Because the job market can be extremely competitive, the way you present yourself to prospective employers is important. A resume needs expert crafting and must include relevant information that shows your specific skills and talents. Design an effective and well-written resume for consideration for a supervisor position.
To help you get started, we have provided a supervisor job description for a resume along with a sample resume. These give specific examples of what an employer is looking for and guide you on how to present your professional accomplishments, duties, and abilities. Review the resume and accompanying writing guidelines to help you draft a stunning professional document.
While your specific work accomplishments and job history will differ from the other applicants for a supervisor position, there are certain certifications, duties, and skills that are foundational for this job, and employers will expect to see them on your resume.
Supervisor Summary
Your resume should start with a professional summary that includes your accomplishments that illuminate why the employer should hire you for the job. Showcase how you can be of value to the company and how you can be successful. Using terms that are common in the industry, such as manage, cost control, and delegate, summarize your most relevant skills. Point out how you are a strong leader by using numbers or other measurable terms.
Supervisor Education and Certification
Depending on the specific position, some supervisor positions may require some type of higher education, such as a bachelor degree, while others may not. No matter your education level, focus on relevant information that shows your qualifications for the job. Even if you do not have a full undergraduate degree, list classes or training seminars related to supervisory roles you have completed.
Because supervisor applicants often have similar backgrounds in regard to education, you should include everything you can to stand out. If you have special qualifications or certifications or are a member of a professional organization, this is the section to include it.
Supervisor Duties and Responsibilities
The expectations for a supervisor include having high standards and handling many responsibilities. In the work experience section, you want to showcase your past duties and accomplishments in a way that demonstrates how you made a difference and improved the workplace environment.
When possible, use metrics to show specifically how you improved operations, improved efficiency, cut costs, or how many people you managed. Use specific examples showing your abilities both as a team player and as a person who can take charge. Our sample supervisor resume demonstrates how to do this for maximum effect.
Supervisor Skills
The skills section should include both general and specific abilities that relate to the job you are applying for. For example, most employers expect you to include general skills such as communication, organization, conflict resolution, and decision-making.
However, if you have specific aptitudes that would enhance the position, it is in your best interest to list them here. Depending on the job, focus on skills that are industry specific. If relevant to the position, include technical knowledge, such as special software programs or developments.
Professional Summary
Engaging professional with over 10 years of experience in supervisory roles. Dedicated, decisive, and organized, with experience in project management. Strong communication skills with ability to effectively lead groups of over 30 people.
Skills and Qualifications
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Outstanding ability to lead
• Great at motivating and solving problems
• Strong planning and organizational skills
• Decisive with ability to give clear directions
• Excellent team player with ability to delegate
• Strong conflict resolution and negotiating skills
• Skilled in MS Project
Work Experience
Operations Supervisor – Energy First Corporation
2010 – Present
• Supervise team of 30 to 35 workers; organize, coordinate, and execute work in team projects
• Set project budget and schedule; track project production and make changes during course of operations to stay on track in regard to expenses and timing; finish projects ahead of schedule 70% of the time
• Meet with vendors, clients, managers, and employees during course of project to ensure project is progressing as expected
• Ensure work outputs meet the terms of contract requirements and regulation standards, and make sure project designs and operations are accurate and of technical quality
• Produce daily and monthly reports for clients and management team to demonstrate progress, pinpoint challenges, and identify beneficial solutions
• Lead site safety inspections and meetings to ensure adherence to safety plans
Shift Supervisor – Teamstate Industries
2006 – 2010
• Assigned employees to jobs based on daily needs and adjusted manpower and plans as needed; supervised 20 to 35 workers at any given time
• Performed quality and safety checks before the beginning of each shift; made changes as needed
• Verified all employee paperwork, ensuring accuracy and timely completion
• Handled all personnel issues, coming up with effective strategies for resolution; dealt with conflicts in a speedy and fair manner
• Managed budget and kept costs within estimated amounts; cut down on waste by 15%
Education and Certifications
PMP Certification – Expected completion 2018
ERC Supervisory Training Program – 2006
Bachelor of Arts in Management – 2005
University of California, Sacramento
Courses in communications, project management, budget control, and conflict resolution
Hiring managers and recruiters typically have so many resumes to review that it is impossible to read even a little of each one. To help them narrow resumes down to the most relevant ones, many companies are using applicant tracking systems, also called ATS. These computer systems scan resumes for industry- and position-related key phrases and words. They use the data they find and score each document for relevancy. They then present to the manager only the ones with the highest scores.
Relying on ATS to pre-filter applications saves employers a lot of energy and time because they do not have to sort through immaterial resumes and those that do not meet qualifications. It does, however, mean that jobseekers need to be very precise in the language they use when preparing their professional documents.
The main place ATS searches for keywords is in the job description. In a supervisor job description for a resume, a good source for the right phrases to use is the job description itself. Employing certain words related to the position in your own document will give you a better chance of passing an ATS search and get your resume into the hands of the person in charge of hiring.
While it may be tempting to overload your resume with keywords, this is a bad idea. The system recognizes the overuse of keywords, so the chances of a keyword-stuffed resume passing are slim. In our resume sample, some words and phrases that may be common in a job description and are relevant to the position include communication skills, project management, organized, lead groups, and supervisory.
Using similar words in your document based on the specific job you are applying to will help optimize your resume to pass an ATS. Doing so not only increases your chances of an interview but also gets you one step closer to landing the job you want.