EpicHint’s 10 steps to get hired as a Budtender:

1. Learn about the cannabis industry and what a Budtender is responsible for within the cannabis industry

2. Determine if the responsibilities of a Budtender are exciting to you

3. Research and reference the Budtender job descriptions of dispensaries that are actively hiring, take note of the Budtender qualifications section and what the dispensary requires

4. Determine what qualifications and skills you have to get hired as a Budtender

5. Look for professional resources to fill-in your Budtender knowledge, qualifications, and skill set gaps

6. Complete a credible Budtender Training, Dispensary Training, and/ or Cannabis Training program and get certified (EpicHint’s Certification covers Budtender Training, Dispensary Training, and Cannabis Training)

7. Identify dispensaries that have operational values that align with what you are looking for by visiting them in-person, reading their Website, researching their Patient/ Customer reviews on Websites that legally sell cannabis, and researching their employee reviews on Websites like Glassdoor

8. Apply to the dispensaries you are interested in 

9. Prior to an interview confirm if you need to have completed your background check and other State dispensary licensing requirements

10. Thoroughly prepare for a Budtender job interview by a.) practice answering frequently asked Budtender interview questions, b.) learning to ask the right questions to the dispensary hiring manager to demonstrate your level of competence and commitment, and c.) learning how-to demonstrate your customer service skills and attention to detail after an interview 

There are many different types of Certified Budtender Training programs and formats. There are in-person Budtender Training programs, online Budtender Training programs, and hybrid Budtender Training programs.

To become a certified Budtender you must find a credible Budtender Training program that:

• Has a good reputation

• Has credibility with dispensary hiring managers

• Will provide you the cannabis knowledge, dispensary operation knowledge, Budtender knowledge, dispensary retail knowledge, product knowledge, Patient/ Customer service knowledge, and cannabis career knowledge to succeed

• Will not unnecessarily charge you

Some Budtender Training programs will give you a “Certification” for simply showing up to an in-person event and paying. These programs are not credible with dispensaries.

When researching the industry we learned about many “show-up, pay, and get certified” Budtender Training programs. A job applicant that places a certification from one of these “Budtender Training programs” on their resume signals to a hiring manager that they are not prepared to work in a dispensary. These applicants are never considered for an interview. 

Inversely there are Budtender Training programs that intentionally make it difficult to pass a Budtender Certification test and charge for each test attempt. These Budtender Training programs take advantage of a person’s desire to prepare for a cannabis job.

A red flag to be on the lookout for, and cautious of, is a Budtender Training program that uses the phrase “Green Rush”. This marketing phrase wants you to think that time is running out for you to enter the cannabis industry. The company wants you to think opportunities are scarce. The phrase is an attempt to push you into paying for their service. They want you to fear missing out on opportunities in the cannabis industry. 

The industry is emerging. There are many ways to enter the cannabis industry. Moreover, cannabis is an ancient plant that provides abundance. Abundance in health, abundance in food, abundance in construction, abundance in textile resources, and more. You will not miss out on Budtender, dispensary, or other cannabis jobs if you choose to not pay for a service.

Another variable to be cautious of when selecting a Budtender Training or Budtender Certification program is any program that offers loan financing to take their Course. Many of these loans are predatory. As of the time of writing this EpicHint has yet to come across a loan offering Budtender Training or Budtender Certification program that guarantees employment. This means you can end up in debt after attending a Budtender Training/ job preparation program. This debt happens when you complete the “program” and are not employed. If you are not employed you have no way to pay back the loan. If you are employed it is important to understand that a Budtender’s starting salary is minimum wage or a little above minimum wage. Depending on your financial situation if you take out a loan for a Budtender Training program and get hired you still may not be able to pay the loan off due to high interest rates.

It is very important to do your due diligence on any Budtender Training or Certification program. If you have any questions about EpicHint’s free Budtender Training email us at hello@epichint.com. We welcome all questions. 

