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Funeral Attendants Occupation Detailed Description

Funeral Attendants career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Funeral Attendants

The main tasks and work activities of Funeral Attendants are to greet customers, patrons, or visitors, assist patrons with entering or exiting vehicles or other forms of transportation, handle caskets, prepare administrative documents. In general, for the Funeral Attendants, social Perceptiveness, speaking, service Orientation, monitoring and other 3 skills are required.
Funeral Attendants Job Description
EducationThese occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related ExperienceSome previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Funeral Attendants jobs. 54.86% of Funeral Attendants have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 0.47% of Funeral Attendants have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
10.17%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
54.86%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.47%
Some College Courses
7.15%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
27.21%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
0.14%

Tasks and Work Activities of Funeral Attendants

  • Perform a variety of tasks during funerals to assist funeral directors and to ensure that services run smoothly and as planned.
  • Greet people at the funeral home.
  • Offer assistance to mourners as they enter or exit limousines.
  • Close caskets at appropriate point in services.
  • Obtain burial permits and register deaths.
  • Direct or escort mourners to parlors or chapels in which wakes or funerals are being held.
  • Place caskets in parlors or chapels prior to wakes or funerals.
  • Clean and drive funeral vehicles, such as cars or hearses, in funeral processions.
  • Carry flowers to hearses or limousines for transportation to places of interment.
  • Clean funeral parlors or chapels.
  • Arrange floral offerings or lights around caskets.
  • Provide advice to mourners on how to make charitable donations in honor of the deceased.
  • Issue and store funeral equipment.
  • Assist with cremations and the processing and packaging of cremated remains.
  • Act as pallbearers.
  • Transport the deceased to the funeral home.
  • Attend to the needs of the bereaved, such as by offering comfort, counseling, or after-care programs.
  • Perform various administrative tasks, such as typing documents or answering telephone calls.
  • Supervise funeral processions and assist with cemetery parking.
  • Deliver floral arrangements or other items to family members of the deceased.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming 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 OthersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRunning, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Greet customers, patrons, or visitors.
  • Assist patrons with entering or exiting vehicles or other forms of transportation.
  • Handle caskets.
  • Prepare administrative documents.
  • Provide patrons with directions to locales or attractions.
  • Provide escort or transportation.
  • Drive vehicles to transport patrons.
  • Clean tools or equipment.
  • Deliver items.
  • Clean facilities or work areas.
  • Arrange items for use or display.
  • Provide counsel, comfort, or encouragement to individuals or families.
  • Assign resources or facilities to patrons or employees.
  • Perform administrative or clerical tasks.
  • Direct funeral or mortuary activities.
  • Maintain facilities.
  • Embalm corpses.
  • Apply makeup to alter or enhance appearance.
  • Maintain financial or account records.
  • Discuss service options or needs with clients.

Skills and Abilities for Funeral Attendants

  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Active ListeningGiving 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.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Static StrengthThe ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Autopsy tables or accessoriese.g. Body bridges
  • Cadaver lifter or transfer devicese.g. Casket carriages
  • Cadaver lifter or transfer devicese.g. Casket lowering devices
  • Tamperse.g. Compaction tampers
  • Cadaver carrierse.g. Cremation stands
  • Container trailerse.g. Dump trailers
  • Cadaver lifter or transfer devicese.g. Funeral church trucks
  • Limousinese.g. Hearses
  • Cadaver lifter or transfer devicese.g. Mausoleum lifts
  • Articulating boom lifte.g. Monument lifts
  • Latche.g. Mortuary bier pins
  • Cadaver carrierse.g. Mortuary cots
  • Autopsy tables or accessoriese.g. Mortuary dressing tables
  • Cadaver lifter or transfer devicese.g. Mortuary lift systems
  • Autopsy tables or accessoriese.g. Mortuary operating tables
  • Conveyor rollere.g. Mortuary roller systems
  • Minivans or vanse.g. Mortuary vans
  • Dating or numbering machinese.g. Numbering machines
  • Cadaver lifter or transfer devicese.g. Pallbearer casket carriages
  • Automobiles or carse.g. Passenger vehicles
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge 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.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.