How To Prepare For A Supervisor Interview

Putting It All Together

SUPERVISOR Interview Questions and ANSWERS! (How to PASS your Supervisor Interview!)

The only way to getbetter at interviews is to practice. This may mean staring at yourself in themirror as you go over your answers to these questions or going to realinterviews and get better that way. Just remember that if the company is goingthrough enough trouble to interview you, then you at least have a chance tonail down this supervisor job. Your foot is already in the door. It is up toyou to open it the rest of the way.

Good luck!

All Important Store Manager Operational Interview Questions

1. What strategies do you use to motivate staff members?

Key steps to successful motivation include:

spend time with each employee to find out their needs and what motivates them
individualize the motivation strategy in line with what works for each person

Provide concrete examples of motivational, programs tools and techniques you have used. Tried and tested examples include:

provide regular positive feedback – recognition and praise are powerful motivators
encourage development and help them learn new skills and knowledge, invest in training and coaching
actively involve staff members in decision-making
show your have confidence in them by allowing them to take responsibility for tasks, areas of the store, displays etc
provide meaningful monetary rewards ranging from gift cards to bonuses
provide non-monetary rewards such as time off

2. How do you train and develop staff members?

Key steps to effective training include:

take the time to assess skill and knowledge needs for each staff member
tailor the training and coaching to meet individual needs
use a mix of learning tools such as providing information, demonstrating tasks, role playing, one-on-one coaching
enhance self esteem throughout the training process
ensure proper reinforcement and transfer of the learning in the store

The training should meet both the employee’s developmental needs and help meet the store and company objectives.

3. How do you delegate tasks?

4. What steps do you take to ensure task completion?

What Kind Of Salaryare You Looking For In Relation To This Supervisor Position

This is the nitty-grittytime. Just how good are you at negotiating? If you usually go to flea marketsand accept the price listed on the tag, then you probably need some work. Whenyou go to the supermarket and find things to buy that are on sale, do you speakup when they charge you full price at the checkout? This question has trippedup even the best of us.

After all, if you throw out a figure too high, you could be placing yourself right out of the job. However, if you say a number too low, you might just get hired and be underpaid for the rest of your life. Because of this, you should do some research ahead of time. Find out what other supervisors get paid around your area.

You can reference these numbers during negotiations. Hopefully, when the position is posted online or in the paper, there is an expected salary that is listed with it. But keep in mind, this is just the starting point. For an example, when you walk on to the car lot and the salesman asks what your budget is, you start with a low figure so they dont rob you blind. Negotiating a salary is much the same thing!

Example Answer

Through my research, I have noticed supervisors around this area seem to be earning about $55,000 a year. I am seeking a position that offers more than I currently do for the sake of my family. What is the approximate salary being offered for this job and is there potential for promotion?

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What To Do Before The Promotion Interview

Up your preparation game with these tips and learn what to do before the promotion interview.

1. Focus on promotion interview preparation

Just because you work in the company does not mean you will get the promotion.

While it is an advantage to be an internal candidate, the interview process may be somewhat more complex for you, since you would be expected to know better and will be tested on a higher standard.

So, talk to your seniors, research the position in-depth, and identify the skills you need to develop.

2. Practice promotion interview questions

Just like other interview questions, you must practice answering promotion interview questions.

The advantage here is that your accomplishments and performance justifies why you would be a good fit for the position, making it easy for you to face the interview.

To prepare well, practice the questions you may be asked in a promotion interview, collect a quantified report of your contribution to the company with data and numbers.

You can also refer to basic interview questions and customize your answers according to your organization.

3. Organize all important documents

As you prepare for your promotion interview, make sure you collect all the important documents and organize them in order.

So, carry your resume, CV, work reports that include your contribution, and other such relevant documents to the promotion interview.

