Current Hemp Job Market Info for Quarter 4 2021
Since hemp was federally legalized with the 2018 Farm Bill, the industry has seen its fair share of advancements – as well as setbacks. As the hemp job market continues to mature, businesses and candidates alike are learning what it takes to make it in this new industry.
2021 has been an interesting year for job searchers. The end of COVID-19 shutdowns led to an unprecedented few months in the job market. During this time, cannabis dispensaries, cultivation operations, and manufacturing labs have had a difficult time locating and hiring top talent.
When the COVID-19 pandemic first struck in early 2020, the new national hemp industry was only a year old. As such, it interrupted nearly every facet of a new market that is still an extremely long way from taking shape. Not only did many farmers have to abandon plans to plant their hemp, crops but the global supply chain saw unrivaled interruptions.
While 2021 has undoubtedly been a candidate-driven job market, the hemp industry has experienced hiring patterns all its own.
The United States Hemp Industry
In the few short years since hemp was nationally legalized, the industry has changed exponentially. Today, hemp fields are planted across the United States – including within the conservative regions of the Midwest and South. While not always extremely stable, these new hemp farms have created a number of jobs.
A number of ancillary markets have arisen to service the new national hemp industry. Whether it be industrial agriculture equipment, or cannabinoid extraction technology, there seems to be no limit with ancillary expansion. The ancillary market has also been a major job creator in the hemp space.
CBD Hemp vs Industrial Hemp
One of the most fascinating things about hemp is the diverse products that can be made out of it. In turn, hemp’s many applications also lead to the development of new product markets and subsequent job creation. Nonetheless, all types of hemp products are made from either CBD hemp or industrial hemp.
CBD hemp and industrial hemp are two distinct market segments in the hemp industry.
CBD hemp is grown for its cannabinoid-rich flowers, which are then processed into the many CBD products we see on the market today. As such, the entire CBD industry is built around hemp plants that produce high amounts of CBD, yet low amounts of THC. In fact, the 2018 Farm Bill classifies any cannabis sativa plant with less than 0.3% THC as legal hemp.
Industrial hemp is grown for its fibrous stalks, as opposed to flowers. The fibers taken from industrial hemp stalks are manufactured into a plethora of different materials, including textiles, building materials, fuel, and more.
The current hemp job market spans both the CBD hemp and industrial hemp industries.
What Types of Hemp Jobs are People Hiring For?
Because the hemp plant can be utilized in so many different ways, the hemp job market is also vast and diverse. While the hemp industry has undergone some setbacks and advancements with COVID-19, there are some notable hiring trends. For example, certain skill-sets remain in higher demand than others in the hemp industry.
Hemp Sales Jobs
No matter the industry, good salespeople are always a commodity. This notion also rings true in the hemp industry.
There are a wide variety of sales jobs in the hemp space, these are conducted in both B2B and B2C capacities. For example, B2B sales in the hemp industry are undertaken between farming
equipment manufacturers and hemp farmers. In this example, an outside salesperson conducts direct-to-grower sales with capital equipment. An example of B2C sales in the hemp industry would be selling CBD products directly to customers in retail stores.
Hemp Operations Jobs
Whether it be CBD hemp or industrial hemp, operations people are valuable in all aspects of the hemp industry. Because the hemp industry is brand new, many companies have not yet developed critical organizational processes like standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Perhaps the place that people can make the biggest splash in the hemp industry with operations skills is with vertically integrated companies. Because these operations have so many moving parts between cultivation, processing, marketing, and sales, even the smallest organizational issues can turn into big problems.
People with logistics training like Lean Six Sigma can be a huge asset for hemp companies.
Hemp Cultivation Director Jobs
Commercial hemp farms are very unique operations. Namely because, they marry methods taken from cannabis horticulture with processes from industrial agriculture. As such, Hemp Cultivation Director positions require diverse skill-sets that few candidates possess.
Hemp Cultivation Directors must ensure that their farms are turning a profit. This requires not only careful controls on garden inputs like water, fertilizer, and human labor but also a strategic awareness of environmental conditions in their given location. These individuals can direct their team to plant according to a strict schedule and harvest while the weather is still good.
What Kind of Salary Can I Expect in the Hemp Industry?
If you are interested in what types of salaries are available in the current hemp job market, please have a look at the below figures:
- Farm Director: $150,000
- Director of Cultivation: $100,000
- Operations Manager: $75,000
- Greenhouse Technician: $60,000
- Outside Sales Person: $50,000 base (plus commissions)
While the above figures are estimates, they should give you a good idea of what to expect for salaries in the hemp industry.
Advice for Finding a Hemp Career
The hemp industry is a very exciting business to work in. Nonetheless, the novelty and volatility of the CBD market can make some hemp jobs unstable. All things considered, the process of finding a career in the hemp industry should be accomplished with careful erudition and critical thought.
Key tips for your hemp job search:
- Utilize your established skill-sets and transfer them into the hemp industry. For example, if you have a background selling construction materials, the industrial hemp space is likely a good fit.
- Write a resume specifically for the hemp industry. In this resume, be sure to mention transferable skill-sets that are applicable in the hemp business. For example, experience with health and wellness products is a great segway in the CBD space.
- Post your hemp resume on job boards like Indeed, Monster, and Glassdoor.
- Work with a recruiter like those found at M&F Talent. A recruiting partner will help you better market yourself in this increasingly competitive job market.
- Thoroughly research and vet any hemp company that you are interested in working for. Because a vast majority of hemp businesses are still in the startup phase, they might not be able to provide a very stable job.
Contact M&F Talent with Questions About Hemp Job Trends
As leading hemp recruiters, Mac & Fulton Talent Partners has seen many evolving hemp job trends over the years. Whether it be the COVID-19 pandemic or saturation of the CBD market, the current hemp job market will always experience fluctuations.
Please contact info@mandfconsultants.com with questions about hemp jobs or our recruiting services.
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