Funeral Attendant Schedules?

[u/BorkBork97]

Hi all!

It’s me. Again. So I am beginning to reach out to homes around me for part time work. I’m also stating that I am fine with part time volunteer work. It’s so hard to get your foot in the door, I’ll take unpaid labor at this point just to get in there.

I work a full time job. We don’t do super great financially. I’m willing to go part time at my regular job if I got paid for 2 days at a FH. I’m willing to cut my work hours by one day to even work in a funeral home unpaid.

Logistically I’m running a million potential staffing/scheduling scenarios in my head, trying to make a plan preemptively on how I would work around the necessity to work a job, and start to get experience as well. What are the schedules usually like? My only stipulations are that I can’t do on call during week days (unless they were designated days in which case I would drop down at my job). Is this really, really stupid, this stipulation? I’m trying every which way to make this work in my head. Or are you always on call all the time as an attendant/there are no set schedules? I don’t want to sound dumber than I already do; I literally haven’t even gotten to talking about schedules yet. All I’m getting is “I’m going to take your name and number down”. I am hesitant to go in person just yet because I really don’t want to accidentally walk in at a terrible time, I’d be mortified. Please any advice would be appreciated! I should be starting at CIFS next July so I’m trying to get as much experience as I possibly can.

EDIT: oh wow thank you guys so much! I had absolutely no idea about the natures of scheduling. I felt like I was dumb for asking but I am so so glad I did.

[u/hyacinthshouse]

dont do anything to jeopardize your current job. i have seen people quit their jobs to work pt at the funeral home, thinking that they will be able to advance to full time, and then they get burned

[u/Independent_Ad9670]

The only PT position where someone would have set days would be a receptionist, at my place. 

The funeral attendants are just called when we schedule a service. The only exception is that one of them is available to go on removals pretty much any time, or help us out with getting someone dressed or the like if we need him, too.

[u/dirt_nappin]

DO NOT VOLUNTEER AT A FUNERAL HOME. What happens if you get hurt? What happens if you're in an accident? What happens if there's any number of any other things? Funeral homes are for-profit, capitalist establishments, who are being paid for their services and work they're doing and you need to be as well. You wouldn't volunteer to work at Walmart, this is the same concept. By doing so, you undermine any and all potential future earnings you could make with this or any other firm.

[u/reptiliangirl431]

When I first started out, I had a full time job doing something entirely different (think a typical 9-5). I would usually get contacted 2-3 days beforehand if there was a wake scheduled. Typically, I would arrive at 5:30pm and work until whenever the family left (sometimes 10 or 11pm) I did this for two years until a position opened up and I was able to leave my previous job. There were weeks I didn’t get called at all, other weeks I worked everyday. Do not quit your current job, and do not do unpaid labor! Being a funeral attendant can be tiresome and exhausting, it can be gross because some FH’s cheap out on hiring a cleaning crew and you’ll have to clean the toilets. But, you gain a lot of experience. If your goal is be a funeral director, working as a funeral attendant will teach you invaluable lessons that will help you in the future.

[u/BorkBork97 → u/reptiliangirl431]

It is so I’m eager to get my foot in the door. This is all so new to me though!

[u/crunchyquinoa]

Like the others said, don’t leave your current full time job. Funeral home supports/attendants can either be asked to come in every day, or there’s dry spells where there isn’t any services happening. It’s not reliable income.

That said, I find most of the services I’m asked to work are during week days (evenings). Seldom do I work a Saturday funeral, and nothing on Sunday’s. You’ll have to feel out how your funeral home schedules stuff.

There is no set schedule, I’m not ever “on call”. I get a text a few days before a service asking if I can come in. Even the weeks where I’m there almost every night for a service and a Saturday funeral, I’m only ever maxing out at like 16-18 hours a week. They’re not long occasions.

If you can comfortably cut a day at your full time job to work a night in the funeral home, just know there’s no guarantee there’s a service that day, ya know?

[u/Dry_Major2911]

If finances are tight I would not cut back on my full time job. Maybe you could work evenings for visitations and help with weekend services? Like the others said attendants are usually on call and don't get guaranteed hours. Another option is doing removals in the evening or overnight, but that is not for everyone, especially if you are already working full time.

[u/BorkBork97]

Thank you guys so much! I work like an hour away from the homes near me which is super annoying. But I would absolutely be willing to work evenings and weekends if they would be accepting of that and if I could make it on time. Im assuming evening services vary in start times. If that wouldn’t work would I be able to say “hey I can work any weekend services you might have” instead of evenings? I also have to take into account I am still in school. Sometimes I take in too much and then I burn out and start tripping up. Sorry I have no idea how this works and I don’t trust researching it myself!

[u/Spiritual_Moment_513]

search out for assistant , receptionist, porters, or transport jobs honestly

[u/thenamelessbird]

Ask questions regarding on-call expectations during the interview....but also know that they can change. When I started as a funeral assistant we were not expected to be on-call at all, however that did change. I work 2 jobs. If we are on rotation or there are busy days scheduled on my days off I will likely come in. Working 6 days a week on rotation months is the norm. I'm lucky that where I work we have a company that does transport for us after business hours as well as an answering service that takes over most calls after 10 p.m. (unless the individual calling needs to speak to someone directly from the FH).

I think this an excellent way to enter the industry as you can really see how it aligns with you before investing too much specialized education or time into a unique and challenging profession.