Create Your Funerary
Resume in 5 Easy Steps

  • Step 1: Add Contact Info

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  • Step 2: Include Work Experience Details

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  • Step 3: Provide Education Details

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  • Step 4: Select Your Skills

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  • Step 5: Fill in Your Background

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Get Expert Writing Recommendations for Your Funerary Resume

Our funerary resume examples are designed to show you how to write a resume that will breathe life back into your job search. Our certified resume writers craft resumes designed to help you describe and highlight your skills and qualifications.

Use them as inspiration, or use our Resume Builder, which offers pre-written text suggestions as you write your resume. Here are some example text suggestions our builder might make for your funerary resume:

  • Displayed the highest level of professionalism and sensitivity when dealing with grieving family members.
  • Vast knowledge of product offerings to assist families in any income bracket plan a tribute.
  • Knowledge of a number of faiths, rituals, care practices and traditions.
  • First-rate obituary writing and family counseling abilities.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.

6 Dos and Don’ts for Writing a Funerary Resume

  • Do detail your event planning experience. A decedent’s family is often under stress and in need of guidance to plan a funeral and visitation. Your organizing of other ceremonies, parties or meetings demonstrates your ability to plan a meaningful event.
  • Do list skills with audio-visual equipment. A modern trend in funerals is to record the event for friends and family who cannot attend. Many funerals also incorporate multimedia presentations, such as video and photo montages. Having knowledge of this technology might give you an advantage over competitors.
  • Do emphasize your soft skills. Given the nature of the funeral industry, it comes as little surprise that soft skills are critical. Employers look for applicants who are able to care for others in emotional circumstances. Emphasizing empathy, communication and problem-solving are key.
  • Don’t forget enthusiasm for the role. Write a professional summary that conveys your enthusiasm for what you do. Expressing enthusiasm, even for a role that is often performed under emotional circumstances, is critical to landing the job.
  • Don’t mention unusual motives. People are sometimes drawn to this industry for intensely personal or philosophical reasons, but it is best to focus on a desire to perform a public service for families in need. Other motivations could feel off putting to employers.
  • Don’t forget that most funerary jobs require you to be on call. If you appear too eager to work a 9-to-5 schedule, an employer may not consider you. Death happens at all hours and, as a result, so does funerary work. Instead, try to include work experiences where you put service before self-interest or focus on roles where you worked unusual hours.

Beat the ATS with These Funerary Resume Skills

The funerary profession has changed over time, and so has the employee application process. Gone are the days of a hiring manager sifting through a stack of paper resumes; today, the first steps in hiring are often accomplished not by a person, but by a computer equipped with applicant tracking systems (ATS). This software uses an algorithm to search for specific keywords and phrases unique to funerary jobs and weeds out resumes that don’t include them.

LiveCareer’s certified resume writers can help you describe your skills by suggesting appropriate, ATS-friendly terminology like the following:

  • Licensed embalmer in Illinois
  • Obituary writing experience
  • Monument and marker knowledge
  • Grief counseling
  • Mortuary operations
  • Embalming techniques
  • Life insurance knowledge

Funerary Resumes for Every Professional Level

Entry-Level

Funeral Assistant

For entry-level job seekers, a combination resume format is a good way to emphasize a burgeoning skill set while putting less of a spotlight on a relatively short job history. In this example, the candidate uses the professional summary to establish a commitment to coordinating services and assisting families. The skills section immediately below that illustrates abilities behind the scenes at a funeral home, while the job descriptions that follow are brief but filled with concrete details, such as experience with cremation processing and the transfer of remains. Build my Resume

Mid-Career

Mortician

The combination resume format used here does a good job showcasing the multiple aspects of the applicant’s eight years of experience and diverse skill set. This format is perfect for mid-career professionals who want to give equal space to their professional experience and their critical skills. The work history section shows a clear, upward trajectory of job titles from office administrator to apprentice embalmer to mortician, while the use of both a summary of qualifications and a skills section clearly outlines what she’ll bring to the table if hired. Build my Resume

Executive-Level

Funeral Home Managing Owner

The extensive work history of this funeral home managing owner speaks for itself. Notice how the applicant employs metrics, such as mentioning the specific number of employees managed, and describes past job duties using action verbs. In the skills section, this job seeker lists a number of in-demand hard skills such as cremations and remains preparation, as well as the soft skill of being customer-oriented. The document’s design is uncluttered and professional, with easy-to-read section headings in the margin. Build my Resume

More funerary resume samples

Find resume examples for your desired funerary career. Get access to expert writing recommendations, do’s and don’ts and everything you need to write a perfect resume.

Resume Success Stories

Statistics and Facts About Funerary Jobs

Median Pay, 2019

Funeral Service Managers$76350
Funeral Service Workers$58310
Morticians, Undertakers and Funeral Directors$54150
Embalmers$47760
Funeral Attendants$27930
050K100K
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*Net

Job Outlook, 2018–2028

Overallincrease, with 2,000 jobs added to the existing 53,000
Funeral Service Managers5% increase
Morticians, Undertakers and Funeral Directors3% increase
Embalmers2% decrease
Funeral Attendants2-3% increase
0510
Sources: BLS, O*Net

Popular Job Titles

  • Funeral service manager
  • Mortician
  • Undertaker
  • Funeral director
  • Embalmer
  • Funeral attendant

Source: O*NET

Education Requirements

Embalmers

Associate Degree$52
Bachelor’s Degree$35
Postsecondary Certificate$13
050100

Morticians, Undertakers and Funeral Directors

Associate Degree73%
Bachelor’s Degree13%
Some College6%
050100

Funeral Service Managers

Associate Degree57%
Professional Degree13%
Bachelor’s Degree12%
050100

Funeral Attendants

High School Diploma or Equivalent55%
Associate Degree27%
Less than High School Diploma10%
050100

Gender Composition

Morticians, Undertakers and Funeral Directors

Female 29.4%

Male 69.6%

Embalmers and Funeral Attendants

Female 28.2%

Male 71.8%

Source: Data USA

Racial Diversity

Morticians, Undertakers and Funeral Directors

White (including Hispanic)88.5%
Black11.5%
050100

Embalmers and Funeral Attendants

White (including Hispanic)89%
Black10%
050100
Source: DataUSA

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