Different jobs will want their supervisors to take on different responsibilities, but a supervisor has to be a leader overall. A supervisor is expected to have excellent interpersonal communication skills, be very organized and can manage their time and cope with multiple responsibilities. As in the resume example below, you will need to highlight and focus on qualities that show the hiring manager you are capable of management, timeliness and being on target with projects.
Recruiters expect to see several key elements within any resume; if you look at multiple resume templates, you’ll notice that there are different ways of structuring one. It is important to remember to keep the font and size of your section headings, titles and content consistent, and avoid using stylistic fonts to try and stand out, as this will often come across as unprofessional or gimmicky. Use bullet points rather than big blocks of text and always value how effective white space is on the page.
You can choose the right resume format for you depending on your experience. A chronological format focuses on your professional experience, a functional format highlights transferable skills and a combination format can highlight both, skills and work experience. No matter what format you go with, there are five basic points you should always include in your resume:
The header is a simple yet vital part of any winning resume. Here, you will place your contact information such as your full name, phone number, email address and any relevant link to career networking profiles, like LinkedIn. Your contact information goes at the very top of your resume, so recruiters have an easy time knowing how to get in touch.
Whether you use a resume summary or a resume objective, it’s the first impression that you can make on recruiters that are examining your resume. A resume summary focuses on career achievements and work experience in two to three sentences, the resume summary is meant to contain what the recruiter can expect from the rest of the resume. Because this will be your future employer’s first impression of you, make it direct and focus on accomplishments from your professional experience.
A resume objective is better for applicants who lack professional experience, as it focuses on career goals and job-relevant skills.
In the skills section, you will describe what you can offer the company as a supervisor. Be sure to closely match the requirements listed in the job description for the role you want to apply to. There are generally two broad skill sets to highlight at this stage.
Soft skills are core skills that can be used across professions and should be listed, particularly if you are trying to secure your first supervisor job. Use interpersonal skills like communication and problem-solving, and leadership skills such as teamwork and conflict resolution are often broader in scope.
Hard skills are skills and competencies that you have learned on the job and can now teach to others. For example, if you are looking for a technical or IT supervisor position, you may have advanced skills in Microsoft Excel that you can train other team members in.
Here are some other skills you can list in your resume if you need a bit of inspiration:
The work experience section of your resume will highlight your years of experience in the professional field. You should use a reverse-chronological format for this section, working backward from your most recent job, and look to account for any gaps in employment. It’s recommended that you only list the last 10 years of experience and no more unless you had a very impressive job farther back. The job market can change significantly in 10 years, so your most recent experience will be the most relevant.
For each position in the experience section, you should include the company name and years of experience. A winning resume will opt to include achievements rather than generic responsibilities. For example, if you came up with any initiatives that improved your company, you should list them here.
In the education section, list your certifications and degrees. You can also list any technical courses if you’ve done them, try to condense the list so only the most relevant courses are mentioned. For each certification, degree or course list the institution's name, the degree obtained and the years attended. It’s recommended that you don’t include your graduation year to avoid age discrimination.
Yes, you should change your resume depending on the supervisor job you apply for. Hiring managers aren’t just looking for qualifications; they want to know if the employee will fit in with the work environment, so your resume should reflect that for each company. It’s especially important that you read the job description for a supervisor job since there can be different types of supervisor roles within the same company. If you’re aiming for an operations supervisor position, then you don’t accidentally want to tailor your resume for a production supervisor position.
A supervisor is a high-level position, so a lot of experience is usually required to get accepted for the job. That said, getting a supervisor job without much experience isn’t impossible. In the resume, focus on your skills by using a functional resume format. For example, a supervisor for a call center may sometimes need to speak with difficult customers. If you have any kind of experience with customer service, even if it was a low-level position, then use your soft skills to your advantage in the resume.
Yes, most employers ask for a cover letter along with a resume, especially for high-level positions. The resume goes more in-depth about your personal and professional experience, so the hiring manager gets to know you better before the interview.
