Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers
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.
Sample of reported job titles:
Funeral Arrangement Director, Funeral Arranger, Funeral Counselor, Funeral Director, Funeral Location Manager, Funeral Pre-Need Consultant, Funeral Prearrangement Counselor, Licensed Funeral Director, Licensed Mortician, Mortician
Occupation-Specific Information
Tasks
- Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
- Obtain information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates or burial permits.
- Oversee the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died.
- Contact cemeteries to schedule the opening and closing of graves.
- Provide information on funeral service options, products, or merchandise, and maintain a casket display area.
Technology Skills
- Data base user interface and query software:Belmar & Associates Mortware,Custom Data Systems Sterling Management Software,FPA Software MACCS,HMIS Advantage,Twin Tier Technologies MIMS
- Internet browser software:Web browser software
- Office suite software:Corel WordPerfect Office Suite,Microsoft Office
- Project management software:FuneralKiosk
- Spreadsheet software:Microsoft Excel
Occupational Requirements
Work Activities
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: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:Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Getting Information:Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work:Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships:Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Detailed Work Activities
- Arrange facility schedules.
- Arrange items for use or display.
- Clean facilities or work areas.
- Direct funeral or mortuary activities.
- Discuss service options or needs with clients.
Work Context
- Telephone:98% responded"Every day"
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate:92% responded"Extremely important"
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled:88% responded"Every day"
- Electronic Mail:87% responded"Every day"
- Time Pressure:86% responded"Every day"
Worker Requirements
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness:Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Active Listening: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:Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Service Orientation:Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Speaking:Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service: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: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.
- Administrative:Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
- Psychology: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: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.
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
- 73%Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
- 13%Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Worker Characteristics
Abilities
- Oral Expression:The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension:The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Speech Clarity:The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition:The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Problem Sensitivity:The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Interests
- Enterprising: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:Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Conventional: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.
Work Values
- Relationships: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:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Achievement: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.
Work Styles
- Attention to Detail:Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Concern for Others:Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
- Integrity:Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Dependability:Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Self-Control:Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
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