Jobs in the CBD/Hemp Industry: What’s Out There?

WIth the re-legalization of industrial hemp, the cannabis industry is booming, and there is more demand than ever for workers to fill jobs in hemp. Jobs in the CBD industry offer challenging work, but with great rewards, like a decent rate of pay, and the ability to contribute to an industry that helps people live better, healthier lives. Whatever skills you have to offer, there’s a job for you.

Creating The Next Cash Crop

When the 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law, it capped 4 years of expansion in a tentative cannabis industry with coast-to-coast legalization of industrial hemp. With its legal status clarified, jobs in hemp exploded as CBD began to show up on seemingly every aisle of the grocery store. The incredible interest in hemp is driving record profits, making it a great time to get into the cannabis industry.

Entry-Level Hemp Careers

Like most businesses, the easiest way to get a great job in hemp is to start with an entry-level position and earn your way to raises, promotions, and possibly your own entrepreneurial venture one day. These are some common starter jobs in hemp. They may require basic skills and aptitudes that you may already have relevant experience in or that can be learned through training. It’s a great time to find the jobs in the CBD industry that you can thrive at.

• Grower - If you’ve got a green thumb, you could put some serious green in your pocket. Professional growers are more than just glorified gardeners. You’ll be responsible for the proper cultivation of cannabis. This could include planting, pruning, harvesting, and choosing samples to verify that your crops are within federal guidelines.
• Lab Tech - The CBD industry is in its early stages, and consumers can only be as confident in their CBD products as the science behind ensuring their purity and potency. In-house lab technicians work to monitor hemp and hemp derivatives at every stage of the production process. They could be evaluating CBD and THC concentrations, establishing the terpenes present in a given product, or verifying that there are no chemical or biological contaminants. These jobs in hemp aren’t limited to CBD companies, as independent testing of products is an important part of building public trust.
• Production - From the ground to your favorite CBD products supplier, hemp plants are processed to get their oil, then that oil is further processed before being added to products. People are needed at every step of the journey for manual processes and monitoring the machinery that helps create great CBD blends.
• Retail Specialists - Once CBD products are made, someone has to sell them. Whether you start in a cashier’s position ringing up customers, in the shipping office making sure remote orders are packaged correctly, or on a sales floor helping customers find the right product for their needs, you’ll be helping to connect people with the products that can change their lives.
• Communications - One of the most important jobs in hemp, especially at this early stage of legalization, is being a visible, vocal advocate of CBD products. Jobs in the CBD industry that fill this niche can include social media management, copywriting, being part of a public relations team, or working with brands as influencers and awareness representatives. If you like to go out and talk to people, this is a great niche for leveraging those people skills.
• Innovator - The CBD industry is just finding its feet, and there is still plenty of room for fresh visions. While the more technical jobs in this category, such as biological chemists and engineers, may require a degree, there’s always someone looking for the next big idea, and you just might be part of it.

Landing The Best Jobs In Hemp

The current growth of hemp may be unprecedented, but getting a job in the in the industry is often easier if you follow tried and true practices.

• Educate Yourself Beforehand - If you want one of the great jobs in hemp, make sure you know about hemp. Learn what it is you’re applying for, what the job entails, how your current skills match up, and some information about the company you want to work for. This helps you be better prepared for interviews.
• Be Professional And Passionate - Employers want to hire someone who wants to do the job. Understand why you feel hemp is your calling, and let them know, but be professional about it. That doesn’t necessarily mean dry or humorless, but you need to behave as if they are already your boss and it is your company. Treat them with respect.
• Be Presentable And Persistent - Dress appropriately for the position, every time you approach someone with or at the company you want to work for. Slacks and a polo shirt are usually a safe bet for most career paths. Avoid looking too casual or wearing marijuana imagery. While they may be related, jobs in the CBD industry are about industrial hemp, and companies want to distance themselves from the wild child of the cannabis family. Call after you put your application in, ask to talk to the hiring manager, explain that you’re an applicant, and that you’d like to set up a time to come in and talk to them. Politeness and professionalism count.
• Don’t Ask For A Job, Sell Them A Great Employee - Decide what you can bring to the company to help it thrive, and offer to bring it to them. Telling someone you are an experienced production worker with an eye for detail goes a lot farther than just asking if they have jobs in hemp production.

Join The Movement

It’s a great time to find a great job in the thriving hemp industry. Explore the world of CBD products and hemp with CBD Choice today.