Are you still wondering if a career in Death Care is for you? I encourage you to consider the range of options. You need not fear the science courses (I took a few of those twice). You need not fear your job will ultimately be replaced by AI, because there are functions that require real hands, real hearts, real you.
Remember that funeral service is more than just the prep room. Embalming may not be the place you will excel, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a meaningful contribution to this profession. You’ll have to tough it out in the prep room to meet the state requirements for licensure, that’s part of the process.
But if you are looking for a place to serve, funeral service has a place for you. Some of the roles below don’t require a license, but all of them serve families at one of the most difficult intersections of their lives.
Paths of Service
Advance Planning Director You’ll spend your days working with individuals and families to pre-plan funeral arrangements. You may give presentations on the value of pre-planning to groups and sometimes serve as a liaison between the funeral home and the surrounding community. This is an area that can always use directors.
Transfer Specialist If you like to drive and can lift and move human remains, this might be a spot for you. The funeral home, the trade service, and the family are trusting you to deliver a loved one safely and with dignity.
Funeral Service Assistant You greet guests and assist the funeral director with setup and details related to visitations and funerals. You are sometimes the first person a family meets at the funeral home.
Monument Sales Someone has to help a family select a monument or add an inscription to an existing one. You might help them design a special embellishment or find just the right words for a lasting tribute.
Driver Are you a patient driver with good directions? A hearse, limousine, or passenger van driver is a valuable asset to any funeral.
Makeup Artist and/or Hairstylist It goes without saying that this really, really matters. Being able to skillfully cosmetize and style the hair of a decedent is truly an art.
Celebrant As the industry shifts toward higher cremation rates, families will need more help creating ceremonies and rituals. Some families don’t want or need a religious service, and some don’t realize that “non-burial” doesn’t mean “non-remembrance.”
Embalmer Some people actually prefer the prep room. These professionals may never make arrangements or meet the family, but allowing a family to see their loved one in the best state possible is a gift that a family will appreciate beyond measure.
Catering and Hospitality There are things about a funeral that people will not remember, but they will remember how they were treated and how you made them feel.
Cemetery Services Prefer to work in a place with lush greenery? Cemeteries need salespeople, groundskeepers, equipment operators, and monument specialists.
Crematory Operator You may never meet the family, but your work is critical. The family is trusting you to bring their loved one through a final physical transition that cannot be undone.
Restoration Specialist This is a skill that takes years to master, but I list it to illustrate the breadth and depth of the work we can do. You may never see a case that requires extensive restoration, but there are funeral professionals who have dedicated their entire careers to this fascinating specialty.
After-Care Specialist Families need help navigating their world after a death. Join a group offering the services that help a family during this time of transition.
Grief Counselor Grief is natural, but sometimes complicated. There are specialized groups for those who have lost spouses, children, or parents, and for those navigating especially difficult circumstances such as suicide, miscarriage, or violence.
Every Role Matters
Please remember that there are many ways to serve families. The funeral director may be the person who journeys with the family from arrangement to burial, but every single day, people are serving before, during, and after the funeral. Some of these faces will never be seen by the family, but they are no less important. Of honorable mention are the graphic artists who design programs, the tech people who stream services, the facilities staff who keep the building and parking lot clean, and the people in the office who pay the bills and keep the lights on.
AAMI can give you the foundation to build a career of meaningful service in this amazing field. What you build on that foundation is up to you.
How will you serve?
Angela is a 2022 graduate of AAMI. She is a Licensed Funeral Director in NYS, and is currently a Monument Sales Specialist at Dignity Monuments in NYC. She is also a Celebrant, Writer, and Cheerleader to those who believe it’s never too late to start a second (or third) career.