Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Funeral Service Managers
Funeral Service Managers 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.
Table of contents
What they do
Funeral Service Managers 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.
- Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
- Direct and supervise work of embalmers, funeral attendants, death certificate clerks, cosmetologists, or other staff.
- Schedule funerals, burials, or cremations.
- Sell funeral services, products, or merchandise to clients.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Funeral Service Managers monitor funeral service operations to ensure that they comply with applicable policies, regulations, and laws. They identify skill development needs for funeral home staff.
A typical day for a Funeral Service Manager will also include:
- Plan and implement changes to service offerings to meet community needs or increase funeral home revenues.
- Complete and maintain records, such as state-required documents, tracking documents, or product inventories.
- Schedule funerals, burials, or cremations.
- Sell funeral services, products, or merchandise to clients.
- Offer counsel and comfort to families and friends of the deceased.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Funeral Service Managers also explain goals, policies, or procedures to staff members. They may also review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to identify opportunities for cost reductions or service improvements.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Funeral Service Managers evaluate the performance of vendors, contract employees, or other service providers to ensure quality and cost-efficiency. They might also sell funeral services, products, or merchandise to clients.
In addition, they negotiate contracts for prearranged funeral services.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them schedule funerals, burials, or cremations.
To some Funeral Service Managers, it is also their responsibility to offer counsel and comfort to families and friends of the deceased.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
75% said they were satisfied with their job and 62% said they found their job meaningful.
My first task at the beginning of the day is to check my calendar for appointments, review the client details and prepare for each appointment. Since our company provides virtual services, all of my appointments with clients are by telephone or Zoom video call.
Setting up to live stream a funeral
Some of my time is spent with prospective clients as we provide a complimentary consultation first to see if our services are a good fit for their needs.
Once a client has booked an event with us I spend time assisting them with putting together the details of the virtual memorial or funeral service.
A lot of time is spent asking questions and listening to the client to help them create an event that is special and meaningful to them. A lot of attention is spent reviewing and confirming all of the details, so it is important to make detailed notes and have a good sense of project management.
Project management is very important aspect of my job and takes up a good portion of my day. I review the project files for each client and follow up with other team members on the status of tasks, manage due dates and confirm details with clients.
Sourcing new vendors or contacting existing vendors to build and maintain relationships is important. I rely on many 3rd parties for services such as videographers, venues, translators and more to help meet the needs of our clients.
Office setup for virtual meetings and conducting virtual memorials
Pros
No two events are exactly alike, so I can develop a general template for the event framework, every event needs to be created from a blank canvas. That makes the work very interesting.
Cons
One of the downsides of funeral planning is that you are exposed to a lot of grief and it is hard to separate yourself from it. The gratification that comes from helping people when they are at their most vulnerable and being a comfort to them is extremely rewarding.
Pros
Suitable for people who like to start and carry out projects.
Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is not too difficult to get into this career. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Demand for this career is growing fast.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Funeral Service Managers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $42,990 to $55,400 per year or $21 to $27 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $156,940 | $75 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $106,260 | $51 |
| Median | $74,200 | $36 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $55,400 | $27 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $42,990 | $21 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Funeral Service Managers based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Death Care Services | $91460 | $43.97 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Funeral Service Managers work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Funeral Service Managers including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death Care Services | 9970 | $91460 | $43.97 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
Funeral Direction/Service
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk-taking and often deal with business.
They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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