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I came across this forum while searching for career switching forums. I'm brand new so hello!
I'm in my mid twenties and I am looking to switch careers. I have been a Funeral Director for a little over three years and I feel burned out. It's not that I am not passionate about what I do, but I never expected a job to have this taken this kind of toll on my life. Honestly, I have no life.
I love the work. I love the people I work with and who I work for. The salary and benefits are enough for me to live comfortably. The only issue is that I work all the time. When I am not working, I am on call. And most of the time when I am on call I do actually get called in.
I rarely get sleep or have days off and it's really taking it's toll on me. I have no social life anymore and I often find myself wanting more consistent hours. But in an industry like this there is no way to have set hours because death is just so unpredictable.
My schedule right.now: I work Monday through Friday. Work weekends with services or calls. On call each day and night. Even weekends. I might get a weekend off a month (Thursday-Sunday) but that's verrrry rare.
I'm thinking of going into another field but I'm just not sure where to go from here. I was thinking about pursuing a masters degree to make myself more marketable, but I honestly don't know what I would study. I'm unsure as to how to market myself since my skills are so specific (I also embalm).
I would also need to find something where I would earn a similar salary. Right now I make mid forties.
Can anyone here offer me any suggestions? Obviously a 9 to 5 and weekends off is the dream but honestly? I just want a few days a week off. I don't mind working overtime or working hard... I feel so burned out.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I am really stumped as to how you can use that experience into a new career. It's pretty limited. Maybe selling life insurance? You do have job security, there are always going to be people dying. You might be surprised to know that many other jobs have the same working hours problems, such as EMT/paramedic/Fire/Police, supervisors/managers, and many key IT positions.
Please note that I know nothing of your industry but it seems like you are underpaid for the amount of time you work.
Is this the standard for the industry?
You mention that you work for someone else...is this a standard low man on the totem pole situation where in a couple of years you will be making more and working less?
Do you have a rich uncle? Is it possible to open your own undertaking business?
That's a tough one. I wonder if it would help to move your business to a smaller town where business is steady but you might not have as many customers? There's certainly a lot of security in that field.
Or, if business is so good, maybe bring on a partner who could help balance things for you and give you a break on a consistent basis.
Have you considered opening up a transport service for the funeral homes? My father started working part-time at a funeral home for something to do and ended up going back to college to become a funeral director. In the meantime he opened a transport service and hired two people to drive. He makes more money off of the transport service now than he does the funeral home or his cabinet shop. Maybe that's an idea since you know the business and already have contacts in the industry.
To the OP, what else interests you? - Your field is seemingly narrow as someone else already mentioned, but you could think creatively and channel your current skill set into something else even semi-related with regular hours?
Honestly, if you already have a bachelor's degree, and you don't have a ton of money set aside, I would get some other experience under my belt before switching careers and considering going back to school. If that is the case, you are still young enough to switch fields without going back to school for another degree. Time is on your side if you are without lots of family obligations.
Edit: OP, do something in medicine. Maybe phlebotomy, I don't know but something in the medical field.
Best of luck.
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