Where Do You See Yourself In The Next Five Years

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Supervisory roles offer great experience for those who want to join management roles in the future. This question mainly reveals the candidate’s eagerness to advance their career and develop professionally. What to look for in an answer:

Ambition to succeed in the role
Passion to progress in their career
Short term and long-term goals

Example:

Working in your firm will help me gain experience as I grow professionally and achieve financial stability. In the future, my dream is to move into a regional supervisory role. I hope I can take on that role within your company.

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Share Some Examples Of The Ways In Which Youve Impacted Worker Safety

What They Want to Know: Occupational health and safety is a major concern of employers, especially in high-hazard workplaces like factories, chemical labs, and construction sites. Describing how youve positively impacted worker safety is a good way to add value to the impression youre providing of your management skillset.

Compile A List Of Questions

Before your interview, it’s important to think through questions that you want to ask the interviewer. You may want to ask about training opportunities, the company culture, questions about the team you might be working with and goals for your department. Well-thought-out questions can help to demonstrate a genuine interest in an organization and help build rapport with the person who’s conducting your interview.

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How Do You Go About Solving Conflict Between Team Members

Not everyone on your team will get along, and how you solve conflicts will reflect the type of manager you will be. The interviewer is looking to see if you can handle your employees bickering.

While Ive never had a very serious issue with employees not getting along, I have seen what happens when people on your team do not seem to work well together. If its something small, like a work miscommunication, I will call them both into my office and we will hash it out. Ive see that type of resolution work well. But, if its something bigger, like personal drama, I usually approach them separately and ask that they leave any personal issues at the door. Then, I make note to not schedule them in the same shift. I keep my time and my employees time at work as professional as possible.

What Has Been Your Greatest Accomplishment In Life

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This question asks for your greatest accomplishment in a work context. The best way to decide which accomplishment to mention is to do your research. Read through the job advert and description again and research the company. Is there a specific accomplishment that would fit with aspects of either of these factors?

Next, consider how you can describe this accomplishment in a way that demonstrates skills and knowledge that would easily transfer to the supervisor role you are interviewing for.

Also see our article, ‘How to Answer the Interview Question: What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?‘

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Have You Worked In Different Working Environments What Type Do You Prefer

The question establishes the candidate’s match to your company’s culture. Sometimes, a candidate’s working environment can influence their productivity, which might affect the overall team and its success. What to look for in an answer:

Versatility
How well the candidate fits into your current system

Example:

I have worked in multiple environments, and I can’t say I prefer a given environment over another. I have always learned new things in these environments, and the experience has really helped me adapt to multiple settings with ease. What I consider more important than a working environment is interacting with committed and passionate employees.

How To Show Management Skills In An Interview

Your overall goal in the interview is to show how your existing skills and experience will make you successful in a management role. Some specific areas to highlight to the employer or interviewer include:

Transferable Skills: Some transferable skills can include presenting at a company retreat, collaborating on new department policies, hiring or training new team members, having sole responsibility for planning and implementing an event, or proposing a new initiative to upper management. All of these scenarios require managerial skills.
Current Expertise: Present how well you understand the intricacies and interpersonal dynamics of your current team or the job position you are interviewing for, as well as the overall makeup of the company and its place in the larger market.
Management Education/Training: This is particularly impressive if you did it on your own initiative versus a directive from management, although both reasons are valid. Discuss why you wanted to sharpen your management skills, what you learned, and how it will help you be successful as a new manager.

This is another area where the interview coaches at TopInterview can help you be confident in how you’re communicating your management potential.

Accounting Supervisor Interview Questions

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When hiring an Accounting Supervisor, look for the candidate who has the right mix of accounting experience and people skills. This role requires someone who can be responsible for others and their work. Theyll need to be able to lead and coach when necessary. Be sure to ask questions about interpersonal communication skills, as its crucial in this role.Here are some fantastic interview questions we suggest for hiring an Accounting Supervisor:

How would your past colleagues describe you? Your managers?
Describe your ideal accounting team and work environment.
Do you have experience leading a team? Please elaborate.
You notice an error in someone elses work. How would you communicate this?
How will you ensure your team meets deadlines?
A team member seems to be resistant to a change in software or processes. How do you address this situation?
How will you motivate others?
You are having trouble collecting data from someone in the organization in a timely manner. What do you do?
A team member continues to struggle, even after coaching. What do you do?
Youve been given a deadline for your department/team that you feel is unreasonable. How do you deal with this?
What soft skills do you think are necessary for success in this role? How do you demonstrate these skills in your typical day-to-day work life?
How has your previous experience prepared you for this role?
How do you try to avoid miscommunication at work?

