Supervisors are at the top of the lower rung of management, closely monitoring employees on a daily basis. They are capable leaders who put in a lot of effort, but they also understand how to comply with directives from superiors.
- Describe a time you introduced an important change to your team in your last supervisory role.
- Describe a time when you coached or trained an employee to complete a task.
- What skills and experiences in your past positions prepared you for this specific supervisory role?
SUPERVISOR Interview Questions and ANSWERS! (How to PASS your Supervisor Interview!)
8 Supervisor Interview Questions and Answers
When was the last time you had to deal with an employee who was not performing and how did you handle it?
Unfortunately, even good employees can falter sometimes and you need a supervisor to be able to identify poor performance and address it. This question gives the candidate a chance to prove they know how to manage the task. What to look for in an answer:
- a sign that they are aware of the value of establishing employee standards and goals
- Evidence they know how to cultivate talent in their staff
- Proof they feel comfortable addressing problems on their team
How do you resolve disputes between employees?
Supervisors are often expected to resolve issues between their direct reports to avoid escalation. This question gets to the heart of the candidate’s ability to negotiate conflict on their team. What to look for in an answer:
- Evidence they have handled employee disputes in the past
- proof that they were successful in resolving problems on their previous teams
- A style of resolution that aligns with your company culture
Have you hired an employee? Describe the factors you think are important when hiring someone.
Some supervisors are responsible for hiring, while other companies leave those decisions to department heads and HR. This question will reveal if the candidate has had the responsibility of hiring, and how they would handle it even if they’ve yet to do it. What to look for in an answer:
- evidence that they are aware of what makes a good hire
- Awareness about the steps required to build a solid team
- signs that they are eager to participate in the hiring process
Has your supervision style changed over time? How?
Learning to adapt management styles and techniques can create an exceptional Supervisor. This question helps you figure out if the candidate is able to receive feedback and adjust their style if needed. What to look for in an answer:
- Indications their supervision skills have grown over time
- Evidence that they reacted favorably to criticism and changed their style as required
- Confirmation they are self-aware about their need to evolve
What are some successful ways you’ve been able to motivate employees?
One of the best things a supervisor can add to your team is keeping other employees excited about their work and prepared to give every day 100 percent. Learning how the candidate approaches this task will tell you a lot about how prepared they are to take on the role. What to look for in an answer:
- Evidence they have been in charge of successful teams
- Willingness to adjust their motivation techniques as needed
- Recognizing their responsibility as a supervisor in terms of morale
What is one important decision you’ve had to make as a Supervisor? Why was it critical?
Supervisors need to feel comfortable making decisions, even if they serve under a department manager. This question allows the candidate to illustrate their ability to step up and make important calls as needed. What to look for in an answer:
- Confirmation they feel comfortable making decisions independently
- Evidence they have taken on more decision-making responsibility over time
- Confidence in their thought process behind making important choices
How would you describe your leadership style?
A strong supervisor should have impressive leadership skills to motivate their employees to deliver valuable work. If the candidate has had many years of experience working as a supervisor, they should have a clear leadership style and strategy that they regularly use to successfully inspire and lead their team. Look for a candidate who confidently answers this question and expresses pride as they explain their system for motivating and improving their team members’ performance. The candidate’s answer should emphasize:
- A clear and comprehensive leadership style
- Their delegation abilities and tactics
- How successful they are as a leader and motivator
An answer to this question could look like this:
How would your previous direct reports describe your supervision style?
How a supervisor is able to mesh with their team can make or break their success at your company. This probing question will reveal if they’re a good culture fit for a supervisory role. What to look for in an answer:
- Self-awareness about how they are perceived by other employees
- Indications they have asked their direct reports for feedback
- An alignment with your company culture
What three factors improve teamwork and success?
When you pose a question like this, you give the applicant the chance to show off their capacity for analysis and critical thinking while also giving you an idea of how they would lead a team. A strong candidate will speak to the significance of upholding a positive workplace culture, the requirement to pay attention to team members’ feedback, the need for regular, open, and clear communication, as well as other issues.
What is your management style?
Although there is no right or wrong response to this question, a strong candidate will emphasize the need to modify their supervisory approach depending on the employee and situation they are handling.
Is there anything you would change about supervisor roles in our organization?
Even when they are already excellent, all processes can be improved. A great choice is a candidate who has practical suggestions that can enhance workflow, reduce expenses, save time, or streamline procedures.
Strong applicants will have done their homework on your company and should be able to respond to this query. Lack of understanding of your expectations and the role of supervisors in your organization is a red flag.
Top 10 Supervisor Interview Questions with Example Answers
When preparing for a promotion, supervisor interview questions and answers are a great resource. They can ensure that you are prepared for questions and provide you with excellent insights into how to stand out.
After all, there are more than 681,000 supervisors working in the United States. Plus, there are plenty of job seekers who are looking to take this first step into management. That means you will face competition, so you want to be ready.
Here are the top ten supervisor interview questions and their responses, along with some information on why each one is so popular with hiring managers.
What Makes a Good Supervisor?
Effective supervisors have a variety of hard and soft skills.
Key skills include:
How would you assess the level of motivation of your subordinates?
A great solution is to select the appropriate metrics (or goals) and compare everyone’s productivity on a daily basis. You could also say that you would communicate with your staff frequently in an effort to get feedback and determine whether they are happy with their jobs and motivated to put forth their best efforts, or whether the opposite is true for a variety of factors.
Alternately, you could say that you would chart the results of each employee’s weekly and monthly comparisons in an effort to understand their current level of motivation. You should make it clear that you comprehend the significance of motivation in the workplace and have a solid understanding of how to measure and evaluate it in one way or another.
Sample answer:
FAQ
What are the 10 most common interview questions and answers 2021?
- Could you briefly introduce yourself and outline your background for me?
- How did you hear about this position? …
- What type of work environment do you prefer? …
- How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations? …
- Do you prefer working independently or on a team?
How do I prepare for a supervisor interview?
- What are the essential qualities of a good supervisor? …
- What do you think a supervisor’s job entails?
- Describe your supervisory style. …
- What are your strengths as a supervisor? …
- How do you motivate your employees/team members?
What are the 5 roles of a supervisor?
Educator, Sponsor, Coach, Counselor, and Director are the five primary supervisory positions. Each is described below. Keep in mind that, depending on the demands of the team members, you will play one or more of these five roles simultaneously in your capacity as a supervisor.
What questions should I ask in a 2022 interview?
The best interview questions include those like, “What is the biggest challenge this team is currently facing?” and “Can you give me a concrete example of what career growth for this role might look like?” and “How does your company support its employees?”
