"Black market" experience on a resume

[Redrum92]

Edit: deleted original post because I worded it very poorly, and people were getting caught up on all sorts of weird details and not answering the question. Im not here to talk about my "qualifications", or myself at all. I'm just here to get direct answers from people with actual experience; not speculation. I am asking this question regarding PERSONAL SECURITY. That is the topic: legal/personal safety. ** not growing skills.** This is an unprecedented, unique legal situation in the history of the USA, and my intent was to discuss that.

If you don't understand the habit of reticence to share certain "qualifications", you've either forgotten what life was like during prohibition, or don't share my values of person security, and your input likely won't be helpful. If you don't get it, respect that we have different lifestyles/viewpoints and move on.


The actual question: How does one write a resumé in a newly legal state when admitting to having the applicable experience would be admitting to a square boss at a square company that you are very comfortable with breaking the law? Are they really willing to overlook that/not judge? Would one really want "20 years illegal growing experience" all over HR paperwork?


I'm aware of what I need to do in terms of improving my actual cannabis-working abilities. That is not where my confusion lies.

 

[quiescent]

You're not going to gain experience worth 50k/year, to a company selling $1000 or less pounds, not growing cannabis. Even a piece of paper that also does nothing to justify your ability to grow cannabis is of questionable value.

Running a larger show isn't easy, the bigger it gets the harder it gets. A lot of places want to hire people like you for their entry level positions because you don't know any better and since you dont have a home grow you likely won't be a pest vector.

Could get into some ornamental greenhouses while you wait for politicians to figure out how to screw it up. Will give you some time to adjust to making $15-$20/hour and working in an environment where margins are low.

Maybe get into a trade and try to turn that experience into something you can specialize in.

With nothing ventured, nothing is gained.

 

[Redrum92]

^You seem to have inferred a lot about what qualifications and experience I do or don't have. Maybe I have a great resume in many areas, or none. Maybe I've ventured time into many trades already.

The question was, essentially, about the paradox you often see/used to see in computer programming hiring ads: "requires 5+ years experience in 'new C÷' language, (which was invented 2 years ago)". How does one claim to have experience with an industry which ostensibly was not taking place before legalization? Or do they mostly start entry level?

Also, you seemed to have missed the point where I'm not doing this to improve my financial situation. I live very simply. Not to mention, I know 2 people who make good money out west with less than a year of experience... so, I know it can be done, I was more requesting lessons learned from (more than 2, ideally) people who had actually done it. I'm doing this because I think it would be an adventure. I probably see the world differently from your average human; I may have different goals and interests. Thanks for your help.

 

[mjseeds]

According to Marijuana Business Daily's Marijuana Business Factbook, the average marijuana dispensary makes $974 in revenue per square foot of space. For the sake of perspective, this is slightly higher than a Whole Foods and much more profitable than the typical pharmacy.

 

[Redrum92]

^I'm not sure how to fit that into my quest, other than MJ is profitable, but I love statistics; thank you!

 

[flylowgethigh]

I am scratching my head over this resume and experience thing. If you want to get into the dope growing business, and you can take the weather, move to Oklahoma. If you are employable, hook up with a grower and learn the business. Save your money up, buy land, start your own damn pot growing business once you have learned. That part may take 5 years though.

 

[EastCoastGambit]

I can only speak from here say as my state, MA, only became legal for recreational about right before the pandemic. I think many of the dispensaries that opened up either had 1. Established medical experience (which was opened up earlier) 2. Had big funds to hire talent to run their operations 3. Were involved illicitly and found a path to go legit or 4. Had experience from other states that were earlier to adopt MJ legalization.

Basically when the state opened up it was a free for all, with only a few shops getting licenses early on and then things expanded and are still expanding. Now there are 5-6 dispensaries within earshot of me and I see them all the time in my travels.

Hopefully it won't get too saturated but I'm not really overly involved. A buddy of mine has a friend that opened one with its own grow ops. I plan to visit just to see it in person. I grow my own and don't really have the need to go to the shops.

