Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
Perform various tasks to arrange and direct individual funeral services, such as coordinating transportation of body to mortuary, interviewing family or other authorized person to arrange details, selecting pallbearers, aiding with the selection of officials for religious rites, and providing transportation for mourners.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $29K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $40K
Median Salary: $54K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $71K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $91K
Demand
Core Tasks
Obtain information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates or burial permits.
Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
Oversee the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died.
Perform embalming duties, as necessary.
Contact cemeteries to schedule the opening and closing of graves.
Remove deceased remains from place of death.
Arrange for clergy members to perform needed services.
Offer counsel and comfort to bereaved families or friends.
Provide information on funeral service options, products, or merchandise, and maintain a casket display area.
Close caskets and lead funeral corteges to churches or burial sites.
Maintain financial records, order merchandise, or prepare accounts.
Plan, schedule, or coordinate funerals, burials, or cremations, arranging details such as floral delivery or the time and place of services.
Manage funeral home operations, including the hiring, training, or supervision of embalmers, funeral attendants, or other staff.
Direct preparations and shipment of bodies for out-of-state burial.
Inform survivors of benefits for which they may be eligible.
Provide or arrange transportation between sites for the remains, mourners, pallbearers, clergy, or flowers.
Plan placement of caskets at funeral sites or place or adjust lights, fixtures, or floral displays.
Discuss and negotiate prearranged funerals with clients.
Clean funeral home facilities and grounds.
Arrange for pallbearers or inform pallbearers or honorary groups of their duties.
Receive or usher people to their seats for services.
Participate in community activities for funeral home promotion or other purposes.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Customer and Personal Service
99%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Administration and Management
81%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Clerical
80%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Psychology
75%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Sales and Marketing
74%
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
English Language
71%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Personnel and Human Resources
70%
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Economics and Accounting
69%
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Law and Government
67%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Philosophy and Theology
67%
Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Top 10 Skills
Social Perceptiveness
83%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening
80%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Coordination
78%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Service Orientation
78%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking
78%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management
68%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Critical Thinking
65%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Negotiation
65%
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Reading Comprehension
65%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing
65%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension
78%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Clarity
78%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition
75%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Problem Sensitivity
73%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning
63%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Information Ordering
63%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Written Comprehension
63%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression
63%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Category Flexibility
60%
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Top 10 Work Activities
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
96%
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Assisting and Caring for Others
95%
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Getting Information
94%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
92%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
91%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Interacting With Computers
88%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
86%
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
85%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Documenting/Recording Information
82%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
82%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Detailed Work Activities
Gather information in order to provide services to clients.
Discuss service options or needs with clients.
Embalm corpses.
Direct funeral or mortuary activities.
Arrange facility schedules.
Transport biological or other medical materials.
Provide counsel, comfort, or encouragement to individuals or families.
Maintain financial or account records.
Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
Handle caskets.
Provide escort or transportation.
Arrange items for use or display.
Clean facilities or work areas.
Usher patrons to seats or exits.
Promote products, services, or programs.
Train service staff.
Supervise service workers.
Perform human resources activities.
Work Context
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Education
Interests
Enterprising
100%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Social
77%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Conventional
62%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic
43%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Artistic
24%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Investigative
15%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Top 10 Work Styles
Attention to Detail
98%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
98%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Integrity
97%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability
94%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Self Control
94%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility
92%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Cooperation
92%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Stress Tolerance
92%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Leadership
84%
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Social Orientation
84%
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Work Values
Relationships
91%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Support
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
