what is a supervisor?
As a supervisor, you are tasked with overseeing a work team or a department's various activities and functions. You are the person people turn to when they need advice, and you are responsible for a department, a work team, or a specific project. In most companies, a supervisor is a type of managerial position, but there is often a higher manager above you. In the role of supervisor, you often have greater responsibility for the employees.
Unlike managers, supervisors are more present in daily work and have a control function that is often connected to a smaller team or a department. This includes overseeing a specific part of a company with individual projects. As a supervisor, you can also hire new employees and recommend existing employees for other, more responsible roles.
In many organizations, supervisors are important because they play a role in improving the company's productivity and ensuring that various projects are completed on time. In companies operating in industry or administration, supervisors are central to keeping track of both work teams and different parts of ongoing operations. To become a successful and effective supervisor, you need to have strong leadership skills to create a work environment that helps employees grow and perform their tasks well.
Would a job as a supervisor suit your leadership skills? Read on to find out more about the skills and qualifications required to succeed in the role of supervisor.
supervisor jobsaverage salary as supervisor.
It's hard to say exactly what the average salary for a supervisor looks like in Sweden, since it's a job and a role that can look different depending on which employer you work for. Supervisors are needed in many different industries, but someone working as a supervisor in one industry would probably not recognize the role when compared to a supervisor job in a completely different industry. This means that salaries for supervisors can vary on the Swedish job market.
For some supervisors, a large part of the responsibility involves being a manager, and that is one of the factors that affects salary setting. The greater the responsibility you have, the better your position is when negotiating your salary. Similarly, a more complex job role, with more and heavier responsibilities, gives a better chance for a higher salary. The salary range for a supervisor is between 30,000kr and 40,000kr per month.
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different factors that can affect the salary as supervisor?
There are many factors that affect the salary of a supervisor. For example, the industry and the company or organization you work for. It is also possible to work as a supervisor both in public administration and in the private sector, which is also a factor that can affect the salary.
A supervisor with extensive work experience can take on greater responsibility and have a more important role in the workplace. This strengthens your position and gives you a better negotiating position when salary is discussed with the employer. In the same way, someone who can present strong qualifications, both in terms of work experience and education, has a better chance of getting a higher salary.
different types of supervisor.
Since supervisor is not a protected job title, it is a role that can mean different things in practice and there are many different supervisor roles in the job market. There are supervisors in various industries, but basically there are three different roles or specializations:
- project supervisor
As a supervisor in a project, you are responsible for all employees in the project, but you work just below the project manager or project director. Your job includes drawing up a plan for the entire project. You also make sure to determine available resources, to ensure that the project is completed on time and according to instructions from management or the client. As a supervisor in a project, you need to be skilled at understanding the different components of the project and how they work together so that the final result is as desired. - supervisor in office
In the role of supervisor at an office, you have more administrative tasks, and often hold the main responsibility for them. You make sure the administration runs efficiently, on time, and without issues. - operational supervisor
An operational supervisor is responsible for specific work tasks or departments within a company or organization. Your goal is to make the operational process better and more efficient, and you report upwards to management. You also monitor employees' work performance and ensure that the team's or department's productivity is good.
working as a supervisor.
In the role of supervisor, you will be a team leader responsible for ensuring that work tasks and projects are completed correctly and efficiently. Below are some common duties and a description of the work environment for a supervisor.
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job description and areas of responsibility
As a supervisor, you have a range of different tasks and responsibilities:
- Monitor and manage workflow: in the role of supervisor, you are responsible for monitoring and managing various work tasks within a team or department. This includes creating sustainable workflows and ensuring that employees understand their roles and that work proceeds with the desired productivity. It also involves some decision-making, such as determining what needs to be done to complete an assignment, project, or job. You also set the goals for a project or work effort, and make sure to communicate these goals to the rest of the team.
- Training new colleagues: Training or onboarding new colleagues is an important part of the supervisor's role. As a supervisor, you are part of the hiring process and when new employees start at the workplace, you act as support during their adjustment period. This means teaching and instructing employees about how the workflow looks at the workplace. You should also explain the company's policies to make sure they have received the necessary information needed from, for example, the HR department.
- Scheduling: At many workplaces, it is the supervisor who creates schedules and routines for their team. For example, if your team works shifts, you need to create a schedule that ensures all tasks are completed on time without negatively affecting the workflow. This requires attentiveness and flexibility to make sure the schedule suits the employees, the workflow, and the goals of the workplace.
- Evaluate employees' performance: a large part of your time is spent close to your employees when working as a supervisor. Therefore, it is natural to often conduct evaluations of employees and have personal conversations. It may also include communicating feedback from customers. Ultimately, it is about setting new goals based on employees' circumstances, but also praising and rewarding employees who have made successful work contributions.
- Handle conflicts among employees: it's not uncommon for conflicts to arise in the workplace, and as a supervisor it's your job to resolve them. In many companies, employees bring their complaints to their supervisor or manager first, before escalating them to the HR department. As a supervisor, you need to be able to handle conflicts and report any violations to the HR department.