So if I were you I think general horticulture experience/greenhouse work might be a way to build up a resume. I think a lot of it is also positioning/posturing/networking. Maybe research the organizations that are advocating for legality in your state as they will be 1st to the bat should it open up.

Seems like an interesting industry with lots of pluses and minuses. Even when legit their is crazy amounts of corruption like everything else. A local shop here was fighting the city she was in collecting fees earmarked for "community development" etc. where no one in the local government had any transparency for how those funds were being used/distributed. Basically a shake down.

Good luck, hope that helps. Its funny I didn't try to jump into it when my state opened up based on my past (cannabis was a large part of my personal identity I guess) But as I got older and had kids and settled down a bit lots has changed. My main source of income is very comfortable and I've let that ambitious part of myself go a bit. You sound like a humble person. I imagine if you want to work with plants that you could easily find a role in the field that pays <50K or maybe even more (inflation kicking in an all) I would think like anything you with drive and ability to learn you can advance from entry level work to a more managerial position.

I love growing cannabis but if it was a 9 to 5 it might kind of suck, but who knows? Its probably better than some other work.

 

[quiescent]

I've consulted with a few places over the years; some legal, some not. I've evaluated business plans and reviewed P&Ls with existing businesses.

You're not doing it to improve your financial situation, thats cool. You're going to have a hard time earning more than 40k without a track record of success or a trade skill in a competitive market where supply outpaces demand and taxes are enabling the black market.

I dunno what you consider good money or no prior experience or if they're having a good time so I can't say if the people you know are experiencing atypical outcomes. Careers can be a lot about who you know and who they know, maybe you know someone who knows you might be able to help each other out.

In the Midwest and Oklahoma most are working for slave wages, producing boof. Michigan turns out decent products on the higher end but the pay is very low, $15-25/hr, for $60 retail 8ths.

I will say that the Peter Principle is in full effect from what I've witnessed. People lose jobs overnight, employers don't have replacements lined up, someone has to keep it going and it's not the guy with the money that steps into that role. It's someone who might be able to pound out the previous guy's SOPs, if they were worth a shit to begin with, for a couple flips while the company pockets the extra $20k/year they were paying the previous jefe..... until calamity strikes....

Someone looking at the books with no plant knowledge asks why they're spending all this money on microbial ipm or beneficial insects when we never get bugs. New dude is like sure we can spray every other week and stretch our re-innoculation window a couple weeks in flower thinking that they'll love his amenable, can-do money making approach.

Problem is new dude not knowing that they need to spray the Beauveria bassiana every 7 days in veg to break the life cycles. Bio-security and work flow went to shit because new dude isn't a good leader. Then some trimmers bring in aphids or broad mites from another facility. Disaster ensues. A number of rooms get trashed 3 weeks into flower, or not, and the cycle repeats itself.

If none of that sounds ideal to you, the smaller your employer is, the more likely you'll be happy. Think "craft" license holders, preferably growing organically to ensure quality of the crop and future profitability. This is where networking is key. Are you plugged into your scene currently?

You're best off working for yourself in this industry at the moment and definitely in the future when wholesale prices are sure to fall even lower. Your number one goal should be setting up to be the master of your own destiny with working for someone else as a fallback option.

If you want real recommendations on how to prepare yourself for success you need to be honest and specific about your knowledge, skills and abilities; to yourself and us.

I'm being as transparent as possible with my experiences; not to scare you off, sow self doubt or tell you its not an endeavor worth pursuing.

 

[troutman]

1st thing 1st. Be the best grower you can be. Without that, it's game over.

 

[Redrum92]

I am scratching my head over this resume and experience thing. If you want to get into the dope growing business, and you can take the weather, move to Oklahoma. If you are employable, hook up with a grower and learn the business. Save your money up, buy land, start your own damn pot growing business once you have learned. That part may take 5 years though.

So, essentially I would have to move to a legal state?

