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Empathy is an integral part of our human nature. It is a skill ingrained in us, but it can also be learned and improved upon. Explore ways to develop your empathy and be more successful in life.

Watch a TED Talk about empathy.

Interested in becoming a funeral director or mortician? Do some research on the schools that offer a degree in mortuary science. What are the requirements? 

Research the best schools for mortuary science. 

Reach out to a funeral director or mortician in your area and see if you could interview them about their job. Ask about their path, goals, inspiration, recommendations, etc.

Interview a funeral director.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to see details at a distance.

Funeral Attendants

Perform a variety of tasks during funeral, such as placing casket in parlor or chapel prior to service, arranging floral offerings or lights around casket, directing or escorting mourners, closing casket, and issuing and storing funeral equipment.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge 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.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Giving 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.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Personal Care and Service Occupations

Funeral Service Workers

Perform a variety of tasks during funerals to assist funeral directors and to ensure that services run smoothly and as planned.

Close caskets at appropriate point in services.

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.

Offer assistance to mourners as they enter or exit limousines.

Arrange floral offerings or lights around caskets.

Clean and drive funeral vehicles, such as cars or hearses, in funeral processions.

Microsoft Excel

Bookkeeping software

Microsoft Office software

Microsoft Word

iCIMS Talent Cloud software

Casket lowering devices

Mausoleum lifts

Pallbearer casket carriages

Vault lowering devices

Body bridges

Mortuary dressing tables

Mortuary operating tables

Cremation stands

Mortuary cots

Mortuary roller systems

Dump trailers

Numbering machines

Passenger vehicles

Monument lifts

Mortuary vans

Hearses

Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.

Communicating 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.

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Every day

Once a month or more but not every week

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Extremely important

Very important

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

Contact with others about half the time

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Important

How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?

Deal With External Customers or the Public in General

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

Once a week or more but not every day

Never

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

Limited freedom

How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?

In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment

Funeral Attendants

Overview

Career

What Funeral Attendants Do

Other Job Titles Funeral Attendants May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Funeral Attendants

Overview

Career

What Funeral Attendants Do

Other Job Titles Funeral Attendants May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Funeral Attendants

Related Leaders