Table 1Transition record

funeral services directortoembalmer

A funeral services director already meets 63% of what the embalmer role asks for. The move turns on 4 required skills not yet in the profile.

From funeral services director

63%

Overlap1

To embalmer

17 Skills carried over

4 Required, not held

37.4 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 37.4

This move: 37.4 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the embalmer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the funeral services director profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 17 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A embalmer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a funeral services director background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held dress bodies handling and moving
already held embalm bodies assisting and caring
already held assist with funeral planning management skills
already held advise on funeral services communication, collaboration and creativity
already held prepare ceremonial locations communication, collaboration and creativity
already held transfer coffins handling and moving

All 17 carried skills, including the 7 the embalmer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 10 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 handling and moving 2 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held move bodies of deceased persons required
required, not held work with chemicals required

optional, not held clean rooms optional
optional, not held handle chemical cleaning agents optional
optional, not held lift heavy weights optional

02 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held cooperate with funeral directors required

optional, not held assist police investigations optional

03 services 1 required

required, not held cosmetics required

04 health and welfare 1 supplementary

optional, not held dermasurgery techniques optional

05 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 supplementary

optional, not held biology optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a embalmer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 17 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply health and safety standards skill
already held dress bodies skill
already held embalm bodies skill
already held maintain inventory of tools skill
already held maintain professional administration skill
already held promote human rights skill
already held show diplomacy skill
already held administer appointments skill
already held advise on funeral services skill
already held apply organisational techniques skill
already held assist with funeral planning skill
already held liaise with local authorities skill
already held manage staff skill
already held prepare ceremonial locations skill
already held provide directions to guests skill
already held transfer coffins skill
already held work ergonomically skill

6 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held dermasurgery techniques optional
optional, not held assist police investigations optional
optional, not held biology optional
optional, not held clean rooms optional
optional, not held handle chemical cleaning agents optional
optional, not held lift heavy weights optional

28 held skills the embalmer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role analyse financial performance of a company skill
not needed by the target role apply business acumen skill
not needed by the target role business knowledge knowledge
not needed by the target role business management principles knowledge
not needed by the target role control minor maintenance skill
not needed by the target role coordinate catering skill
not needed by the target role develop organisational policies skill
not needed by the target role develop professional network skill
not needed by the target role drive vehicles in processions skill
not needed by the target role greet guests skill
not needed by the target role keep personal administration skill
not needed by the target role maintain customer service skill
not needed by the target role maintain personal hygiene standards skill
not needed by the target role manage budgets skill
not needed by the target role manage emergency evacuation plans skill
not needed by the target role manage financial aspects of a company skill
not needed by the target role manage funeral equipment skill
not needed by the target role manage maintenance operations skill
not needed by the target role operate cremation equipment skill
not needed by the target role oversee cremations skill
not needed by the target role perform religious ceremonies skill
not needed by the target role prepare coffins for cremation skill
not needed by the target role provide emotional support to the bereaved skill
not needed by the target role provide visitor information skill
not needed by the target role recruit employees skill
not needed by the target role relate empathetically skill
not needed by the target role respond to visitor complaints skill
not needed by the target role train employees skill

3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held cosmetics required
optional, not held dermasurgery techniques optional
optional, not held biology optional

Index

Other moves recorded from funeral services director

Full index of moves from funeral services director

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.