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work environment
As a supervisor, you can work in many different industries or sectors. This means that the work environment can vary depending on who your employer is and how your role as a supervisor is structured. Some supervisors work in offices, while others work outdoors, for example at a construction site or out on the floor in a factory. It is uncommon for the job as a supervisor to involve a lot of travel, since you often need to be present where your team members are. This also makes it difficult to work from home or remotely as a supervisor.
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your colleagues
Since supervisors exist in many different types of companies and organizations, you can have many different colleagues, but it is common for supervisors to often work closely with the HR department, where your colleague then becomes the HR manager. As a supervisor, you often have close collaboration with other managers and project manager. But since being a supervisor is a job that requires you to be close to the employees, you can have colleagues who work on different things.
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work schedule
How the working hours look for a supervisor depends on the type of employment and employer. In most cases, being a supervisor is a full-time job, with regular working hours from 8 to 17. However, it can happen that companies and organizations also need a present supervisor during less convenient working hours. This means that the job as a supervisor can involve working evenings and weekends in some industries.
Some supervisors also have what is commonly called trust-based working hours, which means you have flexibility in how your workday looks. Trust-based working hours can mean you need to be available for large parts of the day and night if an employee needs help or support. What primarily determines how your working hours will be distributed, and what times you will work, is decided by which employer you have.
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future prospects
As a supervisor, you have a certain leadership responsibility and at some workplaces, a supervisor is a kind of middle manager. If you have accumulated a lot of work experience, you have good opportunities to advance to more responsible management roles later in your career. It is also a natural step to go from supervisor to being project manager with greater and clearer responsibility for individual projects. Some supervisors also choose to specialize further within their specific industry to become eligible for other leadership roles at the same company or within the same organization.
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benefits of finding an open job as a supervisor via randstad
There are many advantages to finding an open job as a supervisor through Randstad:
- Various development and career opportunities
- An experienced contact person who can help you when needed
- many job vacancies within your area
- Full-time or part-time work depending on the job/assignment
Do you want a permanent position as a supervisor? A temporary or substitute job as a supervisor is often a good first step towards a permanent position. Every year, several people get a permanent job with employers thanks to a temporary job that came through us at Randstad. In addition, many companies recruit their permanent employees directly through Randstad.
education and qualifications.
No specific education is required to become a supervisor, but some employers have specific requirements for certain work experience or educational qualifications. The following paths are possible to become eligible for a supervisor role:
- education
Studying an academic program at university or college level will always be an advantage when you apply for jobs, and some employers require it for employees to be considered for leadership roles. In some companies, the supervisor role carries a lot of responsibility, and in those cases, an academic qualification can be highly valued. Completing a post-secondary education also gives you many tools that can help you succeed in your future career. - work experience
Some supervisors need to have a certain amount of work experience before they can take on the job. The reason is that the role involves leading and managing other employees, and to be credible and successful in the position, it often requires having personal experience from working life. In some cases, industry-specific work experience is an advantage. - praktik
There is a middle ground for gaining work experience, and that is to try an internship. In some courses, the internship is a central part, where you get a deeper insight into how working life functions. It can be an advantage to also show your internship on your CV when applying for jobs as a supervisor.
knowledge and skills.
There are some qualities that can be useful as a supervisor.
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communicative ability
Being able to communicate well and clearly is important as a supervisor, and often it is you who instructs your employees and gives directions for various tasks or projects to be carried out. Effective and good communication is also important for gaining the trust of your employees.
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leadership skills
In the supervisor job, you are expected to lead, inspire, and motivate your colleagues who work in the same team or department. It may also involve dealing with more complicated situations, which makes leadership skills important when trying to help others who face the same challenges.
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problem-solving skills
In the role of supervisor, you constantly need to be alert and adaptable when new problems arise. an active problem-solving ability and a willingness to dare to make decisions are important for resolving difficult situations that may come up during the process.
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being a team player
Cooperation and being able to work as a team player are important parts of the job as a supervisor. In some aspects, the job involves guiding and leading others, but in other aspects, the supervisor is also just a part of the larger team. Being able to collaborate with others is therefore central to becoming successful as a supervisor.
frequently asked questions about the job as supervisor.
Here are the most frequently asked questions about working as a supervisor.
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how do I train to become a supervisor?
There is no specific education required to become a supervisor, but some supervisor jobs still require a specific education. Since you can work as a supervisor in several different industries, industry-specific education may be needed to be considered for the job. It is also common for employers to provide internal training for their staff and prepare them for supervisor roles.
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is a supervisor a manager?
Often, a supervisor is a job role that involves quite a lot of responsibility and it is not uncommon to function as a kind of manager. But a supervisor usually has other managers above them and reports to the management. Someone who has gained work experience as a supervisor may be considered for a management position later in their career.
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what does the job as supervisor involve?
A supervisor is tasked with overseeing, monitoring, and directing various work efforts or projects within organizations or companies. The job of a supervisor is to improve productivity and be close to employees to make the workflow more efficient.
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how do I apply for an open job as a supervisor?
It's easy to apply for a job as a supervisor. Search among our open jobs in your area. Then submit your CV and your personal letter or apply via LinkedIn.
If you need help with your job application, you can read all our guides job tips here!
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