Funeral service managers organize and manage the details of the funeral in a funeral home.
A funeral service manager,
- Offer comfort and Counsel the family and friends of the departed soul.
- Make arrangements to remove the deceased’s body.
- Prepare the mortal remains.
- File for death certificates and legal documents.
- Train a junior staff working under them.
A funeral service manager supervises the operations of a funeral home business. They do the planning and allocating the resources of the funeral home. They take care of the staffing, marketing, and public relations as well.
Being a funeral service manager, you should understand the pain the family of the deceased goes through. You may feel depressed as you deal with the painful emotions of people every day. You will have to fulfill the needs and wishes of the ones who make plans for their future death, as well as the ones who have lost their loved ones.
How to Become a Funeral Manager in Steps
A funeral service manager should monitor the preparation of the funeral or memorial services held at funeral homes. They conduct the general matters of running a funeral home like allocating the expenses, managing staff, handling marketing, and public relations. In short, the funeral service manager handles the logistics of the funeral of the deceased.
A funeral service manager should collect details on the funeral, obituary, and help the family to select a casket. They should also plan the entire funeral services to be held.
The Following Simple Steps Can Guide You on How to Become a Mortician:
Step 1: A formal education may not be needed, depending on your state’s requirements. Get trained in any of the local funeral homes. You can obtain an apprenticeship and then get a license later on. However, most of the funeral homes provide training only to those with formal education qualifications. But you can always try your luck with local funeral homes.
Step 2: Pursue a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in mortuary sciences to become a funeral service manager. The program ranges from two to four years course. Schools accredited with ABFSE (American Board of Funeral Service Education) offer associate programs through community colleges. You will learn ethics, grieving, and business law and the basics of preparing a body for burial.
Step 3: Try to gain relevant work experience when you are pursuing your training and education. Take up administrative work in local funeral homes where only a small amount of office management experience is required. Try to work in an environment where you can deal with death and grieving.
Step 4: In some states, a person must complete an apprenticeship with any local funeral home to become a licensed funeral service manager. During the learning, you will get a chance to work under the supervision of a licensed funeral director and work in a funeral home. Remember that leaving with good recommendation matters.
Step 5: The licensing requirement differs from state to state. Contact ABFSE to check the obligation in any state. You will have to pass the exam that is specifically allotted to every state, and it differs.
Step 6: Prepare well and complete the licensing exam. The exam is usually of multiple-choice questions and is electronically written. You will receive your score the moment you complete your exams.
Step 7: Hunt for jobs and take up the one that suits you. Remember that working with the deceased and grieving families is rewarding as you are supporting them through tough times.
Job Roles of a Funeral Service Manager
A funeral service manager consults with the family and friends of the deceased person. They arrange funeral details like obituary notice wording, selecting a casket, etc. A funeral service manager directs and supervises the work of funeral attendants, death certificate clerks, embalmers, and other funeral service staff. They are responsible for the repair or maintenance services for funeral homes.
A funeral service manager offers comfort and counsels the families and friends of the deceased who are not able to overcome the loss. You will also clean and embalm the dead bodies.
In case the funeral is an open casket, then you might need to prepare the body for viewing. Becoming a funeral service manager is not an easy task. It requires a good deal of emotional and physical energy.
Funeral Service Manager Salary
If you wonder how long will it take to become a mortician, then note that it takes four to five years, including the period of training, apprenticeship, and the course taken.
Before taking up funeral service manager jobs or start preparing for it, you need to talk to experienced funeral directors and learn about the types of job opportunities, work environment, licensing requirements, education, compensation, etc.
The median salary of a funeral service manager, as stated in the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is $ 79,180. The job demands the ability to handle sensitive situations like comforting the families or friends of a departed individual and negotiate the contract for funerals.
Funeral service managers(1) work for long hours in the evening and even on weekends. This is because they have to arrange the funeral services within 24 to 72 hours of death. Whether you take up the job as a funeral service manager or funeral service worker, you will be a part of a growing and long-lasting industry.