I am employable, but the industry is not here yet because it is not yet legal. I want to be prepared for when the industry is here (without having to move)

I know I'm not expressing myself well, apologies. I just want to get in on the ground floor of a weed business, in terms of employment and experience, not in terms of finance/running my own

1st thing 1st. Be the best grower you can be. Without that, it's game over.

Thanks to ICmag and people like you, I have a fighting chance. I will never stop lurking and learning

 

[Redrum92]

I can only speak from here say as my state, MA, only became legal for recreational about right before the pandemic. I think many of the dispensaries that opened up either had 1. Established medical experience (which was opened up earlier) 2. Had big funds to hire talent to run their operations 3. Were involved illicitly and found a path to go legit or 4. Had experience from other states that were earlier to adopt MJ legalization.

Basically when the state opened up it was a free for all, with only a few shops getting licenses early on and then things expanded and are still expanding. Now there are 5-6 dispensaries within earshot of me and I see them all the time in my travels.

Hopefully it won't get too saturated but I'm not really overly involved. A buddy of mine has a friend that opened one with its own grow ops. I plan to visit just to see it in person. I grow my own and don't really have the need to go to the shops.

So if I were you I think general horticulture experience/greenhouse work might be a way to build up a resume. I think a lot of it is also positioning/posturing/networking. Maybe research the organizations that are advocating for legality in your state as they will be 1st to the bat should it open up.

Seems like an interesting industry with lots of pluses and minuses. Even when legit their is crazy amounts of corruption like everything else. A local shop here was fighting the city she was in collecting fees earmarked for "community development" etc. where no one in the local government had any transparency for how those funds were being used/distributed. Basically a shake down.

Good luck, hope that helps. Its funny I didn't try to jump into it when my state opened up based on my past (cannabis was a large part of my personal identity I guess) But as I got older and had kids and settled down a bit lots has changed. My main source of income is very comfortable and I've let that ambitious part of myself go a bit. You sound like a humble person. I imagine if you want to work with plants that you could easily find a role in the field that pays <50K or maybe even more (inflation kicking in an all) I would think like anything you with drive and ability to learn you can advance from entry level work to a more managerial position.

I love growing cannabis but if it was a 9 to 5 it might kind of suck, but who knows? Its probably better than some other work.

This was more or less exactly what I was looking for. Especially that first paragraph. Thank you. I was wondering if "medical " would be a good schooling before full legalization, but it's so hard to get into. I also wondered if people just went the route of "I just have weed growing experience, don't ask questions". So, good to know!

I'm aware it will be a 9-5 with tons of frustrating rules, snakes, corruption, etc, but the (very legal, boring) industry Ive been working for 10 years is the same. I figure it cant be worse doing the same thing.... but on weed, man

 

[Redrum92]

I've consulted with a few places over the years; some legal, some not. I've evaluated business plans and reviewed P&Ls with existing businesses.

You're not doing it to improve your financial situation, thats cool. You're going to have a hard time earning more than 40k without a track record of success or a trade skill in a competitive market where supply outpaces demand and taxes are enabling the black market.

I dunno what you consider good money or no prior experience or if they're having a good time so I can't say if the people you know are experiencing atypical outcomes. Careers can be a lot about who you know and who they know, maybe you know someone who knows you might be able to help each other out.

In the Midwest and Oklahoma most are working for slave wages, producing boof. Michigan turns out decent products on the higher end but the pay is very low, $15-25/hr, for $60 retail 8ths.

I will say that the Peter Principle is in full effect from what I've witnessed. People lose jobs overnight, employers don't have replacements lined up, someone has to keep it going and it's not the guy with the money that steps into that role. It's someone who might be able to pound out the previous guy's SOPs, if they were worth a shit to begin with, for a couple flips while the company pockets the extra $20k/year they were paying the previous jefe..... until calamity strikes....

