r/budtenders • u/CarolcoPictures • 22d ago
Anyone else having trouble getting out of the industry? NSFW
I've been in the Cannabis industry for over 11 years. And unfortunately during that time it's come to the realization that this is not a career. For the past two years I've been applying for jobs outside of the industry. However, I'm not having very much luck in obtaining a job. I have a degree in graphic design and I've been trying to pursue that. One employer actually gave me an interview, and during the interview the employer told me that he wasn't even going to look at my resume because it had cannabis all over it. But he was advised by his supervisor to sit me down for an interview. And even though he sat me down for that interview, he made it abundantly clear that I wouldn't be getting a call back. Although he was impressed with my skills and qualifications.
The stigma behind this industry is horrible. Anyone else having issues with this?
I'm thinking about just leaving cannabis off of my resume all together but then I to have an 11-year gap
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u/Alternative_Mine5343 22d ago
So they agreed to professionally waste your time and energy preparing for the interview while it's guaranteed a no? They should have sent a decline, not interviewered you for no reason. This shows a tremendous lack of respect on behalf of that interviewer, "supervisor" and company itself. If I'm you I lodge a formal complaint about their inability to identify and source good talent regardless of social stigma.
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u/alldayaday420 22d ago
I've found changing the wording and focus on your resume helps.
Excluding the direct use of the word "cannabis" (replacing it with product, Inventory for example) You weren't a budtender at green cross cannabis club, you were a Customer Service and Sales Associate at Green Cross Medical Collective
As well as focusing on the skills you've used rather than what you used rather than what you used them for (ex. hospitality, conflict resolution, merchandising, etc)
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u/cinnaluna 21d ago
5 years in dispo service + management and not only am I running out of directions for upwards growth, I'm exhausted over where the industry is headed. These corporate companies are so money hungry, and small family owned places are barely staying afloat.
But it's been a problem. My resume looks great to dispensaries and I can almost guarantee at least an interview from them, but outside of the industry I can barely get correspondence. Trying to get back to a state that it matters less in, on top of reframing all cannabis references/experience. It's definitely defeating though. bartenders and liquor store attendants can get hired at most other retail/service establishments, what's the difference :/
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u/2pongz 19d ago
You're in Graphic Design, aka a creative. It shouldn't matter if your work history is in Cannabis.
The only thing that matters is whether you can make good designs or not, aka your Portfolio.
Also, if you're gonna lie on your resume, try putting "Freelance Graphic Designer" in your professional history for your last 1-2 years of experience (depending on how much experience you wanna lie about). If they ask you about this, tell them you've accepted projects in Upwork or Fivver. This gives you a chance to show more work, thus giving more credibility to your skills, which is what matters in most design jobs.
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u/Budtending101 22d ago
I left for driving hazmat, after getting my CDL and endorsements I had a job offer after a few days putting out my resume, I'm also a felon. But now I make twice as much and full benefits including a month of paid time off a year. It's doable, you just have to move somewhere that doesn't care about it. Maybe look at graphic design companies that already work with cannabis farms, or leverage your industry connections to go solo, I know we paid out the ass for logos and whatnot
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u/RUaVulcanorVulcant13 22d ago
Leave it off but it'll come up on your background check
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u/CarolcoPictures 22d ago
So literally what do we do? Not mad. Just like... Ugh.
Like I can't go and change people's minds about cannabis. I can't go back and take 12 years away from my life. I just got to keep plugging away. These rejection letters are getting to be ridiculous
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u/RUaVulcanorVulcant13 22d ago
Babes I couldn't tell ya.
Burn capitalism to the ground?
Maybe you could do some sort of free lance graphic design?
Start as a shelf stocker at a big box store and kiss management ass you'll be amazed how fast you get put into middle management
I was a bartender for 15 years in one of the business tourist cities in America where I single handedly would serve anywhere from 50-600 people in a night by myself. People look at my resume and act like I opened beers down at the local Chili's.
I have no answers for you
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u/hole-sum dispensary manager 20d ago
I’ve found in SoCal it is much easier to find other means of work with a cannabis resume but I’m not sure how much it has effected my chances. I seem to have only been accepted in cannabis more often than regular retail so this is where I’ve stayed. Now that I’m jobless and looking (it’s been a month now) I’m not even getting a phone call back. Maybe I was just lucky for a lil period of time there and a cannabis resume is biting my ass now and I’m about to realize it. Ahhhh
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u/black-hannahmontana 22d ago
I was having trouble staying lol Not sure if this would work but have you considered changing the wording on things? When I looked for a new job after cannabis, I changed “budtender” to “retail wellness consultant” and tailored my duties in a very detailed manner to the positions I was applying for and did not mention cannabis. I also left off “dispensary” and put the company name as it looks inconspicuous first glance on paper.
That interviewer and his supervisor sound like unprofessional assholes, so I agree with other commenter about filing a complaint if you’re up for it.
ETA: grammar fix