Cannabis Job Interview Questions You Need To Ask

The success of any business relies on the strength of its employees. This is particularly true in the cannabis industry. In this fast-growing field, you need dedicated workers who know what they are doing, can represent the company professionally, and believe in your mission.

That’s why it’s important to ask the right questions during job interviews. Although the specific questions you may ask a candidate will vary from one role to another, the following are certain general questions to ask in a cannabis industry job interview.

"What do you think our businesses goals are?"

It’s easy to understand why some people find the idea of working in the legal cannabis industry appealing. If they enjoy the product, they might think they would enjoy working around like-minded people.

That may be the case. However, an interest in cannabis isn’t enough to succeed in this field. You also need to thoroughly understand your employer’s products and services, as well as their overall values. Asking about this helps you better determine if a candidate has done their research. They may not be thoroughly familiar with your business, but they should be able to confidently describe what you do (and why you do it) to some degree.

"Why do you want to work in this industry?"

Legal cannabis is still fairly new. Thus, it’s typically not an industry people join spontaneously. Job candidates are usually actively seeking out positions related to cannabis.

That means you can learn a lot about a candidate by asking why they’re drawn to this line of work. Your goal is to find out how cannabis has impacted their life, and the degree to which they understand the products and services you offer.

For example, someone who vaguely responds that they’re applying to a job because they “like cannabis and think it would be cool to work with it” is probably less qualified for a position than someone who can explain how cannabis has helped them or someone they know in a substantial, clear way. This is the type of candidate who is likely to be passionate about the work.

"What experience do you have that corresponds to this role?"

This is a tricky one. For obvious reasons, candidates may be reluctant to discuss their experiences buying or selling cannabis due to its recent illegal status. 

That doesn’t mean they can’t indicate why they have experience that will help them succeed in a given role. For example, you may be hiring a budtender. A candidate who previously worked at a retail store, in which their duties involved helping customers better understand the features and qualities of various products, at least has enough customer service experience to handle their duties at your company.

Again, depending on the role you’re interviewing someone for, the questions you ask during a cannabis industry job interview will likely vary. These are merely a few worth remembering. They’ll help you find employees who are truly interested in helping you achieve your goals.