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all about production supervisor jobs.

If you are an organized individual who enjoys working with others and is good at goal-orientated work, you might like to be a production supervisor. This is especially the case if you have higher ambitions and would like to move into management and senior management one day. Being a production supervisor can be one of the first rungs on that ladder.

what do production supervisor jobs entail?

As a production supervisor, you will be responsible for the day-to-day running of a production floor. This will involve handling scheduling, organizing equipment, and dealing with staffing issues. You will also be the first line of troubleshooting in the event of problems occurring. Essentially, your role will be to keep things running smoothly so that your manager can focus on things like improving efficiency.

what is a typical work schedule for production supervisors

A typical production supervisor role will involve at least 40 hours of work per week and will take place during standard business hours. That means roughly 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday. Being a production supervisor, the hours you work will be affected by the operation schedule of the company you work for. If you are working for an organization that runs production around the clock or includes night shifts, you may be expected to work unsociable hours. As always, you will need to clearly understand what kind of schedule your employer expects of you, especially in a role like this one.

what are the pros of production supervisor jobs?

• Good earning potential: While the pay may not seem remarkable at first, there is the potential to earn much more as you gain experience. An average production supervisor role earns well below the national average in Canada, but more senior production managers can exceed that average by a comfortable margin.
• Gain leadership experience: Being a supervisor is essentially the first run on the leadership ladder, but it is on the ladder. If you are looking to gain experience in leadership roles, you will gain invaluable experience in this profession. That includes experience in things like scheduling, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and more.
• A step towards bigger things: If you have your sights set high for your future career—perhaps senior management—experience as a supervisor will help. It is practically unheard of to get hired for a senior management role without experience, and this role will give you some of that experience.

what are the cons of production supervisor jobs?

• Relatively low starting base salary: While the earning potential is good, the entry-level and average salaries found in this profession are less impressive. An average production supervisor will earn almost $15,000 per year less than the average Canadian salary. Although, your salary has higher pay potential depending on years of experience
• Can mean unsociable hours: Every job is different, of course, but the nature of a production supervisor role means that it is possible you could be required to work unsociable hours. When this is the case, it will usually be in the form of shift work, but could also be something like night shifts or weekends.
• Can be a stressful job: Any role that involves supervising or other forms of leadership will carry some degree of stress. You will be responsible for ensuring that an entire team or department meets their goals, and you will be accountable if they don't meet those goals.

what are common production supervisor interview questions?

There will invariably be questions that are specific to the role you are applying for, particularly industry-specific questions. This makes it difficult to predict exactly what you will be asked. However, there are some questions that you can be relatively confident of being asked regardless of the specifics of the role. Wherever possible, you should put a little thought into what you will say, especially if you are not good at improvising. Here are some questions you are likely to be asked:

• How do you handle mistakes by your team? Conflict management and disciplinary matters are often some of the most difficult aspects of a leadership role. Your potential employer will want to know how you expect to handle tricky situations like your team members making mistakes. It's important to find a balance here, as the hypothetical mistake will need to be addressed, but the response will need to be proportionate. For example; you shouldn't fire someone for a minor mistake that was their first one.
• What would your previous colleagues say about you? Your answer to this question will give your interviewer a lot of insight. It is less about what your colleagues think about you and more about how you perceived what they thought about you. Your interviewer will be looking for honesty here.
• How would you encourage your team to stay safe? Production floors can be dangerous, which is why strict health and safety policies are put in place. Unfortunately, implementing a policy and enforcing it are two different things. Your interviewer may ask you how you plan to keep your team adhering to rules about things like protective clothing.

production supervisor resume and cover letter requirements

Your cover letter is a crucial part of the job interview process, so you should take care to ensure it looks professional. Use this brief text to highlight any particularly notable aspects of your career or qualifications. Show that you have done your research on the company by explaining how you are a good fit for their existing ethos. Your resume should have all the information your prospective employer needs to make an informed decision. This should include:

• Name and contact information
• Brief summary of experience/skills
• Employment history
• Education/qualifications
• Awards/certifications
• Examples of accomplishments
• Social media accounts (if work-related)
• Work-related skills

what is the job outlook for production supervisors?

The job outlook for production supervisors is positive. This is both in the sense that there is plenty of demand for workers in this role and in the sense that the prospects are good. A production supervisor gains invaluable experience that can be taken into other leadership roles, such as production manager. It should be noted that the market for this role is expected to shrink over the next decade. However, the amount of shrinking is less than a percent, and it is very common for production supervisors to move on to other things. This typically results in a high turnover of new workers into the profession.

what are the different types of production supervisor jobs?

