Cannabis Resume Writing Tips

Some good cannabis resume writing tips are important to know before searching for your cannabis jobs.

Cannabis job growth is booming despite it being legal in only two-thirds of the states. Leafly reports that the U.S. has created 211,000 full-time jobs with most jobs being created in recent years.

Some argue that the cannabis industry is the biggest job creator in America. Although not every state has an equally thriving job market, overall, cannabis employment is rising.

Whether you work in accounting, finance, or want to earn an entry-level job at a dispensary in the business, there are plenty of opportunity for cannabis advocates of all skill levels. If you’re interested in earning your spot as one of the select people to work in this developing field, one key area to focus on is creating a resume and cover letter that showcase your experience, transferrable skills, and other qualities that would make you a viable candidate for the industry.

Cannabis Cover Letter

Let’s face it. Cover letters are a pain to write, especially if you’re applying to multiple jobs over an extended period of time. It’s important to craft each cover letter to the specific job, company, and industry. If you write a cover letter, you’re ahead of the game, since most job applicants won’t take the time to develop a simple but effective cannabis cover letter to go along with their detailed resume.

While each cover letter will be different, there are a few non-negotiables that can set you apart from the competition. For example, make sure to include the name of the person who will be looking at your resume, whether it be a head grower, lab technician, or hiring manager. Take the time to research who you are specifically talking to in order to display your initiative.

A cover letter can seem redundant when sending a resume, but it’s not. A cover letter allows you to expand upon your resume. You can tell the story behind your experience. Include information that may make you a more appealing candidate such as your experience with cannabis, willingness to relocate, and other creative aspects about you that can provide value to the company at large. Describe potential negatives, such as  employment gaps, in a way that puts them in the best light.

Transferrable Skills

Most job seekers don’t have many years of experience working in the cannabis industry. A lack of direct experience doesn’t have to be an obstacle when you can provide transferrable skills to the company you’re applying for. Transferrable skills are skills and abilities that can be applied to more than one job or industry. Soft skills such as ability to be creative and hard skills such as experience in customer service can both work in the cannabis industry. You can talk about transferrable skills in both your resume and cover letter.

For example, if you’re trying to get a job as a budtender at a dispensary, you can bank on your experience as a sales associate to distinguish yourself as a good applicant. As a sales associate, you’d ideally have excellent skills with customer service. If you worked as a sales associate at a health food store, you’d include knowledge about the health industry in your cannabis resume.

When including transferrable skills for any job, make sure to use simple, but complete sentences using action verbs to show your potential employer exactly what you’ve accomplished at your previous job. For example, if you’re looking for a position with a cultivation company, you can include phrases such as “eliminated pests and mold with organic methods” to showcase your contribution to your previous employer. If possible, include hard numbers to show exactly how much value you brought to your company. 

Cannabis Resume Tips

Most cannabis resumes will follow the same format as any other resume you’d write for traditional jobs. Unfortunately, the cannabis industry has suffered from a long history of stigmatization. Despite its illegal past, the cannabis industry is looking for professional and hard-working individuals. In your resume, don’t use unprofessional language, slang, or include information about how much weed you consume.

Nowadays, one of the only ways to learn about cannabis is to complete certification courses or attend seminars and conventions. Cannabis employers are looking for committed job seekers, not people looking to dabble in the industry. In your resume, include any classes, certifications, or seminars you’ve attended or completed.

When writing a cannabis resume, you don’t have to include every job you’ve ever taken. Keep your job count to the last three or four jobs you had. Include any job where you gained skills and experience that are transferrable to the cannabis industry. Hiring managers are busy, so you don’t want to overwhelm them with information. Try to keep your resume one page long.

Now that you have a better idea of what cannabis hiring managers are looking for, you can work on either building your experience or crafting a solid resume with tons of relevant skills that can help build up a cannabis company.

Marijuana School Online

If you’re interested in standing apart from the competition, you can sign up for Cannabis Training University’s certification program to learn about cannabis extraction, cannabis cooking, laws, medicine, and starting a marijuana business from scratch.

CTU’s Careers Class gives students detailed instructions and examples on writing a cannabis cover letter and cannabis resume, and gives you tips for the cannabis job interview too! Begin your weed career with online marijuana training from the leading pot school, Cannabis Training University