Secure Your Spot in the Cannabis Industry: How to Craft a Professional Resume and Image

Since the legalization of cannabis in New York State (2021), the industry has been growing at an exponential rate. According to the New York Times, “New York is one of the largest legal cannabis markets in the country; it is projected to reach 63,000 jobs across the state by 2025”. As the New York Cannabis industry continues to grow, the need for skilled professionals will follow suit. To help prepare you, we have put together a list of tips to help you write a well-crafted resume for a career in Cannabis. 

• Transferable skills:

  Given that cannabis has only gained widespread acceptance in New York State in the last few years, most job seekers do not have extensive experience working directly with cannabis. Fortunately, transferable skills can be applied across various roles, industries, and situations enhancing the candidate’s versatility. Take a moment and list transferable skills you have gained from other work experience that can be applied to cannabis jobs, such as customer service, management, sales, and marketing. Clearly articulate how these skills can add value by highlighting their relevance to the specific role you're applying for. For additional examples of transferable skills, refer to our other article here.  

• Clean and clear fonts:

  Make sure to use simple and clean fonts throughout your resume. Appropriate fonts for a professional resume include Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri. You should steer clear of overly decorative or intricate typefaces. Your resume should be one uniform font, but feel free to stylize or increase the size of key elements like your name, summary, education, and work experience to help enhance the visual hierarchy. A text-based format is gold-standard because it highlights your qualifications in a clear and easily readable format. It is not generally recommended to include images because they are distracting, reduce scannability, and may not be compatible with different software and devices. 

• Use keywords throughout your resume:

  During the hiring process, employers are flooded with hundreds of resumes to review, which can be a long and laborious task.  Select cannabis-related keywords to make your resume easily scannable for the human eye, and visible to applicant tracking systems (ATS). Optimizing your resume will ensure a much higher chance of passing through initial screenings and landing that interview!  

• Proofread carefully:

  Make sure there are no grammatical or spelling errors on your resume. A flawless resume demonstrates a candidate’s attention to detail and professionalism, which are key qualities employers would be looking for in any position. 

  • Pro-Tip: Print a hard copy, read your resume aloud, ask a second set of eyes to review, or simply leave it and come back to it later for effective proofreading.  

• Highlight your knowledge of cannabis:

  Just like a standard resume, you want to highlight any relevant experience or education in cannabis on your resume. This encompasses academic programs, certifications, and workforce experience you have undertaken thus far. Demonstrating that you have pre-existing experience and knowledge of the cannabis industry will give you a competitive edge and instantly propel you ahead of other applicants without experience. 

  • Pro-Tip: Gaining cannabis industry knowledge will help you round out your transferrable skills! 

• Tailor your resume to the specific job you're applying for:

  Carefully review the job description to determine how to tailor your resume. Emphasize the skills and experience that closely match the requirements of the cannabis position. Be honest about your experience; refrain from providing inaccurate information on your resume. Showcase your background as it is, as best you can! 

• Be passionate but also professional:

  Cannabis employers are looking for people who are passionate about the industry. Show them that you're excited to work in the industry by attending networking events and webinars. This is a great way to show that you are an active member of the community too. While the cannabis industry tends to be less formal than other industries, it's important to maintain a professional tone on your resume. Avoid using slang or informal language. 

• Professional email:

  If you do not have one yet, create a professional email address specifically for your job search. Ideally, it should be a combination of your or first or last name with a series of numbers. Avoid using nicknames, curse words or unreasonably complex addresses that may be perceived by employers as unprofessional or inappropriate.  

• Professional voicemail: 

  When creating a professional voicemail, speak clearly and enunciate your words. Start the message by stating your full name, and then politely request callers to leave a message with their name, number, and a brief explanation of why they are calling. You want to remain professional, so opt out of using a humorous tone.  

If you’re looking for additional help with updating your resume, we recommend signing up for our Resume Formatting Service. We offer a 4-step process to make sure your resume is ready to go for when you need it most!