Apparently, there is a shortage of budtenders in Kansas City! Want to sell weed? Kansas City dispensaries are hiring budtenders to meet high demand Want to sell weed? Kansas City dispensaries are hiring budtenders to meet high demand Nick Wagner/nwagner@kcstar.com Kynala Phillips Fri, February 10, 2023 at 11:00 PM PST Now that recreational marijuana sales have started, more people are flocking to dispensaries to legally buy some of their favorite weed products. Dispensaries across the metro are addressing that demand by hiring new budtenders to help all their new customers. Budtenders, similar to bartenders, work with clients to find the best product to address their needs. Whether a customer is buying for medical or recreational purposes, budtenders are trained on each product and help to educate customers. Ahead of the first day of recreational sales, many dispensaries hired dozens of people to make sure they could handle the increase in customers. Most are still accepting applications. So what makes a good budtender? Most dispensaries in Kansas City don’t require budtenders to start with much experience. Applicants will need to be 21 years and older to work at most dispensaries, but otherwise the most important thing is that applicants come ready to learn. Local Cannabis Company owner Lee Hoffman said that the best budtenders are sales people who are friendly and willing to talk to other people. “You don’t have to be a pothead to be a budtender,” Hoffman said, adding that people who are interested in starting as a budtender at Local Cannabis Company just need to stop by their 45th Street location to get an application and learn more. “We’ll train you up,” Hoffman said. (snipped) So they will even train you! And there are perks to the job that you won't get working at the local grocery. Companies that supply the dispensaries often have free samples of products for the budtenders to try, and there is a respectable discount on bongs, etc. Having a good memory for faces and products is a big plus, as is unfailing politeness. Wages are low, but there is a tip jar at the dispensary where I volunteer and the "atmosphere " is friendly. Granny