There's a sign on the wall in Rich Snider's office on which the words "Whatever It Takes" appear.

Those three words are the guiding philosophy behind the thoughts and actions of the employees at Mountain View Funeral Home in Lakewood.

"Working in this profession is a calling," explained Snider, the home's sales manager. "Commitment is key; it is the keeping of the promises made to family members who have lost a loved one."

Snider emphasized that what he and the personnel at Mountain View are engaged in is a profession.

"This is not an industry; this is not a business," he said. "This is a profession that helps individuals who are at their lowest, and we do that well."

This sense of acting professionally extends back over a century.

The first burial in the 160-acre cemetery took place in 1915, and since then there have been more than 100,000 internments. There are about 1,000 burials per year, and the staff at Mountain View helps about 1,400 families a year with funeral services.

"Everyone here is committed to excellence and integrity," added Clarke Thomson, general manager.

To emphasize his point, he told a story about how a service maintenance crew noticed a ding in the top of a casket as it was being lowered into the ground.

"They could have lowered it, closed the space, and no one would have been the wiser," Thompson said.

But they didn't hide the mark; they said something about it.

A call was made to the family detailing the mark on the casket.  Family members were grateful for the call.

"This is a job about integrity, about being honest with the families who come here," Snider added.

So, is this the career for you?

To work in the funeral profession requires a commitment to excellence, an eye for detail, and an ability to be flexible in thinking - and sometimes working without much sleep.

"We are operationally minded; we have to make things happen in order to serve those who come to us," Snider said.

For military members thinking about transitioning from active-duty to the civilian workforce, work in this profession is very much like what they have experienced.

"Our employees makes things happen when unplanned things happen," Snider said. "Sure, there is a good paycheck to be earned, but the emotional paycheck is even greater - you are helping someone in need. This is what keeps people going."

Thomson encourages those who are interested to take a look at the profession.

"Do your homework; read up on the profession; get to know the profession and educate yourself," he said.

The profession is a hard job, Snider added, but well worth it.

"If you're serious, come on out and spend some time with us to see if this is a career that fits you," he concluded.

Mountain View Funeral Home is located at 4100 Steilacoom Blvd. SW in Lakewood.  For more info about employment opportunities, visit mountainviewfuneral.com or call 253.343.0108.