Poke around on Google and you’ll find no shortage of tips on how to enter the cannabis industry.
However, there’s not as much for people who are current cannabis employees and are looking to move up the chain.
You have mastered the entry-level job in the cannabis industry – so what’s your next move?
What are things that current cannabis industry employees can do to advance their careers?
Below are some things to incorporate into your strategy.
#1) Cultivate your cannabis skills
In order to obtain a lucrative position in the hyper-competitive cannabis industry, an applicant has to have established, desirable skills.
General labor skills are not going to cut it. When applying for promotions/jobs, take a step back and consider the caliber of applicants that you will likely be competing with.
Brainstorm ways in your current position to gain the skills, knowledge, and experience for the job that you want in the future.
That may entail working extra hours, or it may even involve volunteering your time to build the experience you desire.
For anybody looking to educate or train on all things cannabis, check out Green Flower Academy.
#2) Apply with companies that have room for growth
One mistake that some aspiring cannabis industry leaders make is only applying at companies that are very small with no real room for advancement.
Picture the company’s organizational chart in your mind. If it is small, it’s very unlikely that an opening will come available unless the company expands rapidly.
If you’re looking for a bigger job, you may want to apply with an established company that already operates in multiple markets.
The other option is to try to spot a company that is destined for greatness and has enormous potential, which is much more difficult to do.
#3) Do your research and know what you want
Another mistake that aspiring cannabis industry employees make is not doing their research ahead of time as to how much their employment services are worth.
Trying to get top dollar for your services is one thing, and thinking that you are going to get paid crazy money could come back to haunt you during the hiring process.
Know your worth by doing the homework ahead of time. Look for job openings that are similar to the one you’re applying for.
If all of the salaries are roughly the same, then that’s the fair market value for the position in question.
And of course, it’s quite possible that the position you’re looking at could have a much different salary than a similar position elsewhere, for better or worse.
#4) Create your own promotion
Whenever you talk to people in the cannabis industry who are at the top of their respective fields, they will often tell you that they basically blazed their own paths.
In many ways, the most straightforward manner to get promoted in the cannabis industry is to find a void that needs to be filled and then fill it.
If you work for a company, try to figure out a way to economically justify the existence of your desired position and pitch it to the company’s decision maker(s).
Funding a new position at a company, no matter the size, is not an easy task. Locating funding can be tricky, but if it makes dollars it makes sense.
#5) Seek out the assistance of a cannabis industry staffing company
The emerging cannabis industry only has a handful of reputable staffing companies at this time. You can tell which ones are solid by the types of listings and success stories they have.
If they work with a lot of reputable companies you’ve heard of before, the staffing agency is likely a good one.
But if the listings are all for companies that you have never heard of, and especially if the listings seem too good to be true, avoid the staffing company. It will just be a waste of your time.
Working with a staffing agency helps maximize your earning potential. They do a lot of the legwork for you and help match you with an ideal employer.
And of course, your likelihood of success improves with any cannabis training or experience on which you can build!