How To Get A Job As A Funeral Director
Funeral Directors have in the past been called both Morticians and Undertakers. Today, as always, Funeral Directors provide an essential service. To be successful they must be kind, compassionate, respectful, and dedicated to offering support and comfort to the families and friends of the deceased. Funeral Directors must also have excellent communication skills and organizational skills. They must at all times present a neat, well dressed appearance.
Funeral Directors work in quiet, subdued settings. They may be required to work long and irregular hours. Some aspects of the job may be stressful. As this is an area which requires extreme tact and dedication, as well as skill, it is not one in which there is a great deal of competition. Opportunities for employment are, at present, excellent, especially if the Funeral Director is also an Embalmer.
Most funeral services occur in places of worship and funeral homes, but some may take place in private residences or crematoriums. The Funeral Director must be ready to plan accordingly.
The duties of a Funeral Director are many and varied, depending on the size of the area in which they are employed as well as the size of the Funeral Home involved. When a death occurs, the Director arranges for the transfer of the body to the funeral home or the crematorium. He will see that the body is prepared for burial. He will discuss with the family, selection of a casket, funeral services, time and location of the burial, religious services, pallbearers, music, obituary, and flowers. He will contact the cemetery officials and clergy, and arrange for the service and transportation to the cemetery. He will be and available and present, when necessary, to comfort family and friends, both before and during the service. If the funeral service is to take place in another city or country, the Funeral Director will prepare the body for shipping and take care of any other necessary arrangements. If cremation takes place, the Funeral Director may be responsible for arranging the placement of the urn. He will also handle paper work needed for issuance of the death certificate.
Funeral Directors must be aware of varying religious and cultural practices as well as legalities concerning handling and treatment of the dead. They must understand and follow any health measures necessary in cases of contamination. They must also keep records.
In some areas, Funeral Directors do embalming, in others they may not. Funeral Directors that are also Embalmers are more in demand than those that are not.
EDUCATION
If you are interested in becoming a Funeral Director and are still in high school, it would be advisable to take courses in Biology and Chemistry. Experience in a Funeral Home, whether paid or volunteer, as well as a second language, would be a decided asset.
All states require that Funeral Directors be licensed. Educational requirements vary between states though most demand at least a two year Associates’ Degree. A four year Bachelor’s Degree is preferable. Both two and four year programs in Mortuary Science are found in Colleges and Universities. Check with the National Funeral Directors Association or your state licensing board to find what your specific state requires. Courses in mortuary science include, among others, those in psychology, grief counseling, embalming, anatomy, physiology, and the legal and ethical aspects related to funeral procedures and handling the dead.
In order to obtain a license, applicants must complete their education in mortuary science, complete an apprenticeship under a licensed Funeral Director and then complete an exam which is both written, oral, and practical. The length of apprenticeships required vary from state to state, but are usually at least one year. Funeral Directors must be at least twenty-one years of age.
In order to maintain a license, Funeral Directors must complete on-going education courses.
Funeral Directors with sufficient education and experience, may advance to positions in management. Some open their own Funeral Homes.