Company

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List The Relevant Skills

Each job opportunity requires a unique skill set and promotion interviews are no exception to this.

To list the skills relevant to the position, thoroughly go through the job description, and note the skills you possess to match it.

Divide these into hard skills and soft skills and discuss them in detail with the interviewers.

Have You Coached An Employee To Carry Out A Task If Yes How Did You Do It

Tip: Supervisors are expected to develop and coach other employees to perform a task. Discuss how you effectively communicated the task and the expected result to him or her. Describe how the employee was adequately monitored and progress objectively rated to ensure that the task was successful. Also discuss how you handled a situation when the employee made a mistake along the line, how you set milestones and used constructive feedback to see out the task to a great result.

Supervisor interview questions about the development of employees should include your ability to agree on the outcomes and methods of coaching with the employee, to explain and demonstrate task performance, to observe and provide constructive feedback.

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How Do You Determine Your Managerial Success

Hiring managers can determine if you are aware of how your performance affects your team and how their performance affects you by asking this question. When responding, emphasize areas that demonstrate joint successes.

Example: “I believe that my success as a manager is determined by the performance of my team. If my team members achieve their personal and collective goals, are enthusiastic about coming to work each day, ask questions, and work effectively together, then I am fulfilling my supervisory responsibilities.”

How Would You Motivate Your Team Members To Produce The Best Possible Results

SUPERVISOR Interview Questions & Answers! How To PASS A Supervisor Interview!

Trying to create a competitive atmosphere, trying to motivate the team as a whole, organizing team building events, building good relationships with the workers, ensuring they feel good in work and receive an appropriate reward for their labor, is a great answer to this question.

Show your interviewers that you know how to work with the laborers, and understand what motivates them to work hard every day.

What Do You See Yourself Doing In Five Years

This one is all about job commitment.

Some people make job hopping a career in of itself, and your answer here can be telling. Here, your interviewer is determining if you are:

someone who sets goals
someone who demonstrates commitment
someone who is loyal

While no interviewer expects someone to stay at a company forever, try and craft your response in such a way that shows progression in your career, and alignment with the Companys needs and future. Again, self awareness is key your employer doesnt want to send you down an unwanted path, resulting in wasted time and energy for everyone.

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Discuss It With Your Supervisor

The first thing you must do to prepare for a promotion interview is to inform your supervisor as soon as you intend to apply for the position.

This will keep them in-loop of your plans and will professionally benefit you in either case.

If you get the job, your supervisor could be your potential colleague and it would help build the rapport.

In case you dont, your supervisor would still appreciate that you made him/her a part of such a crucial decision-making process.

Solving Conflicts Among Employees

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Employees from various backgrounds and with different personalities are sure to experience some level of conflict. Your attempts at resolution demonstrate the type of supervisor you are.

I’ve certainly encountered people on a team who clash. And because disagreements are inevitable, I will give the sparring employees a chance to resolve them on their own. Giving autonomy allows them to develop their own conflict management skills and grow as a team. However, when the problem starts disrupting their work or other peoples work, I step in. If it’s due to a miscommunication, I will act as mediator, and we will work through it together in my office.
At my last job, two employees were butting heads due to a power struggle. I met with them together and after calmly discussing their qualms, had each of them identify two suggestions to the other party that would resolve the conflict. Within 30 minutes, we sorted everything out, and the two of them walked out on excellent terms. If it’s a larger drama on a personal level, I tend to approach each person individually and ask that they leave their baggage at home.

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