So You Want To Get A Marijuana Job In New Jersey: What To Know

NEWARK, NJ — Now that New Jersey voters have legalized recreational marijuana, a multi-million-dollar green rush is expected to sweep the state over the next few years. Factor in an already booming medical marijuana program, and it adds up to a much-needed win for job seekers in the Garden State.

And launching a cannabis career may be easier than people think, some experts say.

Last week, Vangst, a Denver-based recruitment company that tracks jobs nationwide, offered predictions about the upcoming marijuana employment market in New Jersey.

According to Vangst, there are currently 2,356 cannabis jobs in New Jersey as part of its medical marijuana program, which launched in 2010. But after the state’s recreational sales get going, that total is expected to balloon to a whopping 21,393 within five years.

“New Jersey has established an excellent medical marijuana market, so the state is likely to focus on product expansion in the recreational market,” a spokesperson told Patch.

The first wave of job expansion will likely be for production positions, such as horticulturists/growers, scientists and compliance specialists. After that, a second wave of retail jobs is expected to follow, including dispensary “budtenders” and inventory managers.

Edible manufacturers will also see a big jump in job growth, researchers predicted.

• See related article: NJ Voters Legalize Marijuana; Can You Be Arrested For Smoking?
• See related article: NJ Gets Ball Rolling On Marijuana Legalization After Election
• See related article: NJ Senate Advances Marijuana Decriminalization Bill

14 TYPES OF MARIJUANA JOBS

A few years ago, Scott Rudder, president of the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association, shared a list of legal marijuana jobs that already exist in the state with Patch.

"The excitement surrounding the legal cannabis industry and New Jersey's role and opportunities is amazing," enthused the former Republican state legislator, mayor of Medford and Lockheed Martin executive.

"After 80 years of prohibition, cannabis has been given a bad reputation based on outdated information and stereotypes which still cause concerns for some people today," Rudder said. "Once you get a look at recent statistical data as well as research conducted by scientists and medical professionals, you learn that this plant - which has been part of our cultural and medical history for thousands of years - is just a plant."

That list included:

• Grow Master – The top-dog in the grow facility. These folks are a combination of surgeons, artists and engineers.
• Store Managers – Obvious but needs to be included.
• Product Manufacturer – A growing market in the cannabis industry are edibles and other forms of ingestion (tablets, drinks) for medical purposes. This requires FDA-standard equipment and processes to get it done right.
• Extraction Technician – These folks take the flower (buds) and transform it into oil or other product which is then infused into edibles such as cookies, tablets, etc.
• Bud Trimmers – These folks work at the grow facility and take the plant and trim it down (get rid of stems, leaves, etc) to the sellable portions.
• Budtender – The experts in retail operations are called "budtenders." Similar to a barista at an upscale coffee shop or the wine expert at the liquor store, they don't just to sell cannabis, they answer questions, provide descriptions of the different strains and products, etc.
• Doctor/Counselor – Currently, doctors are in demand to help patients through their ailments and if it makes sense, recommend medical cannabis to treat various symptoms. As the market evolves into broader medical applications as well as adult use, people will still depend on guidance to help them address medical issues or other disorders such as PTSD and opioid addiction.
• Edibles Chef/Cook – Wine tastings and pairings are a staple in the wine and foodie culture. The same is true in the cannabis world.
• Lawyer – No one gets and license and stays in business without the help of a talented attorney familiar with the do's and don'ts for cannabis businesses.
• Accountant – Ditto as above.
• Social Media/PR professionals – As the industry progresses and the number of facilities open up, many in the same time frame, getting noticed and keeping a loyal customer base will be tough competition. Savvy professionals that can get the client a leg up will be a critical skill.
• Security – Nothing is grown, moved, or purchased without a significant amount of security.
• IT/Computer Programmer – The state will require a detailed chain of custody of the plants in each operation in order to ensure that legally grown cannabis does not wind up on the black market. There are a lot or programs out there that can integrate and businesses operations to every gram of cannabis – but someone needs to make the magic happen.
• Consultant – This is a rapidly growing industry with a lot of interest. People with a cannabis background and/or horticultural background will prove valuable as novices roll the dice and decide to jump into an industry that is still in its infancy stage.