Someone looking at the books with no plant knowledge asks why they're spending all this money on microbial ipm or beneficial insects when we never get bugs. New dude is like sure we can spray every other week and stretch our re-innoculation window a couple weeks in flower thinking that they'll love his amenable, can-do money making approach.

Problem is new dude not knowing that they need to spray the Beauveria bassiana every 7 days in veg to break the life cycles. Bio-security and work flow went to shit because new dude isn't a good leader. Then some trimmers bring in aphids or broad mites from another facility. Disaster ensues. A number of rooms get trashed 3 weeks into flower, or not, and the cycle repeats itself.

If none of that sounds ideal to you, the smaller your employer is, the more likely you'll be happy. Think "craft" license holders, preferably growing organically to ensure quality of the crop and future profitability. This is where networking is key. Are you plugged into your scene currently?

You're best off working for yourself in this industry at the moment and definitely in the future when wholesale prices are sure to fall even lower. Your number one goal should be setting up to be the master of your own destiny with working for someone else as a fallback option.

If you want real recommendations on how to prepare yourself for success you need to be honest and specific about your knowledge, skills and abilities; to yourself and us.

I'm being as transparent as possible with my experiences; not to scare you off, sow self doubt or tell you its not an endeavor worth pursuing.

Thank you for all the info! I have a lot to think about. And yeah, I didn't get into this for fun and games. I've lived a pretty brutal life, and what drives me is curiosity and knowledge, not leisure and money. I'm used to struggling, in fact, I don't know any other way to live. I'm unusual in my motives here, which I realize is confusing


I have been intentionally vague stating my experience, which is also confusing... many apologies. When speaking of sketchy things: never use specifics; be vague, to protect yourself and anyone listening. I suppose i can't get advice here without exposing some vulnerability. Here's a poorly organized resume: (nope. Deleted)

Basically I have tons of hands-on experience, a good grip on the basic science, but mostly just an amateur fumbling around. I definitely need guidance, which is exactly why I want to get into the industry when it's legal

Thank you much for your time. I will definitely set my sights on the smaller craft/boutique style setups for many reasons: less greedy (hopefully) and more about the joy of living in the beginning of the Golden Age of Weed, that will be spoken about in lore and legend for generations.

 

[flylowgethigh]

So, essentially I would have to move to a legal state?

I am employable, but the industry is not here yet because it is not yet legal. I want to be prepared for when the industry is here (without having to move)

I know I'm not expressing myself well, apologies. I just want to get in on the ground floor of a weed business, in terms of employment and experience, not in terms of finance/running my own





Thanks to ICmag and people like you, I have a fighting chance. I will never stop lurking and learning

I would say yes, you need to get in the game. OBTW, the game is not only the plant. There is soil, amendments, equipment (although the internet and amazon will kill that), and retail stores. Do you grow now?

Do you have enough savings to strike out this spring and try on your own? i imagine a shop isn't going to hire a newbie off the street with no growing experience, but maybe that is better because of no previous bad habits. But expect to be paid peanuts until you are more valuable than that.
Good Luck. Very few have successfully made pot their life's career.

 

[troutman]

Very few have successfully made pot their life's career.

Many people have left their life go to pot though.

 

[quiescent]

Right on. It sounds like you could carve out whatever path you decide on.

I also appreciate that you might not aspire to be a head honcho. I run kitchens/restaurants for my civilian job and honestly being at the top is more stressful than rewarding. Having to hold yourself to the expectation of perfection or better, being executed by an ever changing cast of characters, wears on ya. Managing gardens is a different kind of stress in that its not all real time results that you're measured by. Its rather an aggregation of your work that can all at once be destroyed by a mis-step 2 months ago by someone that's, for whatever reason, not there to see the outcome.

Understanding that finding the right employer is key before you enter either industry is half the battle. Sounds like you'd be invested emotionally in what you're doing with cannabis. You're going to see a passion turn into something else when things are a shit show.

Having a basic grip on just about everything gives you the opportunity to start off in an entry level position with the expectation that you'll find your way to being a crew lead in a larger facility. Whether that's in the flower rooms, packaging/processing or possibly the nursery/veg. Heck, if you're a weed encyclopedia you might kill it running a retail space.

