Need help filling supervisor roles? These tips will help
Hiring for a supervisor role can be challenging. Do you hire someone experienced from outside of your company? Or do you promote an exceptional employee from within? Due to the unique nature of work and hefty responsibility that comes with this position, it’s hard to know if someone is the right fit from just an interview.
You must be proactive in your search for a role that will have a direct impact on company efficiency and morale. If your business is looking to hire a new supervisor, keep these helpful tips in mind:
1. Have a clear job description
The Bureau of Labor Statistics outlines some of a supervisor’s responsibilities are to, “directly supervise and coordinate the activities of clerical and administrative support workers.” This is a great start for your job description, but it’s also incredibly vague.
Just as you would for other specified roles, make the expectations clear and articulate any unique circumstances. Is the supervisor role for a retail store, a corporate office or a warehouse? The duties and necessary knowledge would vastly differ depending on which one. If you’re trying to attract an outside hire, a clear job description will engage more qualified candidates.
2. Consult your employees
Your employees can be a great resource to gain an understanding of the qualities a new supervisor should possess. No one understands the day-to-day processes better than them, and they can list what is needed from the role. At the same time, employees might have some grievances from experience with past higher-ups. Open up the discussion to make sure you are hiring a good fit for your business.
If you’re considering promoting an internal employee to this role, existing staff is also a great resource. This can be ideal if an employee already has the respect of the majority of their peers, and would significantly reduce the time it would take to train a new supervisor to the intricacies of the job.
Interpersonal skills help supervisors succeed in their role.3. Consider hiring mature workers
Seeking out, and subsequently hiring, older workers for supervisor roles can benefit your business according to the Harvard Business Review. Older generations can apply their extensive prior work experience to these positions. Leadership skills that supervisors require can be hard to obtain, but it’s likely that an older employee would have developed them through years on-the-job. They can teach your employees new skills and share their wealth of knowledge.
4. Utilize a skills test
If you want to make certain that you’re hiring the best candidate for the role, consider using a Supervisor Aptitude Test. It’s impossible to tell if a candidate possesses the self-confidence and reliability needed for this role from a resume. Even current employees may think they would make a great supervisor, but knowing about the work doesn’t always translate into being a strong leader.
This quick, 15 minute test, can help ease your insecurities and bring stand-out candidates to your attention. Not only will it evaluate some of the aforementioned qualities, but it will also ensure that the applicant is being truthful in their answers.
A skills test like this can be used at the beginning of the hiring process, after an initial interview or even administered to existing employees. This can reduce the time it takes to weed through numerous applications and score reports can be used to easily compare candidates’ performances.
Don’t be intimidated when hiring for a supervisor role. Though this individual’s actions and leadership style can substantially impact your business, early planning by the hiring team can make the entire process much more efficient and effective. With these tips in mind, hiring for a supervisor role is less stressful.