budtender Jobs in Michigan
Michigan’s thriving medical and recreational cannabis market has plenty of entry-level and advanced job opportunities for the candidate with the right skills. If you’re hoping to get a budtending position in Michigan, here are the top cities you should look into:
- Ann Arbor
- Detroit
- Lansing
- Traverse City
- Negaunee
- Hazel Park
- Battle Creek
- Owosso
- White Cloud
- Kalamazoo
- Buchanan
- Flint
- Center Line
- Grand Rapids
- Adrian
Budtender Training in Michigan
Budtender training can help you learn the tricks of the trade so you can land a dispensary job. CTU’s online cannabis training goes over the role and responsibilities of a budtender, customer service techniques, and the essential knowledge needed to become a marijuana expert.
For the best budtender certification enroll today at the leading cannabis college.