Data collected from 939 dispensary employees over the last 36 months, as of September 3, 2018, shows the median wage for a Budtender in the United States is $12.48 per hour with the range being from $7.25 per hour to $18.95 per hour.

Annual salary will range from $13,920.00 to $36,384.00 with the median Budtender salary being $23,961.00

Budtender wages vary by state. Budtender positions are generally entry level retail positions with hourly wages that begin at minimum wage (however the data suggests minimum wage is not always the starting rate). In addition to an hourly wage dispensaries in some states include the ability to make commission and/ or tips.

A Budtender salary reflects the entry level position. We have seen Budtenders get hired and promoted multiple times over the course of 12-months resulting in a managerial salary of three to four times the starting Budtender salary.

We encourage anyone passionate about working in the cannabis industry to get their foot in the door and learn about the industry hands on as a Budtender. The experience will provide insight on preferred cannabis career paths and opportunities for advancement. 

Prior to applying for a Budtender job it is important to understand, and view, a Budtender job as a professional position in a highly regulated industry. This means there is a lot to learn about the industry such as, but not limited to:

• Cannabis compliance laws dos and don’ts

• How a dispensary operates

• Cannabis retail sales techniques 

• Customer service within a dispensary 

• The cannabis plant

• How the endocannabinoid system works

• The biochemical properties in cannabis (terpenes, cannabinoids, and flavonoids) 

• How terpenes, cannabinoids, and flavonoids work together in Entourage Effects to generally produce a specific outcome/ feeling

• Methods of consumption

• Top Sativa Strains and the variables that make a Sativa strain a preferred recommend for certain preferences 

• Top Indicia Strains and the variables that make a Indica strain a preferred recommend for certain preferences 

• Top Hybrid Strains and the variables that make a Hybrid strain a preferred recommend for certain preferences 

• The different products your dispensary sells, who would like them, and why they would like them

Working as a Budtender does not mean you get to sit around and consume cannabis all day.

A great Budtender is constantly learning. A Budtender that is constantly learning is constantly growing. This is likely to result in promotions or being stolen away by another dispensary or cannabis company.

EpicHint graduates have been hired into entry level Budtender jobs, with a minimum wage salary, and within a year earned multiple promotions. We have graduates that are now managers who have tripled and quadrupled their income.

The cannabis industry is full of opportunity. Getting hired as a Budtender is a great way to enter the cannabis industry but is not recommended for anyone that thinks working in a dispensary is going to be like a Cheech and Chong movie.

Budtender jobs are in high demand. There is a lot of competition to get hired as a Budtender. Many dispensary hiring managers will not consider a job applicant that does not have a Cannabis Training Certification, Budtender Training Certification, or Dispensary Training Certification from a credible company.

Any hardworking passionate person willing to learn should not be deterred from entering the cannabis industry because of financial barriers to Budtender, cannabis, and dispensary job readiness. This is why EpicHint makes its Budtender Training, Cannabis Training, and Dispensary Training Certification programs free to anyone that wants to get hired as a Budtender in a dispensary.

It is highly recommended to apply to Budtender jobs when a Budtender Training program is completed. This ensures that when you are asked fundamental and complex dispensary, Budtender, and cannabis interview questions you have the preparation to give an answer that lands you a Budtender job. 

A dispensary operator is a person that works in a dispensary. Typically, a dispensary operator works in the dispensary storefront where their primary responsibility is the legal sale of cannabis.

The term Dispensary Operator is a more professional way to refer to a Budtender. Investors, managers, C-Suite executives, and lawyers will generally refer to a Budtender as a Dispensary Operator.

A Dispensary Patient Consultant is a person that works in a dispensary. The phrase Patient Consultant can allude to the detail that the dispensary only sells to medical card holders, however this is not always the case.

A Dispensary Patient Consultant’s primary job responsibility is the legal sale of cannabis. A Dispensary Patient Consultant is another term for a Budtender or Dispensary Operator.