According to a 2019 nationwide salary survey from Vangst, marijuana job wages depend on location, education and experience – just like most other industries.

Here’s how much a cannabis worker can expect to earn at the following positions:

• Grow Manager – $43,000 to $93,400 yearly
• Grower - $13.10/hour to $19.80/hour
• Trimmer/Post Harvester - $11.40/hour to $16.90/hour
• Lab Quality Manager – $51,500 to $89,000 yearly
• Edibles Specialist - $35,300 to $63,000 yearly
• Budtender - $12.50/hour to $18/hour

HOW TO BREAK INTO THE CANNABIS BUSINESS

Vangst recently offered some tips on how to get a career started in the marijuana industry. Read the original blog post here.

NETWORK – “You cannot expect your dream cannabis job to knock on your door, especially if you don’t know much about the current companies in your area. The best thing you can do for yourself is network, most markets, like Denver, have cannabis meetups every week, like Canna Gather. Take some time to research the local meetups and get yourself out there, you never know who you might meet. While you are at these events, don’t be shy! Introduce yourself to the vendors, and brand ambassadors. PRO TIP: collect as many business cards as you can! Ask individuals how they got into the cannabis space and let everyone you meet know, your goal is to pursue a career in cannabis. After the event, FOLLOW UP, send emails to everyone you met. 60% of people never follow up with business cards after receiving them. Bottom Line: If you want to stand out? Get out there, meet people, and follow up!”

READ – “Add a Google alert to alert your Gmail or web browser to alert you about cannabis specific news. You want to become an expert in the ever-changing landscape that is cannabis. Employers are often looking for individuals that are up to speed on industry policies and regulations. If you can talk the most current talk, you will set yourself apart. The more you know about the industry, the easier it will be for you to talk with potential employers or industry professionals. Companies want to hire someone who knows enough about the general cannabis landscape that they can help them grow in the right direction. The more you know about the industry, the better. Additionally, there are a lot of great books being written by industry influencers everywhere, on topics ranging from the history of cannabis prohibition, to how to best set up an edible production kitchen. This industry is full of random niches, find a few books that you connect with and start reading it will only increase your knowledge and credibility.”

GET CERTIFIED – “While you are doing your research, find out about your state’s laws and what it takes to be legally able to work with cannabis. In Colorado, for example, you need to get a MED badge to work in any ‘plant touching’ role. This means in order to be hired you must have a valid MED badge. To find out how to get your MED badge check out our most recent blog post on the topic! Make sure you take the appropriate steps to get your badge before you are hired, as sometimes this process can take a few months.”

BE FLEXIBLE – “If you want to be in cannabis you have to be willing to be flexible and prepare to wear many hats. Most of the companies in the cannabis industry are startups and most startups require a different work ethic to be successful. If you are coming from a big corporate environment, be prepared to have fewer resources. You may have to tackle tasks that you are used to having someone else handle. Do your research about the companies you are targeting and make sure you are comfortable with the size of the organization. The smaller the team, the more hats you will likely have to wear. However, there is a huge upside to this, as no other industry in the world will provide you with the learning and growth opportunities that cannabis will. The more willing you are to be flexible, the more opportunities you will be opening yourself up to. Go into your interviews with an open mind around job titles and salary. According to a recent study, the average salary in the cannabis space is about 11% higher than the U.S. median salary. However, don’t expect to become a millionaire overnight. If you go into your job hunt with realistic expectations, this will come across in your interview and employers will feel more comfortable offering you a position on their team.”

HAVE PASSION – “Everyone has a reason to be interested in cannabis. Whatever your reason is, don’t forget it! Having passion behind your work is what makes, and will continue to make, this industry so special. The more you love the cannabis space, the easier it will be to find success. Cannabis is an industry run on passion. Don’t be afraid to get on your soapbox every now and again. Find an organization that you align with and get involved; you’ll be amazed by the number of opportunities that open up.”

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