Job profession: Mortician

A mortician’s job and its challenges

A mortician additionally referred to as a funeral worker, is a person whose job is to organize and manage the small print of a funeral. Morticians are mostly employed at funeral homes, and also at crematories. One doesn’t simply become a funeral attendant as they need to be trained accurately and also require the proper qualities for them to reap the job and be able to sustain it. Just like every different job the funeral attendant profession has its challenges, however, strength is needed right here in this type of job and patience and excellent interpersonal capabilities as one is usually dealing with people who are very sensitive and are now not at their best emotionally. Morticans mostly work full time as they are usually on call and it is common for them to have long working days. They also work during the evenings due to the visitations made and also during weekends so basically this is a job that is demanding of one’s time and hence passion to help people, and the dedication is a requirement. However despite its many needs and challenges, it is a well-paying job, that has good job prospects, salary increase is smooth and growth of the profession too.

Duties of a mortician

Morticians have various functions which include; determining who has the right to make decisions on behalf of the deceased. They also register the death and obtain legal permits to bury or even cremate the body and are also responsible for creating a remembrance ceremony for the dead. In preparation for the ceremony here are some duties they do; preparing the body for burial or cremation by washing it, styling the hair, embalming and even applying makeup. Catering service, floral arrangements, educating the family who have lost their beloved on legal requirements, the obituary, observing religious preferences, advising the bereaved family concerning funeral costs and offering them the necessary assistance and accepting donations for them during this difficult time. It is also the work of the funeral director to be calm towards the family that has lost their loved one, as they help prepare for the ceremony. Home: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics\“)

Skills required

Skills required for one to qualify to be a mortician include; being intellectual. This means as a funeral director academic discipline and intelligence is essential. Funeral directors should be trained, and this happens by them attending college for two to four years. Topics taught in relation to this profession are, ethics, biology, anatomy, physiology, art, embalming, business, accounting, social sciences, chemistry, law, and also grief counseling. Being able to get the best grades one can in sciences and arts is a good indicator they are fit for the job. During college one must pass the oral comprehensive and also the written exams so as to obtain a license. (Foster, Liam, and Kate Woodthorpe 2016:73-90)

Interpersonal skills are another requirement. Morticians are required to balance their sensitivity and authority. This is because being insensitive or even focusing on the business too much can easily upset the bereaved family. On the other hand, being too careful because you are preventing yourself from annoying the family may lead to a funeral being organized poorly. Morticians need to be good listeners and effective communicators so as to be able to deal with people of all ethnicities, age, and beliefs. As much as they need to sympathize with the family, morticians are required to be emotionally calm during this time so that they can encourage and offer strength to the family. (Foster, Liam, and Kate Woodthorpe 2016:73-90)

Strength is also a requirement for one to be a mortician. Morticians need to be physically able to carry out a lot of work. They need to have fortitude and overcome the natural feeling about working with dead bodies and learn to work with dead decaying body organs and tissues. The way a mortician prepares a body for burial is compared to the work done by a surgeon as you have to remove internal organs, shape and do reconstruction on the body tissues. Strength is also required as you must be strong to work for long hours, lift heavy equipment during work and also lifting of heavy bodies. (Foster, Liam, and Kate Woodthorpe 2016:73-90)

Being business oriented is also a requirement in this proffesion.You must be keen and have a good sense of business and organizational skills. Funeral planning is not easy as it involves many details which only can be done successfully by proper planning is done. As a mortician, you need to be aware of market trends, know accounting issues and principles, and also know about business management practices. (Foster, Liam, and Kate Woodthorpe 2016:73-90)

Salary status of a funeral director

Pay status of a mortician begins from $20 per hour. For those that are licensed, their pay starts from $45,000 to $50,000 in a year, and it keeps increasing. It could increase up to about $60,000 to $65,000 especially for a more experienced person on management skills or even the people who run their own funeral homes. Hence it is actually important for you to be well educated about the profession and also for you to be licensed in order for you to get paid well and grow your career and also get promotions here and there due to your high level of competence. Home: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics\”)

Challenges of the mortician profession

However, no job has no challenges. According to the Journal of Late Antiquity 6.1 (2013): 135-151. The challenges of the mortician job are late-night or even early-morning calls from clients who have lost their loved ones, and also visitations occurring in the evening and the fact that funerals can take place during any day of the week. It can also be very tough to deal with dead bodies every day; therefore, you as a mortician is required to develop a very strong balance between your work and your life. Job prospects are available as every day babies are being born and on the other hand, people aging and dying, and therefore the demand for morticians to bury them will always be required.

Conclusion

The mortician profession is an honorable job, and it shows that one is very strong, calm during sensitive, emotional times, and also very passionate about helping people. It is a good job as it indicates that one respects life and hence when one dies he or she requires a good burial and a memorable respectful send-off.

Works cited

Bond, Sarah E. “Mortuary Workers, the Church, and the Funeral Trade in Late Antiquity.” Journal of Late Antiquity 6.1 (2013): 135-151

Foster, Liam, and Kate Woodthorpe. “Funeral Welfare to the Grave.”Death and Social Policy in Challenging Times. Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2016. 73-90.

Handbook, Occupational Outlook.“Bureau of Labor Statistics.”Available at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/funeral-service-occupations.htm (2011).