A good hiring manager will hire the job applicant most qualified for the Budtender job, regardless who they are. The most qualified Budtender job applicant demonstrates:

• They are prepared, alert, and presentable, as this translates to the impression the person will make on Patients/ Customers 

• They have good people skills and can clearly communicate as this translates to their customer service and retail sales ability 

• They have in-depth cannabis knowledge, dispensary operations knowledge, Budtender duties knowledge, and knowledge of different types of cannabis products, as this translates to how easy (or hard) it will be to get the person working independently with Patients/ Customers 

Below are Budtender interview and dispensary interview tips to get the job…

First Impressions Matter
Put your best foot forward by wearing the right attire to your interview. A dispensary is a causal environment but an interview is a professional event/ situation. Be sure to prepare to wear business casual clothing that is suitable for a Budtender interview.

Business casual clothing is less formal than traditional business attire, but intended to give a professional and businesslike impression. The most important thing to wear is business casual clothing you feel confident and comfortable in so you can focus on the interview not your clothes.

A Budtender is the frontline to Customers and Patients. When first meeting the interviewer smile, be confident, warm, and professional. Shake their hand confidently and professionally.

Let Your Personality Shine
Interviewers want to get to know you. They are assessing your knowledge while at the same time assessing to see if you are someone they would like to work with on a daily/ weekly basis. If it is your personality to make a joke do so but in a professional natural manner. Let your personality and uniqueness shine through.

The “Sound Bite” Response
The best interview responses are “sound bites”. Imagine you’re a news reporter and you have a limited amount of time to share the most important to the point information.

You want to demonstrate that you are confident in yourself and your cannabis knowledge. A good “sound bite” interview response is about 45 seconds – 90 seconds.

If the question warrants a longer response, give a longer response. Use your best judgement while being aware if you are adding value to the conversation or rambling on.

If needed, a good interviewer will always ask for clarification.

Words and Phrases to Avoid
Words and phrases to avoid include “um”, “ah”, “I don’t know”.

It’s natural to be nervous, especially when interviewing for a job you really want. Instead of using words like “um” or “ah” take a soft deep breathe while smiling (for no longer than 15 seconds) and then respond. This gives you time to think of what you want to say, helps you avoid using filler words that remove credibility, and helps you relax.

You may be asked a question that you don’t know the response to. If this happens don’t say you don’t know instead demonstrate that you are honest and care about your responses by saying something like…

“I’ve never thought about that before. It’s a good question. I want to make sure I give you the best response possible. Is it possible if we come back to that question?”

Or…

“I’ve never thought about that before. It’s a good question. I don’t want to give a disingenuous answer. Would it be okay if I give it some thought and email you my response?”

Most interviewers will be okay with either response above. Be prepared that the interviewer may say “no”. Give the best response possible and let them know that you will follow up with additional information, make sure to follow up within a day.

Prepare Answers to Budtender Interview Questions
Prior to an interview it is important to practice your answer to interview questions you may be asked. You will be asked the following types of interview questions:

• Budtender Responsibility Interview Questions

• Situational Interview Questions

• Cannabis Industry and Knowledge Interview Questions

• Previous Work History Interview Questions

There is no reason to go into an interview without having practiced answers to possible interview questions. To help you prepare for a Budtender interview EpicHint’s Budtender Training provides access to a growing list of over 120 frequently used Budtender and dispensary interview questions.

Say “Thank You”

At the end of your interview be sure to say “Thank you”. No matter how you think the interview went, say “Thank you”. A “Thank you” and a handshake go a long way. Set yourself apart by also sending an email thanking them for the opportunity to learn more about the dispensary, the opportunity to interview, and that you are available to answer any additional questions. If there was something to follow-up on from the interview make sure to include the follow-up information in your email.

