The first question to ask yourself if you are thinking of mortuary jobs is whether or not you will be able to handle the job's tasks that will be required of you. You will have to work with cadavers, and not everyone is able to do that.
There are different areas of a mortuary you can choose to work in. Most mortuaries have a cosmetologist, mortuary's assistant, and funeral director to name a few.
Students that are working towards a mortuary science degree often look for entry level positions in order to gain experience in the business. One popular way to do this is to work on the funeral home support staff. This could include doing simple office work, minor duties during funerals, and even grounds keeping. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, just contact local funeral homes and ask about open positions.
Another opportunity for students, or anyone without a degree, is a transport technician. In working as a technician, you could be hired directly by the funeral home or by a third-party contractor that work for various funeral homes in the area. As a transport technician, you would be required to transport the deceased from the place where they passed to the coroner or funeral home. You will often have to console grieving families and friends at the scene and possibly answer their questions.
If you plan to make this a career, most states will require an apprenticeship with a professional in order to obtain a license. A funeral director apprentice will allow you to expand your skills and learned new ones from a seasoned professional.
If you already have a degree in mortuary science, you are able to work as a funeral director or embalming technician. Funeral directors arrange many details of funeral services, which can include but are not limited to casket and urn sales, floral arrangements, memorial table setups, and other details. You will be required to help families pre-plan funeral services and you will often need to console the grieving families and friends of the deceased.
