There’s a vital need for order and organization in every industry, firm, workplace, and administrative setting.
Several managerial roles help maintain order and effectiveness in a workplace, and supervisors are one of these roles.
This article describes who a supervisor is, as well as the role in an organizational setting.
Supervisor Information
| Official Job Title | Supervisor |
| Average Salary | $53,606 |
| Stress Level | Average |
| Work/ Life | High |
| Job Satisfaction | High |
| Career Advancement | High |
Supervisor Job Description
Who Is a Supervisor?
Supervision as a task involves the organizing and direction of co-workers in an organization.
As a vital part of the management team, a supervisor has direct contact with workers.
They bring the management’s goals to the workers below them and guide them to success without hassles.
A supervisor is the “Team Leader” or “Guide.”
They ensure that workers execute tasks correctly.
If need be, they teach employees what to do.
In short, they are intermediaries between the organization’s executive management and the workers, who make sure that the organization’s goals are met.
Responsibilities, Duties, and Roles of a Supervisor
Below are some of a supervisor’s responsibilities.
- Set goals and targets for the team.
- Inspect the quality of work done by subordinates.
- Map out plans and schedules for the assignments to be done.
- Identify workers’ strengths and weaknesses and assign tasks to all workers in areas of their strengths.
- Communicate workers’ concerns to their superiors.
- Schedule shifts to maximize productivity.
- Provide management with periodic reports to keep them updated.
- Assist with recruiting and laying off staff.
In summary, a supervisor is a person who has to communicate a lot.
They must communicate instructions, goals, plans, and targets to the workers.
They also communicate reports and recommendations to management.
What Does a Supervisor Do on a Daily Basis?
Generally, the daily tasks of a supervisor include the following:
- Managing workflow
- Observing absent workers and ensuring that all gaps are filled
- Evaluating worker performance and providing feedback
- Training new recruits
Supervisor Salary
According to Glassdoor:
Average Salary
The Average Salary of a Supervisor is around $53,606.
Starting Salary
The starting salary for lower levels is usually around $39,027.
Senior Salary
And the Senior salary is usually around $92,048.
How To Become A Supervisor
The Entry Level: Certification, Training & Degree
Supervision tasks vary a lot for different organizations.
So, while a high school diploma is sufficient for some jobs, others need a minimum qualification of a Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
For example, a manufacturing supervisor may need a Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, production engineering, or related courses.
While a supervisor for less-skilled tasks like item packaging may not require more than a high school diploma.
In the same vein, not all supervision jobs require professional certifications.
For example, a construction supervisor may need to have obtained a certificate from a builder association, civil engineer association, architect association, or other related associations in the field.
Less-skilled supervision jobs require no certifications.
Other Skill Sets, Requirements & Qualifications
Whether a high school diploma holder, a bachelor’s degree holder, or a graduate school degree holder, the following skills are crucial for success at the job.
- Excellent leadership
- Excellent communication
- Problem-solving abilities
- Time management
- Professionalism
How Long Does It Take to Become a Supervisor?
Many times, becoming a supervisor in low-skilled jobs is attained from promotion.
A veteran worker in the department could be promoted to a team leader in a few years or after a very long time.
For more demanding tasks, after gaining a Bachelor’s degree, you would have to show ample experience (4 to 5 years) in the field before being able to apply for a supervision job.
Is It Hard to Become a Supervisor?
No, it is not hard to become a supervisor.
With more experience at your job, your chances of becoming a supervisor increase.
Supervisor Career Paths
The Supervisor Roadmap
Most supervisors usually get promoted to the position or get directly employed as a supervisor based on their experience at another organization.
So, the supervisor roadmap goes from getting a degree to actively gaining experience by working and finally becoming a supervisor.
A supervisor may have previously been an assistant manager, a team leader, an administrative assistant, a sales associate, or any job at all that provides ample experience for the tasks to be supervised.
Projections For Growth in Supervision Jobs
Supervisors can go on to hold higher positions in managerial roles.
The supervisor can be promoted to an executive manager, director, or consultant.
In Summary: Is Supervision A Good Career?
If you are a natural leader, then you will find it natural to become a supervisor.
It involves less physical stress than when you are a worker, but it involves more mental effort.
Although it doesn’t have an exceptional salary, the average supervisor is content.
Working Conditions
Can a Supervisor Work Remotely from Home?
No, supervisors do not work from home.
How Many Hours Does a Supervisor Work?
Supervisors actively work for about 40 hours a week.
However, depending on company policy on weekends and overtime, it could be more.
Can a Supervisor Work Part-Time?
Yes, Supervisors can work part-time.
In fact, it is pretty common for supervisors to shuffle two jobs.
What Are the Average Vacation Days of a Supervisor?
Most supervisors get an annual leave of 10 to 15 days, depending on the length of years spent in service.
Alternative Careers & Similar Jobs to a Supervisor
- Product Manager
- Security Manager
- Purchasing Manager
- Case Manager
- Branch Manager
- Public Relationship Manager
- Hotel Manager
- Administrative Manager
- Brand Manager
- Office Manager
Supervisor Resume Tips
To be employed as a Supervisor, your expertise, leadership skills, and experience are the most critical factors.
Hence, your resume must show all these at a glance. Here are some tips for writing an appealing resume:
- Outline your experiences in reverse chronological order, from the most recent to the oldest.
- Talk about your achievements with each company, using facts and figures.
- Highlight your unique approach(es) and how they have benefited these companies.
- For example: With my revised approach, I increased productivity by 40%; we went from producing 80 bottles a day to producing 112.
- Regardless of your experience level, mention your experience working with teams.
- This will show your ability to be a team leader.
- Make sure that each of your responses highlights at least one of your skills and how this skill has helped you achieve success.
- Look at the job description, and ensure to use the keywords they ask for to ensure that you don’t get filtered out by the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software.
Supervisor Interview Questions
What skills do you think are essential for a good supervisor?
Why it works: It helps determine if you indeed know the skills needed for success at the job. So try to only mention skills you can boast of.
What experiences do you have?
Why it works: Talking about your experiences helps explain your past jobs and how much those experiences can help you carry out the current position.
Therefore, it is recommended that you focus on the most closely related experience.
Have you ever played a part in hiring a new employee? What criteria were most important in choosing a candidate?
Why it works: It helps to determine what you expect from your team members.
Be realistic with this response.
How do you intend to raise the mood of unmotivated workers?
Why it works: It helps to judge your leadership.
Lack of motivation is a common concern among workers, so answer this question with an example of how you have previously bettered the mood in an organizational setting.
Are you a leader? What would you say your leadership style is?
Why it works: This helps to judge if your leadership style would bring the best results at the workplace.
Jobs Related To Supervision
According to The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, some careers related to supervision include the following:
- Management Analysts
- Human Resource Managers
- Compensation and Benefits managers
For HR Managers: Tips for Hiring a Supervisor
Key Characteristics to Look for In a Supervisor
When hiring a supervisor, one of the most crucial requirements is to get an excellent leader.
A good leader must be an excellent communicator with both superiors and subordinates.
They must be able to communicate concerns and grievances between both parties.
Supervisors must also think outside of the box and find solutions to problems that aren’t obvious.
Time management is very crucial in this job.
It is essential to ensure that the supervisor does not only get the job done but will get the job done in time to ensure that the organization won’t lag.
Above all, as a supervisor, you must be open to correction, feedback, and criticism, as these will help you be a better leader.
Minimum Level of Education and Experience
This is organization-specific.
If you need a supervisor for less technical tasks, you may employ a diploma holder.
Otherwise, the minimum requirement should be a bachelor’s degree.