Funeral Home Managers
In the Funeral Home Managers occupation, workers plan, direct, or coordinate the services or resources of funeral homes. O*NET rates it as medium preparation, which usually means one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree. It leans on service orientation, social perceptiveness, and active listening. One core duty is to consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services. Interest ratings put Enterprising on top at 6.4 out of 7 and Conventional second, so the code is ECS and the day leans toward leading, persuading and making business decisions. People who want leading, persuading and making business decisions usually fit better here than those who need creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
Plan, direct, or coordinate the services or resources of funeral homes. Includes activities such as determining prices for services or merchandise and managing the facilities of funeral homes.
Main tasks
- Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
- Schedule funerals, burials, or cremations.
- Deliver death certificates to medical facilities or offices to obtain signatures from legally authorized persons.
- Offer counsel and comfort to families and friends of the deceased.
- Monitor funeral service operations to ensure that they comply with applicable policies, regulations, and laws.
- Direct and supervise work of embalmers, funeral attendants, death certificate clerks, cosmetologists, or other staff.
Skills
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
- Active Listening
- Time Management
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like taking the lead and making the call.
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
- You are comfortable relying on service orientation and social perceptiveness.
May not suit you if
- You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.9 out of 7 here.
- You need to start within a few months, with no training period.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ECS takes the three highest, and Enterprising comes first here.
Preparation
Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Arranging Funeral Director
- Funeral Director
- Funeral Home Location Manager
- Funeral Home Manager
- Funeral Home Owner
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.