While the role of production supervisor doesn't have different types as such, there can be a significant difference from industry to industry. A production supervisor working for an engineering firm will need different experience and knowledge from a production supervisor for a pharmaceutical company. Below are some of the more significantly different variations of this role you are likely to encounter:

• Engineering production supervisor: Production supervisors in engineering firms will typically be working in factory or workshop environments, overseeing teams of engineers working large projects or production lines.
• Electronics production supervisor: These types of production supervisors are responsible for supervising teams of workers in an electronics workshop or production line.
• Pharmaceutical production supervisor: Pharmaceutical production supervisors are in charge of keeping pharmaceutical production operations on track and will usually be working in laboratories.
• Catering production supervisor: If you find yourself working as a catering production supervisor, you could be working from a single location—such as at a restaurant or other venue—or you could be more mobile. This would include things like catered weddings and parties.
• Manufacturing production supervisor: A manufacturing production supervisor is, in most cases, just another name for production supervisor. Indeed, some companies may list the job as "manufacturing supervisor". In this variation of the role, your team will not have a specific specialty like electronics in pharmaceuticals.

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what is the average salary for a production supervisor?

The average salary for a production supervisor in Canada is around $54,000 per year, based on a typical 40-hour workweek at $28 per hour. This translates to around $4,500 per month. Entry-level positions in this profession start at around $45,000 per year, while the most experienced and senior production supervisors can earn as much as $70,000 per year. As mentioned above, the upper limit of this range is not as restricting as it may first seem, as many people move on to more lucrative managerial roles. 

average production supervisor salaries in canada

• annual: $54,000
• monthly: $4,480
• weekly: $1,120
• hourly: $28

Top paying areas for production supervisors in Canada include: Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta.

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what are the duties and responsibilities of production supervisors?

Being a production supervisor, your duties naturally revolve around the supervision and leadership of your team or department. You will be the first step up the chain from the people on the production floor. If there is a problem that needs resolving, you will be expected to do everything you can to deal with it without involving management. Your role is essentially to keep the production floor running smoothly. Here are some of the specific responsibilities you will have:

• Planning: A crucial part of any supervisory or leadership role is that of planning. You will need to be able to schedule work around a number of factors, such as material deliveries, staff absences, machine maintenance or breakdowns, and more. Nobody can plan for every eventuality, of course, but you will be expected to make the best use of your team's time.
• Assigning tasks: Assigning tasks is not just a matter of handing a job to someone. You will be expected to work to your team's strengths. This may mean occasionally shuffling things around to compensate for staff being ill or leaving. It may also involve trying staff on new (to them) tasks to find out who is good at what. There will also be an element of timing here, as some tasks may be more important than others and, unavoidably, some staff are more efficient. Assigning the more important tasks to the faster workers can ensure the things that need to get done the most are done.
• Troubleshooting equipment issues: As previously mentioned, you are the first line of troubleshooting when things go wrong. You won't be expected to be able to resolve every equipment issue that arises—that's why technicians are hired. You will be expected to deal with simple problems, however, including problems arising from user-error.
• Dealing with routine staffing issues: Routine staff issues can cover a wide range of things, from unexpected absences to hiring new staff. It can also include disciplinary matters. As a production supervisor, you will be expected to take care of most routine staffing issues.
• Conduct reviews: Given that the core function of your role will be to keep the production floor running smoothly, you will need to conduct periodic reviews. This will allow you to monitor how your team is doing, identify areas that need improvement, and come up with ways to achieve those improvements. Depending on the changes you feel are necessary, you may need to pass your suggestions up to management. Smaller changes you should be able to implement yourself, however.

where do production supervisors typically work?

Unlike a production manager, who typically works in an office, production supervisors are often closer to the action. That means that your work environment will largely depend on the type of industry you are working in. If you are a production supervisor for an engineering firm, you will be working on factory floors or in workshops. If you are a production supervisor for a pharmaceutical firm, your work environment will be a laboratory setting.

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what skills and competencies do production supervisors need?

The skills needed to be a good production supervisor can, for the most part, be learned and honed through experience. Of course, it helps to know what those skills are so you can focus on them.

• Organizational skills: Having a strong organizational mind will make it much easier to stay on top of things. You will be responsible for a production floor with many moving parts, and being able to stay on top of the organizational aspects of the role will ensure things don't get away from you.
• Analytical skills: Part of your role involves monitoring the performance of your production floor and implementing or suggesting changes. Being able to analyze data will make it easier for you to spot areas where changes need to be made.
• Ability to problem solve: Problem-solving is a key skill for any leadership role. Whether it's problems with supply deliveries, staffing issues, or equipment failures, you will need to find the best path forward.
• Decisiveness: You will naturally have to make decisions as part of your role, and it reflects poorly on you if you struggle to make those decisions. You are there to take some of the more routine leadership tasks off of management's plate, so you'll need to be decisive when problems arise.

what training and certifications do production supervisors need?

Given the wide range of industries you can work in as a production supervisor, the qualifications needed can vary a lot. For the most part, a degree is considered a bonus, not a requirement. Experience, on the other hand, is critical. You will need to have at least 2-3 years of experience working in production in the relevant field. Some companies may also want you to have previous supervisory experience as well.

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