Find what you're really passionate about learning and dig in. Just know things are always changing, whether it be tech or beaurocratic hoops, so you can definitely waste time. Look towards the future and think with your $$$ hat on, what do you see?

Do you see weed in a liquor store environment or is it going to stay in their own spaces? In a mixed retail space I'd imagine that the majority of the market would be fine with lower quality products, as long as they're cheap enough. If the dispensary model stays I think the quality will stay about where it is in more developed states currently.

What's the method of delivery the majority of the consumers will be choosing, or will the industry decide for them? I see loose flower being the "top shelf" in the future. That means it's going to be smaller producers specializing or a larger multi-state operator's best batches. The stuff that is mids or better but doesn't need "remediated" could end up in pre-rolls or dabbable concentrates. The rest might end up in pussy sticks and edibles.

You can educate yourself to a point on the web, most of the finer points will need to be honed with hands on experience. Understanding the why and how is a big thing, don't discount that.

I would suggest listening to as many podcasts/youtube shows/discussions as you can. Maybe you're not absorbing things as well if you sat down and read depending on what you're doing while listening but its passive learning that you can revisit.

I religiously consume Cannabis Cultivation & Science, Shaping Fire, The Pot Cast and a couple general gardening podcasts. Future Cannabis Project/FCP02, Soil Food Web School, Advancing Eco Agriculture and a couple shows like Adam Dunn Show on YouTube if I find the guests interesting.

I dunno if you're willing to relocate to pursue this but it's something to think about. Waiting for some elected crooks to decide you can be a florist on their piece of land could take quite a while.

 

[Cuddles]

I suggest not moving if there is a chance your state may be legal in the near-ish future because those states will already have their growers already anyway and the market may be too saturated.
Grow and learn to produce top notch weed and oil etc.
If you are already selling or giving any away you can think about creating some sort of branding for yourself eg a logo design. This will be helpful for when you go legit. Get your stuff out there and make a bit of a name for yourself and gain trust this way.
But the most important thing is to offer good stuff

 

[Kalon47]

Bat guano is looked down upon but it's the best. Can't man make it ever! And not using hardener!!!! . That's what sellers need actual not fucked up nutes old school technology grown weed.
Yeah I know got 360 degree sweet leaf twisty c99 picture of some kind godness dead bud.
Grew bud banana in the roots 3 ounces 1 hit banana bread grandma style
Smokin The dead-lay[
Smokin The dead-lay] Smokin The dead-lay[

 

[Amynamous]

My state is transitioning from medical to recreational in April. There’s a lot of jobs posted on indeed.com of varying responsibility, most paying between 12-15/hr, including laboratory and mgmt. It seems like a good time to get into the business.

 

[Redrum92]

quiescent

Thanks a ton. I will look into those podcasts

It's definitely all speculation until everything settles. I'm just trying to get a slightly higher chance at an interesting outcome. If I have to stay in my current job, I am happy too. I can always do my own thing with growing, but obviously will not have access to the same resources, which is mostly what I was after.

Always enjoy absorbing all the info I can. Thanks to everyone who contributed opinions and advice!

 

[Wuachuma]

It depends on your goals
If you want to start a large company, you can always hire someone who has been pulling tarps or running a crew

Ive seen this scenario all over the west coast as the legal industry was starting - some homegrower who never grew over 100 Lbs tells businessmen that he can run their multi-million dollar facility. Months later, I come in and unfuck the problems.
So rule number 1 in this industry - be honest and upfront.
Now, there are countless people in this industry with a decade or more of experience, but integrity is quite rare (I've been ripped off 4yrs running). So get some referrals that can attest to your integrity.

Either way, its invaluable to network online to reach out to people in the industry and take a roadtrip to see them.
Now that its legal, farms in the emerald triangle are very open and would be happy to give you a tour of their facilities.