Prior to interviewing for a Budtender job EpicHint highly recommends completing a Budtender Training, Cannabis Training, Dispensary Operations Training, and/ or Cannabis Career Advancement Training. 

Completing a comprehensive Course will set you up for interview success. This is why EpicHint’s free Budtender Training is several Courses in one and covers all the topics that matter to dispensary hiring managers and owners; cannabis knowledge, dispensary knowledge, customer service for a dispensary environment, retail skills for a dispensary environment, laws and regulations, cannabis career advancement techniques, and more.

EpicHint’s Budtender Training and Budtender Certification Course gives you the knowledge you need to be a well-trained applicant. Our Budtender Training Course helps you get hired and grow a cannabis career. EpicHint’s cannabis training course lets you:

• Access a comprehensive Course of 60 Topics, 59 Quizzes, and 1 Final (real Budtender training to succeed)

• Learn from your computer, tablet, or phone

• Connect with other people learning about cannabis

• Engage with the community via our Wall, News Feed, Forums, Groups, and Messaging

• Earn achievement badges and your EpicHint Budtender Certificate

• Show your achievement badges, Budtender Certificate, and statistics to potential employers

• Unlock resources to get ready for interviews, to connect with hiring dispensaries in your area, and to develop skills to grow a cannabis career

EpicHint’s Budtender training is comprehensive. It’s multiple Courses in one.

EpicHint’s Budtender training covers everything from The History of Cannabis, to Cannabis Biochemistry which includes the Endocannabinoid System, all the cannabinoids, top terpenes, minor terpenes, flavonoids, Entourage Effects,  Medicinal Cannabis, to top Sativa Strains, top Indica Strains, top Hybrid strains, cannabis plant anatomy, and much more.

People have taken EpicHint’s Budtender training and used what they have learned to get hired in other cannabis positions such as Cultivation, Sales, Marketing roles, Brand Ambassadors, HR, and even open a dispensary as the first hired dispensary manager.

You can use EpicHint’s Budtender training to gain a competitive edge when applying for a job in any dispensary or a cannabis job in another part of the industry.

EpicHint is designed to facilitate the development of dispensary teams that outperform the competition and increase profit through well-trained and authentically diverse employees.

The number one variable that impacts a dispensary’s, or other cannabis business’, profit potential is the the people. Science, data, and research state that when a company’s team is well-trained and authentically diverse it will generate an average of 21% more profit than competitors.

While science, data, and research, have shown us for years that well-trained authentically diverse teams outperform competitors in creativity, innovation, employee engagement, employee retention, reputation, informed decision making, work ethic, ability to attract customers, and customer service, cannabis businesses continue to use flawed bias filled traditional hiring and training formats.

Antiquated hiring and training formats are directly linked to profit loss that is the result of hiring the wrong people, underperforming teams, and turnover.

EpicHint is on a mission to fix the operational inefficiencies that lead to profit loss, the exclusion of underrepresented groups in cannabis, and poor Patient/ Customer experiences.

This is why EpicHint offers free Budtender Training and why we have an emphasis on supporting the Budtender training and cannabis career growth of underrepresented groups such as women, Latinos, Blacks, LGBTQ, Veterans, Seniors, Persons with Disabilities, and individuals who have been disproportionately impacted by the previous criminalization of cannabis activities.

When cannabis job seekers, and employees, have access to training, access to real equal opportunity employment, and promotion opportunities, everyone wins; job seekers, employees, dispensary owners, other cannabis business owners, and cannabis Patients/ Customers.

Financial barriers, location barriers, and bias barriers do everyone a disservice. We are dedicated to removing these barriers and helping individuals and dispensaries achieve their goals.

EpicHint’s Budtender Training is free. We believe every person deserves access to comprehensive Budtender Training, cannabis training, job readiness, and knowledge to best perform their job. Since day-one of operations EpicHint has provided free Budtender Training to anyone.

