1. Explain me what are your career goals?
Helping others with their loss and moving forward and helping people with honouring their missed loved ones.
2. Can you explain how do you handle stressful situations?
I remain composed, even if i do not feel composed, I deal with the situation in a cool calm and collected manner.
3. Tell me do you have any advice for those wanting to get into the funeral business?
Networking is a great tool. Knowing people at a removal service in a larger area is a good thing since they have contact with the majority of the funeral homes. Also, I did my apprenticeship at an embalming service and learned invaluable skills. As an embalmer you are much more marketable.
4. Tell me what does your working day look like?
I now spend my days in a beautiful Grade II Listed Building on the grounds of St Bart's Hospital, surrounded by over 5000 anatomical specimens (the oldest of which is from 1756). I conserve the 'pots' by cleaning them and topping them up, and I also arrange them and catalogue them. I'm helping to design a new public website and working on some very interesting Public Engagement projects to really bring Pathology to life (excuse the pun…) I have a unique seminar series coming up which includes a lecture on the death of Marilyn Monroe, a vampire evening (complete with ingestible blood) which is also to coincide with National Pathology Year's blood month (November) and a talk from Joanna Ebenstein of the blog 'Morbid Anatomy' who is coming all the way from New York.
5. what kind of person would make a good mortician?
It's funny. I was a waiter for many years in my younger days. I always say, if you can be a successful waiter, you can be a successful funeral director. They are similar in many ways. They both wait on families and provide what should be excellent customer service. The only difference is that one puts a pizza in the oven and the other puts a body in the oven.
6. Please tell us how long would you expect to work for us if hired?
I would like to make a career out of it. Until retirement.
7. Tell me would you be embalmed yourself? Or would you want to be cremated?
I'm ok with being embalmed and buried. I'm also ok with being cremated. I will let my family choose the method which best suits them at the time.
8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years as Mortuary Assistant?
I wish to learn more about the funeral services business and hope to become licensed. I feel I belong in this industry and wish this to be my place, my career until I retire.
The eyes usually start to flatten after death. Think of an old grape. They do, however, remain with the decedent. We don't remove them. You can use what is called an eye cap to put over the flattened eyeball to recreate the natural curvature of the eye. You can also inject tissue builder directly into the eyeball and fill it up. And sometimes, the embalming fluid will fill the eye to normal size.
Yes, the eyes and lips are glued together.
10. Tell me what made you become a mortuary technician?
It's something I always wanted to do, literally since I was 8 or 9 years old. I never knew the actual name for the job but I knew I wanted to be involved in autopsies and discovering causes of death. I think with this kind of career you know from the start that you were meant to do it.
11. Tell me how physically/mentally demanding is the job?
Being a mortuary technician is far more demanding than anyone can probably comprehend unless they've done similar work. The job will take it out of you physically as it involves lots of moving heavy bodies around. And, of course, standing on your feet to carry out an autopsy which will take 1-3 hours. Some Forensic PM's can take around 12 hours. You will not sit down all day if you work in a busy environment as autopsies will then give way to releasing patients to Funeral Directors and preparing them for viewings.
On TV, the Pathologist will carry out the evisceration of the body (that is, the removal of the organs.) In real life it is the APT who does this and it's not easy - it involves lots of tools and hauling heavy bowls and trays around. Unless you've had the experience of this (which most people won't have!) you can't imagine how dense and heavy human organs are.
And, of course, mentally it will be very draining and some of the more progressive mortuaries will understand the need for debriefing sessions and supervision (a type of counselling) of APT's. Because most of the information you'll take in is confidential it means there aren't really many ways for you to 'unburden' yourself so it can be very tough unless you have a good relationship with your colleagues.
12. Tell me have any tips for funeral students trying to get an apprenticeship at a funeral home?
Follow up. Call funeral homes and ask to just meet with a director to ask questions about the industry. Above all, just keep at it. Eventually a door will open.
13. Why did you leave your last job as Mortuary Assistant?
Whatever the situation was from your previous job, you should always answer this question with a positive and enthusiastic response. If the reason for leaving your last job was redundancy, then you should talk about how your company had to restructure, instead of focusing on your own personal situation.
