Embalmer Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Embalmer resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Embalmers are responsible for preparing bodies for viewing following death. They’re also responsible for preparing bodies for burial, including sanitizing and dressing them, inserting tubes to drain fluids from the body, and more.
Because embalmers work closely with families during some of the most difficult times of their lives, they must possess a high level of empathy and compassion. They also need to possess excellent organizational skills, as well as a keen eye for detail.
Here are some tips and an example to help you write a compelling resume for this job.
How to Write an Embalmer Resume
Here’s how to write an embalmer resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most effective way to showcase your experience and qualifications. But rather than simply listing your responsibilities, you can make your bullet points much more interesting by using specific numbers and metrics.
For example, rather than saying you “assisted with embalming procedures,” you could say that you “assisted with embalming procedures on 10+ bodies per day, according to departmental standards.”
The second bullet point is much more specific and provides a clear sense of the scale of the work you did. It also provides a number—10+—which helps to quantify the level of responsibility and scale of the work.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you apply for an embalmer role, your resume is likely to be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. This system will look for terms related to the job, like “embalming” and “funeral director” in order to determine whether your skills and experience are a match for the job opening. If you don’t have enough of the right keywords on your resume, the ATS might discard your application before a human ever sees it.
To make sure this doesn’t happen, use this list of commonly used embalmer keywords and phrases as a starting point:
- Embalming
- Funeral Services
- Death Care
- Restorative Art
- Funeral Directing
- Burials
- Burial Services
- Mortuary Science
- Undertaking
- Cremation
- Funeral Planning
- Death Care Education
- Obituary Writing
- Embalming Procedures
- Hospice Care
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Funeral Arrangements
- Memorial Services
- U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- Funeral Ceremonies
- Embalm
- Coroner
- Transfer Services
- Casket
- Funeral Customs
- Hearse
- Restorative Artistry
- Embalming Chemicals
- Make-up
- Casket Shows
Showcase Your Technical Skills
Embalmers are responsible for the preservation of deceased individuals, so it’s important that they are familiar with the various types of software and systems used in the embalming process. In addition, embalmers need to be able to use technology to communicate with other members of the funeral home team, including morticians and funeral directors.
Some of the programs and systems that embalmers are typically expected to be proficient in include: embalming software, body composition analysis software, and casket selection software. Embalmers also need to be familiar with the anatomy of the human body and how it works.