GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Michigan-based nonprofit organization will begin hosting resume workshops focusing solely on careers in the cannabis industry.
Speaking to Matt Hoffmann of 'Our Cannabis' Tuesday
The first resume workshop is happening Wednesday, November 20, at Linc Up on Madison Avenue. This first event has already reached capacity, but there will be more just like it in the coming months.
Matt Hoffmann has been working in the industry for about the last decade. Through his work helping potential employees find jobs he has launched two organizations. His nonprofit "Our Cannabis" is hosting Wednesday's event.
He also owns Handgrown.Jobs, a website that works as a database for both potential employees and employers.
Hoffmann says part of the inspiration behind running these workshops is the fact that federally-funded job resource programs are prohibited from assisting people in securing jobs in the cannabis industry.
File photo from inside Park Place Provisionary in Muskegon
"It's fantastic that all these jobs are being created but if people don’t have access to even get those jobs, that's a problem. And that's where we come in," he said.
At Wednesday's workshop, there will be individuals with decades of experience in human resources and resume refinement. Hoffmann explaining, “It is a full-on three-hour work session of sitting down with people and saying let's move this work experience here, let's make sure the spelling and grammar is correct here. Let's make sure that visually this makes sense and is appealing for someone that wants to potentially hire you,” Hoffmann said.
In addition to working on your resume, there will be opportunities to practice interview skills. Our Cannabis will work with you in answering cannabis-specific questions.
From there, they will work on a list of generalized skills like counting a cash drawer and interacting with customers of all sorts.
Screenshot of the Handgrown.Jobs database
They will also assist you in getting into the Handgrown.Jobs database. The site allows potential employees to apply to open positions in Michigan's cannabis industry. Hoffmann says the database will note to employers who has completed their resume workshop.
While Wednesday's event cannot accommodate walk-ins, Hoffmann has plans to hold frequent resume workshops come 2020.
“We want to make sure we’re creating a safety net around the individuals to get people that are interested in working in the industry the opportunity to pursue that green dream job," Hoffmann said.