Overtime, we experienced people abusing our free Budtender Training by a.) stealing our content for commercial purposes, b.) being rude, harassing, and obscene to our Budtender Training support team, c.) accessing Budtender Training but not having an authentic commitment to learning. As a result, EpicHint lost a lot of money and resources that otherwise could have been allocated to train people with a sincere commitment to get hired as a Budtender, Dispensary Operator, Patient Consultant, or in another cannabis job. 

We didn’t want to allow bad actors to stop EpicHint from providing access to free Budtender Training. To ensure anyone has access to Budtender Training, while not losing the revenue we work hard to generate (revenue that could just profit from but choose to reinvest to pay for free training), we ask that Learners commit to success.

A commitment to success is demonstrated by completing a PayPal transaction for $0.00 to initiate training. When EpicHint’s Budtender Training is completed within 45-days of access to the Course it is earned free, the PayPal transaction is cancelled, and “the cost” for the Course is $0.00.

If the Course is not completed within 45-days EpicHint charges $150.00 for the Course. We make nothing off this charge. The amount charged is EpicHint’s cost to provide training. It is a reimbursement to EpicHint. If the reimbursement cannot be collected the account is sent to collections. 

This process aligns us together in success. We make a commitment to invest our resources in you and you commit to completing EpicHint’s Budtender Training and doing your best. This ensures we’re in it together and EpicHint is able to provide free Budtender Training for years to come.

Unlike most other training programs that measure “success” by hours learned we measure success by impact. We have a waitlist to ensure every EpicHint Learner is set-up for success.

One of the ways we set Learners up to have the best experience possible is to give access to our platform every Monday via Learning cohorts. 

After signing up for the waitlist you’ll receive a confirmation email. When it’s your turn you will receive a separate access email from us. This email will hit your Inbox on a Monday. The email contains information and directions to claim your spot. You have 24 hours from when the email is sent to claim your spot. If you choose to claim your spot you get access to start learning with your cohort the next day, Tuesday, starting at 5 pm Pacific Time. 

While the responsibility is on you to learn, and apply what you learn, our approach to hiring, training, and career growth is working. We’ve had many graduates get hired into entry level jobs and then get promoted several times within a year doubling and tripling their income.

The wait to get access to EpicHint is generally no longer than three weeks. If you share EpicHint with friends then you can shorten your waitlist time and get instant access.

EpicHint recognizes we each learn differently. We are committed to helping each Learner earn the Course for free. If you need any learning accommodations please email our Community Success Lead, Michael Beats at michael@epichint.com prior to starting the Course. Share information that will help us help you. The team will be in touch to discuss how we can help you succeed.

Yes, people can be disqualified from EpicHint’s Budtender Training and Budtender Certification.

EpicHint takes Budtender Training, learning, and interpersonal conduct seriously. People found cheating, being abusive to the EpicHint team or other Learners, or who exhibit other inappropriate behavior as described in EpicHint’s Policies (found in the footer) will have their account permanently disabled, investigated, and possibly charged.

Any account found to break EpicHint’s Policies will be charged EpicHint’s reimbursement fee, $150.00. If the reimbursement fee cannot be collected the account will be sent to collections.

No Cheating, No Exceptions 
Cheating is defined as sharing answers, having a quiz and the content open at the same time, working collaboratively with another person on a quiz, taking a quiz for another person, or sharing an account.

Any cheating will result in the account being immediately disabled, banned, and charged. 

Don’t try and game the system. EpicHint has systems in place to identify cheating. Plus, there are no limits as to how many times a Quiz can be taken so there is no reason to cheat. 

Impersonation of Another Person
Any person found to register using another person’s identity is in violation of EpicHint’s Policies, State and Federal Law. The account will be immediately disabled and identity theft reports will be filed with law enforcement. No exceptions.

If you have any questions on EpicHint’s Policies please email us at policy@epichint.com with the subject line ‘EpicHint’s Policies’.

