MightyRecruiterWhoever you hire as a supervisor is going to play a big part in how productive the rest of your workers are. Even if your employees work pretty well independently, a truly great supervisor will push them further and encourage them to exceed expectations. You need to find the best around, and part of that involves writing a great job description. At first, this may not seem like it would be all that important. Many HR professionals and business owners assume that people will just want the job regardless of how good the description is. However, that is a big mistake. A bad job description can cost you dearly in the long run, so take the time to review our supervisor job description sample to get an idea of how yours should be formatted.
Supervisor Job Summary
You will need to carry out departmental responsibilities by organizing and encouraging staff members. You will need to monitor work progress to ensure every task is being taken care of and will be accomplished in a reasonable amount of time.
Supervisor Job Responsibilities and Duties
- Recruit, train and supervise employees
- Assign responsibilities according to employees’ skill levels
- Discipline employees when the rules have been broken
- Encourage employees to always perform at their best and recommend workers for promotions when you feel they have been earned
- Maintain a safe work environment that adheres to all legal regulations
- Provide quality service to customers
- Create schedules and create new procedures as needed
- Oversee the budget, handle expenses and implement strategies for saving money
Supervisor Skills and Qualifications
- At least two years of retail experience
- Able to create a budget
- Verbal communication skills
- Ability to foster teamwork
- Able to delegate tasks
- Able to provide feedback
Company Profile
Andrew’s Book Store, located in Phoenix, AZ, is looking for a supervisor to manage the day-to-day operations of the store. We are proud to be one of the last independent bookstores in the city, and we are committed to providing the residents of Phoenix with literature. We have big plans to expand and would love to have you join our family.
Writing a Job Description Best Practices
- This supervisor job description sample should be considered at outline of sorts. You will want to customize the description you put out there for your own business. Additionally, you want to make certain that your job posting follows these handy rules.
- Do your best to help the applicants picture themselves in the role. For example, in the summary you would want to use the word “you” as opposed to “the future supervisor.”
- Do use language that is positive, welcoming and produces an emotional response. You want candidates to be excited to send you their resumes rather than just being apathetic.
- Do think about the qualities of your company that set it apart from similar organizations. You might be able to offer a higher than average salary. There may be some awesome perks you can afford to give. Potentially, you may be able to offer supervisors the opportunity to work with a fun, passionate group of people.
- Do not discuss trivial parts of the job. You do not want a potential candidate to think that he or she is going to be doing something every day, and then it turns out that it is only something that needs to get done once in a blue moon.
- Do not make it difficult to apply. If a reader has reached the end of your description, then chances are he or she is ready to apply. You do not want to lay out some complicated process for how people should submit their application. Make it easy.
- Do research into what SEO (Search Engine Optimization) practices are best. You can probably incorporate a few techniques on your own. If you really want a piece of content to be optimized, then you may need to consult with an expert.
- Do showcase your company’s personality. If people who work for you are friends and there is a real sense of community, try to convey that. Even if your company tends to be a bit more professional, try to avoid boring, overly corporate jargon.
The sample given above offers a good look into how a job description should look like. Put your own little spin on it so that it makes an impression on whoever reads it.
Supervisor Job Responsibilities
In a supervisor job description, one of the first things jobseekers look for is the responsibilities section. This section gives applicants a clear understanding of what would be expected of them should they get the job, and will in many cases determine whether or not they submit an application. Therefore, it’s crucial that you spend as much time as possible fine-tuning this section into something that is concise and easy to read.
The supervisor job responsibilities section should be arranged in a bulleted format. This makes it easy to skim through and absorb detail quickly. A robust supervisor job description is ideal, but this list does not need to be all-inclusive. Focus on the key duties the supervisor would have rather than ones that won’t be a major focus of the position. It’s also very important to start each bullet with a strong verb, which is much more likely to grab the attention of jobseekers.
Take a look at these well-written supervisor responsibilities examples:
- Train and instruct employees in job duties or company policies
- Recruit, interview and select employees
- Calculate important figures such as payroll, balances or commissions
- Consult with other managers for such problems as interpersonal conflict resolution, scheduling and performance
- Interpret company policies and communicate them to staff effectively
Supervisor Job Specifications
The concept of writing the job qualifications and skills section is much simpler than the execution. It may seem like a simple task, especially since it’s the shortest section of the supervisor job description, but do not underestimate the importance of this section being succinct and clearly written. This section includes the minimum requirements for supervisor positions within your company, such as education, previous experience and any other certifications you may require.
One of the main reasons this section needs to be one of your strongest is that it’s the first step to filtering out any underqualified candidates. A good indicator of how well you did is the number of resumes from unqualified applicants clogging up your inbox. Make sure to talk with your senior leadership about your company’s minimum requirements for supervisors so that you can get a clear picture of what is expected and communicate it effectively in the supervisor job description.
Here are a few examples of well-written supervisor job specifications:
- High school diploma, GED or equivalent
- At least one year of experience in supervising positions
- Exceptional critical thinking skills
- Proficient in both written and oral communication
- Effective at negotiation and conflict resolution
- Excellent leadership and listening skills
