Rather than chasing a corporate career, this 22-year-old found meaning in an unconventional industry: memorial real estate.
“Hi, I’m Thu Trang - a 22-year-old selling burial land.”
It’s a line that often stuns viewers scrolling through TikTok. But for Pham Hoang Thu Trang, a bright young woman from Hanoi, it’s both a personal introduction and a statement of purpose.
People are often surprised not only by the unusual, spiritual, and sensitive nature of her work, but also by her credentials: Trang is an honors graduate in International Business from the National Economics University, with an IELTS score of 7.5.
Many question her choice. “With such qualifications, couldn’t she find something better than selling burial plots?” they ask.
But after a year in the profession, Trang is no longer fazed by such remarks.
Thu Trang has spent the past year working in cemetery real estate in Phu Tho. Photo: Chacly
Trang currently works as a sales executive for a cemetery park in Phu Tho Province (formerly under Hoa Binh), more than an hour outside Hanoi. Though the job is unrelated to her degree, she says her university education has been surprisingly useful.
“Cemetery parks are a niche within the real estate sector. It’s a resting place for the departed, but with modern design, meticulous planning, and services such as grave care, funeral organization, and reburial,” she explained.
“Instead of pitching apartments or villas, I introduce clients to plots in our memorial park - from individual graves to family plots and double burials.”
Trang embraces her role and doesn’t shy away from saying, “I sell graves.” Photo: Chacly
In the beginning, Trang’s friends were confused. Most had never seen job postings in this field, let alone considered it a path for someone their age.
Trang admits she had no role models to learn from, except her direct supervisor. Determined to grow, she visited both traditional cemeteries and modern memorial parks to expand her understanding.
She also enrolled in various cross-disciplinary courses - from land laws and zoning to consumer behavior, Vietnamese funeral traditions, spiritual culture, and feng shui.
“The biggest challenge wasn’t external. It came from within. Much of this knowledge is foreign to young people,” she said.
“But the deeper I explored, the more I saw the value and humanity in what I do. It’s a meaningful career with real potential - and far less competition than sectors like housing, banking, or insurance.”
Trang’s days are packed. She cold-calls clients, meets with partners, builds media campaigns, films and edits videos, and answers online inquiries. Every month, she also guides client groups on tours of the cemetery park.
One of the biggest hurdles is public perception. Many people consider discussions about death or burial unlucky. Others find it hard to trust that a young woman like Trang can advise on something so solemn.
So, Trang took a different approach - building a TikTok channel dedicated to cemetery-related knowledge and spiritual real estate.
She believes young people have a key advantage: energy, a growth mindset, and digital fluency that helps deliver sensitive topics in an engaging, accessible way. This, she hopes, will help shift outdated views.
“I respond to every question - positive or negative. I try to explain clearly and respectfully,” she said.
One of her TikTok videos on the job reached nearly 300,000 views.
Trang gives in-person tours of her company’s cemetery park to help clients make informed choices.
Trang draws inspiration from real-life concerns. For example, during the severe floods in October and November, she noticed not only urban areas but many cemeteries in Hanoi were inundated, causing distress to grieving families.
“So I created content explaining how our cemetery park is equipped with modern drainage systems that prevent flooding. It made people realize the importance of future planning,” she said.
Trang recalls one client in particular - a woman who had searched for five years for a burial plot for her late mother. Unable to find a suitable space in Hanoi, the family was forced to temporarily house the ashes in a small pagoda tower.
When the woman’s father fell gravely ill, the urgency grew. “She found my video, reached out, and told me they’d felt uneasy for five years, not knowing what to do. After visiting the memorial park, they finally selected two plots for her parents,” Trang shared.
In this business, a “fast sale” doesn’t always mean joy. Sometimes, families come in after sudden losses with no time to prepare. That’s when her job becomes more emotionally demanding, requiring prompt and sensitive support.
But not all clients are grieving. Many, especially seniors, see buying burial land as a thoughtful, proactive decision. Some even admire the clean, green landscapes and professional service - leaving with peace of mind for the future.
“This job isn’t easy for someone my age,” Trang admitted, “but it’s brought me profound life lessons. Every client conversation reminds me to cherish the time we have.”
Vietnamnet.vn
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