The following are not allowed to access EpicHint’s free Budtender Training:

• Any Paid Educational Institution, or Representative of a Paid Educational Institution, is not allowed to access free Budtender training. A paid Educational Institution is defined as any organization that receives payment for learning services. Educational Institutions and their representatives must apply for access. If you are an educational institution click the link below to apply. Any educational institution found to send its employees or students through EpicHint’s free training without program approval is subject to a minimum $10,000.00 fine, and possible legal action.

• Any Cannabis Trainer, Cannabis Training Company or representative of a Cannabis Training Company is not allowed to access free Cannabis Training. A cannabis trainer, cannabis training company, and their representatives must apply for Collaborative Access. If you are a cannabis trainer or cannabis training company email collaborate@epichint.com with the Subject Line ‘Collaborative Access’. Any cannabis trainer or cannabis training company found using EpicHint for any purpose is subject to a minimum $10,000.00 fine, the individual accessing the cannabis training is subject to $2,500.00 minimum fine, and possible legal action.

• Any Business Conducting Research, Individual Technology Researcher, Entrepreneur Conducting Research, or Investor Conducting Landscape Research for Any Purpose is not allowed to access free Budtender training. Any business conducting research, individual technology researcher, entrepreneur conducting research, or investor conducting landscape research for any purpose and their representatives must apply for collaborative access. If you are a business conducting research, individual technology researcher, entrepreneur conducting research, or investor conducting landscape research email collaborate@epichint.com with the Subject Line ‘Collaborative Access’. Any business conducting research, individual technology researcher, entrepreneur conducting research, or investor conducting landscape research found using EpicHint for any purpose is subject to a minimum $10,000.00 fine, and possible legal action.

• Any Cannabis Recruiter, Cannabis Recruiting Company or Human Resources Company is not allowed to access free Budtender training.  A Cannabis Recruiter, Cannabis Recruiting Company or Human Resources Company must apply for Collaborative Access. If you are a Cannabis Recruiter, Cannabis Recruiting Company or Human Resources Company email collaborate@epichint.com with the Subject Line ‘Collaborative Access’. Any Cannabis Recruiter, Cannabis Recruiting Company or Human Resources Company found using EpicHint for any purpose is subject to a minimum $10,000.00 fine, the individual accessing the cannabis training is subject to $2,500.00 minimum fine, and possible legal action.

• Any Cannabis Marketing, Public Relations, Digital Agency, or Marketing Agency is not allowed to access free Budtender training. A Cannabis Marketing, Public Relations, Digital Agency, or Marketing Agency must apply for Collaborative Access. If you are a Cannabis Marketing, Public Relations, Digital Agency, or Marketing Agency email collaborate@epichint.com with the Subject Line ‘Collaborative Access’. Any Cannabis Marketing, Public Relations, Digital Agency, or Marketing Agency found using EpicHint for any purpose is subject to a minimum $10,000.00 fine, the individual accessing the Budtender training is subject to $2,500.00 minimum fine, and possible legal action.

• Any Medical Cannabis Doctor Practice is not allowed to access free Budtender training. A Medical Cannabis Doctor Practice must apply for Collaborative Access. If you are a Medical Cannabis Doctor Practice email collaborate@epichint.com with the Subject Line ‘Collaborative Access’. Any Medical Cannabis Doctor Practice found using EpicHint for any purpose is subject to a minimum $10,000.00 fine, the individual accessing the Budtender training is subject to $2,500.00 minimum fine, and possible legal action. 

• Any person or company with the intention to use EpicHint for any commercial purposes or non-approved purposes is not allowed access free to Budtender training. Any person or company found using EpicHint for any commercial purpose or non-approved purpose is subject to a minimum $50,000.00 fine and legal action.

EpicHint welcomes the opportunity to review collaborations with any individual or company. Please email us your collaboration idea(s) at collaborate@epichint.com. Include the Subject Line ‘Collaborate’.