Those who work in a funeral home, such as funeral home directors and embalmers, must have a certain set of qualities that are required by such a sensitive line of work. To be successful in the funeral industry, one must have:

• 1. Compassion: Funeral home employees should be extremely compassionate and able to show the families they work with that they care about their grief. They should always act respectful and treat everyone with dignity.
• 2. Business Management Skills: Many funeral homes are small operations run by one or two people. Therefore, all funeral home employees should have excellent business management skills to handle tasks such as inventory control, finances, and marketing.
• 3. Good Organization and Planning Skills: Funeral home employees should be very organized and be able to quickly plan funeral events, such as viewings, services, and wakes.
• 4. Tact: Funeral home employees should understand the sensitive nature of their work and always employ tact when working, especially when dealing with grieving families.
• 5. Excellent Communication Skills: Funeral home employees should have excellent speaking and writing skills for tasks such as planning funeral events, preparing obituaries, and communicating with families.
• 6. Great Listening Skills: Funeral home employees should have excellent listening skills to ensure they are providing families with precisely what they have requested.
• 7. Knowledge of Laws, Rules, and Other Regulations: Funeral home employees should be very familiar with health codes, state laws, and other regulations concerning embalming, transportation, burial, etc.
• 8. Knowledge of Customs and Traditions: Funeral home employees should have a good understanding of the many customs and traditions of various religious and ethnic groups. They should also be very open-minded and respectful of the requests families make.
• 9. Solid Code of Ethics: Funeral home employees should have a strong sense of personal ethics because of the sensitive nature of the work. They must adhere to all rules and use discretion in their work.
• 10. Counseling Skills: Funeral home employees should have excellent counseling skills, as they are often called upon to lend support to family members and friends of the deceased.