5 Reasons to Have 'Careers' on Your Funeral-Home Website

Recently, I created a "Help Wanted Ad" for some a support position to help me with the growth of my business and posted it to my website.  Instead of the old way of posting ads with newspapers and then sifting through a stack of job-seeking-tire-kickers, I wanted to elevate the relationship level to one of someone who was familiar with my work (via my website) or at least to get a referral - friend of a friend.  So why I am telling you this story?  Well it seems to be a topic of interest lately - getting good caliber staff - and we seem to turn to our traveling sales reps and ask them if they know of anyone looking.  As funeral directors, we forget that we have a large volume of "eyeballs" checking out obituaries on our websites and leaving condolences.  Why not have a "Careers" or "Job Opportunities" section on your website?

Here is a list of the reasons why you should have a Careers section on your website:

1. It's free! Well, depending on how your site is set up you may have to pay your web developer to create this section, or if you use a Content Management system like WordPress - it's completely Free.
2. Gives visitors an insight into your company.  Even if someone isn't looking for a job - maybe they are trying to decide what funeral home to choose and if you communicate in your Help Ads that you need a certain type of person that will go above and beyond for your client families, they may see that is a deciding factor - "Attracting Families through Help Wanted Ads"
3. The job seeker will get a better understanding of your operations since they are already at your website (although if someone comes in to an interview without researching you on your website, maybe you should keep looking).
4. The Referral - maybe someone has been to your website to leave a condolence and they see your Careers tab and they know of someone who may be perfect for funeral service and they are already familiar with your company via the website (this referral will never happen if you only used help wanted ads).
5. Good Economic Community Member - in economic times like this, it is good to show that you are investing back into the community - Job Creation (even if it is a replacement situation for you, you don't have to tell everyone that)

Here are some steps that you should remember:

• Let the firm's caring, empathic personality come out in your ad, and describe what it is like to be a part of your team (others are reading it too)
• After the position has been filled, leave it up as a sample and still offer to accept resumes
• Embed or link to the Lynch's "The Undertaking" documentary video clips from YouTube or PBS - these hold the entire profession in a more positive light
• Create a "Footer" link to your Careers section for each page - visitors' curiosity will make them check out what's available
• Secret tactic: use Social Network sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and even Twitter to direct people to your new job posting

October 15, 2008