Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors Go Back to List Perform various tasks to arrange and direct funeral services, such as coordinating transportation of body to mortuary, interviewing family or other authorized person to arrange details, selecting pallbearers, aiding with the selection of officials for religious rites, and providing transportation for mourners.

Technology used in this occupation:
	Data base user interface and query software

Tasks
	Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
	Obtain information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates or burial permits.
	Oversee the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died.
	Contact cemeteries to schedule the opening and closing of graves.
	Provide information on funeral service options, products, or merchandise and maintain a casket display area.
	Offer counsel and comfort to bereaved families or friends.
	Close caskets and lead funeral corteges to churches or burial sites.
	Arrange for clergy members to perform needed services.
	Provide or arrange transportation between sites for the remains, mourners, pallbearers, clergy, or flowers.
	Perform embalming duties as necessary.

Skills
	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
	Active Listening - 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.
	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
	Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Knowledge
	Customer and Personal Service - 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.
	Administration and Management - 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.
	Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
	Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
	Sales and Marketing - 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.
	English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
	Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
	Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
	Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
	Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

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Education & Training   Education:   Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.   Related Experience:   Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

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Wage Information
	Region Average Entry Level  Mid-Range  Annual  Hourly  Statewide $77,074.00 $37.05  $28.11  $31.47 - $37.20  Bridgeport/Stamford $83,993.00 $40.38  $31.26  $37.20 - $39.34  Hartford $77,784.00 $37.40  $28.42  $30.61 - $36.53  New Haven $74,210.00 $35.67  $28.82  $35.24 - $36.44

Occupation Outlook ( 2016 - 2026 ) Average Annual Job Openings:   37   Employment in this occupation is expected to grow about as fast as average, but the number of annual openings will offer limited job opportunities.

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	Some of the occupational information on this page is formulated from O*NETTM v17.0 data. O*NETTM is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.