How to hire an embalmer/funeral director

How to hire an embalmer/funeral director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step embalmer/funeral director hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an embalmer/funeral director job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new embalmer/funeral director
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an embalmer/funeral director, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an embalmer/funeral director to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an embalmer/funeral director that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of embalmer/funeral directors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Embalmer/Funeral Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Embalmer/Funeral Director	Funeral service workers organize and manage the details of a funeral.	$13-24
   Funeral Arranger	Funeral Arrangers are responsible for assisting in managing funeral arrangements. Their duties include providing service advice, giving support to clients and families, facilitating family visits, answering phone calls, taking messages, and attending inquiries... Show more	$10-37
   Funeral Director	A funeral director organizes and oversees funeral services, aiming to provide optimal service and support to grieving families. They typically meet with families to identify their needs and help them plan services, arrange transportation for the deceased, prepare and process the body for the service, and assist families every step of the way... Show more	$13-24

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Client Families
   • Customer Service
   • Veterans
   • Compassion
   • Data Entry
   • Funeral Homes
   • SCI
   • Funeral Arrangements
   • Service Arrangements
   • OSHA
   • Crematory
   • Community Events
   • Prep Room
   • Necessary Paperwork

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage subordinates, facilities and MSDS files.
   • Assist families with insurance claims, veterans forms and other documents.
   • Consult with bereave families, providing guidance, compassion and grief counseling while assisting in arranging funeral or cremation services.
   • Maintain protocol and necessary paperwork for OSHA mandate Bio-Hazardous waste removal.
   • Compose and produce obituaries, memorial cards and DVD tributes.
   • File documentation through EDRS: electronic filing of death certificate and disposition permit.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your embalmer/funeral director job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An embalmer/funeral director can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, embalmer/funeral directors' average salary in south carolina is 38% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level embalmer/funeral directors 45% less than senior-level embalmer/funeral directors.
   • Certifications. An embalmer/funeral director with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an embalmer/funeral director's salary.

   Average embalmer/funeral director salary

   $38,736yearly

   $18.62 hourly rate

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   Entry-level embalmer/funeral director salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing an embalmer/funeral director job description

   A job description for an embalmer/funeral director role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an embalmer/funeral director job description:

   Embalmer/funeral director job description example

   Our associates celebrate lives. We celebrate our associates.
   
   Consider the possibilities of joining a Great Place to Work!
   
   **JOB** **RESPONSIBILITIES**
   
   + Performs on-call responsibilities including: taking first calls, talking with families, answering questions, providing initial details, and; conducting transfers
   
   + Supervises and cares for the deceased in a respectful manner while performing a variety of tasks such as: verifying identification; obtaining authorization for embalming; embalming; dressing, styling hair and/or applying cosmetics; preparing cremated remains
   
   + Arranges and conducts funeral and memorial ceremonies in a professional, organized and caring manner consistent with company policies and procedures
   
   + Negotiates and enters into funeral contracts. Handles contracts, legal documents, and collection of payment in accordance with company policies
   
   + Ensures client families are informed of special recognition/services available for veterans and ensures the delivery of selected recognition/services
   
   + Arranges for the interment or cremation of human remains
   
   + Confirms authorization to proceed with the service arrangements
   
   + Supervises/assists in funeral services by: supervising the parking of cars; ushering; driving funeral vehicles; assisting at chapel and church services; assisting at the cemetery; delivering of flowers, caskets, urn, photos and other personal keepsakes or mementos of client families; setting up and removal of chairs, and; participating at special functions
   
   + Ensures adherence to all applicable professional, municipal, provincial/state and federal licensing authority, regulations and rules
   
   + Provides aftercare in absence of Family Service Counselor
   
   + Ensures potential pre-need referrals are shared with Family Service Counselors
   
   + Prepares and accurately completes documents and online entries related to services, cremations, maintenance
   
   + Retains heritage and grows market share through active involvement with community, religious and other organizations
   
   **MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS**
   
   **Education**
   
   + High School diploma or equivalent
   
   + Completion of or currently enrolled in a dual degree training program at an accredited mortuary college or technical school specializing in funeral and mortuary science as required by state/province law and as prescribed by each state board
   
   **Experience**
   
   + Typically requires a minimum of 6 months experience in a funeral home, crematory or cemetery
   
   **Certification/Licenses**
   
   + Must meet all licensing requirements in applicable state/province as required by law as prescribed by each state board
   
   + Current state/province issued driver's license with an acceptable driving record
   
   **Knowledge, Skills and Abilities**
   
   + Basic knowledge of religious and fraternal organizations customs
   
   + Knowledge of computers and some software including MS Office Suite required
   
   + High level of compassion and integrity
   
   + Good communication skills
   
   + Problem solving skills
   
   + Ability to multi task and set priorities
   
   + Detail oriented
   
   Postal Code: 35125-1705
   
   Category (Portal Searching): Operations
   
   Job Location: US-AL - Pell City
   
   
   **Position Type:** Part time
   
   **Who we are. What we do.**
   
   We are North America's largest provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services. We are more than 20,000 dedicated individuals, who proudly serve our community, provide caring assistance to families in need, and honor veterans and public servants.
   
   We operate under the umbrella of the Dignity Memorial network of 1,800 funeral homes and cemeteries. Dignity Memorial providers care for more than 300,000 families each year and understand the importance of thoughtful, personalized arrangements. For us, there is no greater responsibility than honoring and preserving the story of one's life.
   
   _"SCI" refers to Service Corporation International and its affiliates._
   
   **Equal Opportunity Employer, M/F/D/V**

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right embalmer/funeral director for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with embalmer/funeral directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit embalmer/funeral directors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your embalmer/funeral director job on Zippia to find and recruit embalmer/funeral director candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit embalmer/funeral directors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new embalmer/funeral director

   Once you've selected the best embalmer/funeral director candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new embalmer/funeral director. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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