BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasFuneral Attendants

O*NET · 39-4021.00

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.

Also called Cemetery Services Specialist · FSA · Funeral Assistant · Funeral Associate · Funeral Attendant · Funeral Director · Funeral Greeter · Funeral Home Assistant
11 more

Funeral Home Associate · Funeral Home Attendant · Funeral Service Attendant · Funeral Services Assistant (FSA) · Greeter · Mortician Helper · Pallbearer · Removal Tech · Removal Technician (Removal Tech) · Undertaker Assistant · Undertaker Helper

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCS35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCSRealistic · Conventional · Social — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic4.95
  • C Conventional4.34
  • S Social3.93
  • E Enterprising3.67
  • A Artistic1.82
  • I Investigative1.07

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma7%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent47%
  • Some College Courses13%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree23%
  • Bachelor's Degree9%
  • First Professional Degree2%
Related work experience
None (55%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (33%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (36%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Social Perceptiveness3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Service Orientation3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site
  • Active Listeningbasic3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Coordination3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Monitoringbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Speakingbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Critical Thinkingbasic2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Time Management2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Writingbasic2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Complex Problem Solving2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
Show the other 23

Tasks

16 core · 8 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Greet people at the funeral home.4.5
  2. Perform a variety of tasks during funerals to assist funeral directors and to ensure that services run smoothly and as planned.4.4
  3. Close caskets at appropriate point in services.4.4
  4. Direct or escort mourners to parlors or chapels in which wakes or funerals are being held.4.4
  5. Offer assistance to mourners as they enter or exit limousines.4.3
  6. Place caskets in parlors or chapels prior to wakes or funerals.4.3
  7. Clean funeral parlors or chapels.4.1
  8. Arrange floral offerings or lights around caskets.4.1
  9. Clean and drive funeral vehicles, such as cars or hearses, in funeral processions.4.0
  10. Act as pallbearers.4.0
  11. Supervise funeral processions and assist with cemetery parking.4.0
  12. Deliver floral arrangements or other items to family members of the deceased.3.9
Show the other 12
  1. Carry flowers to hearses or limousines for transportation to places of interment.3.8
  2. Perform general maintenance tasks for funeral homes, such as maintaining equipment or caring for funeral grounds.3.8
  3. Issue and store funeral equipment.3.7
  4. Provide advice to mourners on how to make charitable donations in honor of the deceased.3.6
  5. Embalm, dress, cosmeticize, and casket the deceased.4.7
  6. Prepare obituaries for newspapers.4.6
  7. Obtain burial permits and register deaths.4.5
  8. Assist with cremations and the processing and packaging of cremated remains.4.5
  9. Transport the deceased to the funeral home.4.5
  10. Obtain doctors' signatures on death certificate and complete other paperwork, such as insurance claims forms.4.5
  11. Attend to the needs of the bereaved, such as by offering comfort, counseling, or after-care programs.4.4
  12. Perform various administrative tasks, such as typing documents or answering telephone calls.4.2

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service4.45.0Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • English Language3.93.5Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Administrative3.44.0Level 4 looks like: Type 30 words per minute
  • Transportation3.12.7
  • Computers and Electronics2.93.2Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Communications and Media2.72.5Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Law and Government2.72.1Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Administration and Management2.52.2Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
Show all 33
  • Mathematics2.52.6
  • Sales and Marketing2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Education and Training2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
  • Production and Processing2.31.6Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Psychology2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Public Safety and Security2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Telecommunications2.31.4Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.21.3Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Chemistry2.11.4Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Therapy and Counseling2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Economics and Accounting2.01.1Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Philosophy and Theology2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Sociology and Anthropology2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Biology1.91.3Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Engineering and Technology1.81.1Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Mechanical1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Design1.60.9Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Foreign Language1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Geography1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • History and Archeology1.50.7Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Physics1.50.7Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Building and Construction1.40.8Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Fine Arts1.40.4Level 1 looks like: Attend a popular music concert
  • Food Production1.2—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Comprehension3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Near Vision3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Speech Clarity3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Speech Recognition3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Written Comprehension3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Deductive Reasoning2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Information Ordering2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
Show all 52
  • Problem Sensitivity2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Far Vision2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Static Strength2.82.6
  • Written Expression2.82.8
  • Inductive Reasoning2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Multilimb Coordination2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Trunk Strength2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Fluency of Ideas2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Selective Attention2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Time Sharing2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to music while entering numbers into a spreadsheet
  • Control Precision2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Depth Perception2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Memorization2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Visualization2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Category Flexibility2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Sort paintbrushes based on length
  • Dynamic Strength2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Extent Flexibility2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Finger Dexterity2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Flexibility of Closure2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Gross Body Coordination2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Manual Dexterity2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Screw a light bulb into a light socket
  • Number Facility2.01.1Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Spatial Orientation2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Speed of Closure2.01.0
  • Stamina2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Hearing Sensitivity1.91.4Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Mathematical Reasoning1.90.9Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Originality1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Perceptual Speed1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Rate Control1.90.9Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Reaction Time1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Response Orientation1.91.3Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Auditory Attention1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Glare Sensitivity1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.80.8
  • Peripheral Vision1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Explosive Strength1.60.6
  • Night Vision1.60.8
  • Sound Localization1.50.5
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.50.5
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.40.4
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.1—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.44.5Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Assisting and Caring for Others4.24.5Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.14.0Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Handling and Moving Objects4.05.3Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.94.4Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Getting Information3.93.0Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.93.1Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.53.2Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
Show all 41
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.32.9
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.33.2Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.02.8
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.02.5Level 1 looks like: Check that doors to building are locked
  • Developing and Building Teams2.92.6
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards2.92.3Level 1 looks like: Review forms for completeness
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.92.2Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.82.7
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work2.82.8
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People2.72.3Level 1 looks like: Determine whether to remove a tree that has been damaged
  • Processing Information2.72.2Level 1 looks like: Calculate the costs for shipping packages
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge2.72.6
  • Controlling Machines and Processes2.62.4Level 1 looks like: Operate a cash register
  • Training and Teaching Others2.62.5Level 1 looks like: Give coworkers brief instructions on a simple procedural change
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Show a coworker how to operate a piece of equipment
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Apologize to a customer who complains about waiting too long
  • Thinking Creatively2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Change the spacing on a printed report
  • Working with Computers2.52.0Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.41.9Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.21.7Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Make appointments for patients using a predetermined schedule
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.11.6Level 1 looks like: Estimate the size of household furniture to be shipped
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.01.3Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.91.3Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies1.81.2Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.81.3Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.5—

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.5
  • Contact With Others4.2
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.2
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.1
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.0
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled3.8
  • Telephone Conversations3.8
  • Time Pressure3.7
  • Freedom to Make Decisions3.6
  • In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment3.6

Technology

5 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (1)

  • Microsoft Office softwarehot

Hot (2; 1 more marked hot above)

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (2)
  • Bookkeeping software
  • iCIMS Talent Cloud software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers
  2. Funeral Home Managers
  3. Crematory Operators
  4. Embalmers
  5. Home Health Aides
  6. Personal Care Aides
  7. Orderlies
  8. Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
  9. First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers
  10. Passenger Attendants

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.