Under no circumstances should you criticise your previous employer, as this will appear unprofessional.
14. Explain a difficult situation you have overcome in the workplace?
Conflict resolution, problem solving, communication and coping under pressure are transferable skills desired by many employers.
Answering this question right can help you demonstrate all of these traits.
☛ Use real-life examples from your previous roles that you are comfortable explaining
☛ Choose an example that demonstrates the role you played in resolving the situation clearly
☛ Remain professional at all times - you need to demonstrate that you can keep a cool head and know how to communicate with people
There is some co-mingling involved, although very minimal. It is unavoidable since you can't get every single grain out. As long as you sweep it properly after each person, it is very minimal.
16. Tell us are women creeped out by your career choice?
Some are. I like to date other morticians or nurses. They seem to understand and are over the whole novelty of it.
17. Tell me have you ever dealt with grieving people?
Yes i have dealt with my own family greiving and i have dealt with customers from the bank who have lose a loved one.
18. Tell me is it a job for life? How does one progress from being a Mortuary Assistant?
For many people being an APT will be (rather ironically) a job for life and they will progress from certificate and diploma levels through to becoming mortuary managers. However, the higher up you move, the less involved with Pathology and post-mortems you become (depending on where you work). I found that as a Senior APT (after 8 years on the job) I was out of the PM room more and more, dealing with paperwork and other commitments. I believe that the step I took, to become Pathology Museum Technician and Assistant Curator at St Bart's has been absolutely perfect for me, and that all the experience I went through previously was leading me to this post. I use my knowledge of anatomy and pathology daily, I use my teaching and presentation skills constantly but I also get to manage my own time, oversee others and have an enormous amount of creative control.
19. What are necessary Skills required for Mortuary Assistant?
Effective reading, writing and speaking skills are essential for communicating with other clinical professionals, as well as lay people. You should be able to solve and identify problems through scientific methodology; organize information quickly; and properly evaluate the quality of products and supplies. The position requires sound judgment, critical thinking and the ability to actively listen. Manual dexterity in the wrist and fingers, a steady arm and good near vision are also crucial for assisting in actual exams.
20. Explain what are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
It's time to pull out your old performance appraisals and boss's quotes. This is a great way to brag about yourself through someone else's words: "My boss has told me that I am the best designer he has ever had. He knows he can rely on me, and he likes my sense of humor."
21. Explain did you go into the business by your own choice?
Yes, I did. I was fascinated by the industry as a kid. When I was 12, there was a bad head on collision near my house and a man in a truck didn't make it. My family and I were standing around with all the other neighbors when the coroner arrived. He pronounced him deceased, then they took him out and put him on a stretcher and his head turned to the side looking straight at me. I remember being curious as to what happens to people when they die, as far as the physical body.
22. Tell me do you have any experiences being in a funeral home?
No, but i am a fast learner and a hard worker. I am committed to do the best of my ability.
23. Tell me what is the strangest request that you've ever received for a funeral service?
We had a dead clown one time. This person was buried in full clown costume with makeup and all. The whole family was clowns. All the friends were clowns. And at the family's request, the funeral directors were clowns too. They supplied costumes and did our makeup. Family and friends had one tear drop painted on near the eye. Definitely my strangest.
24. Explain what is the pay like?
The pay isn't fantastic as a rule, and it does differ if you're in a hospital mortuary run by the NHS, or a Public Mortuary run by a Local Authority. It's not particularly bad, and it's graded as other jobs are in those organisations, but it's not a job you do for the money… there are far easier ways to earn it!
25. Tell me what advice would you give to anyone interested in becoming a mortuary technician?
You have to apply for a position as a Trainee APT - there is no other way to do it except to start as a trainee. It will definitely help you to have Forensic knowledge or previous science qualifications such as Microbiology, Human Anatomy or Anthropology but it won't guarantee you an interview. Places are very competitive and many APT's move to different cities to get a foot on the ladder or move up a rung.
