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 jobs
1

average 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.

Two colleagues male and female having a chat standing between desks.
Two colleagues male and female having a chat standing between desks.
2

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.
3

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.

4

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.  
5

knowledge and skills.

There are some qualities that can be useful as a supervisor.

6

frequently asked questions about the job as supervisor.

Here are the most frequently asked questions about working as a supervisor.

7

monitor jobs for supervisors.

By creating a job alert with us, you make sure you don't miss the perfect job for you. You set the criteria and we will send you emails when we get jobs that match your preferences.

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