Supervisor

You ability to persuade and influence your employees or team members to accept change is key. Show how you were able to gain support and commitment from them by using the appropriate communication style, by listening and responding to concerns and questions, by asking for their help and commitment and by providing support.

The more your employees or team members understand about their jobs and accountabilities the more motivated they are. Show how you ensure each subordinate has clarity about his or her role and responsibilities. Discuss how you set clear, specific and realistic targets that are agreed on rather than dictated. Focus on how you involve employees by asking for suggestions, ideas and feedback.

This is a behavioral or situational interview question. You are expected to provide an example of how you successfully managed a difficult employee or team member. Find out about How to answer behavioral interview questions.In you answer to this supervisor interview question focus on your ability to communicate openly to understand the cause of the mistake. To discuss with the employee how it can be prevented from happening again. To view the mistake as a learning opportunity to improve future performance.

When answering supervisor interview questions around your personal supervisory style remember that there is no wrong or right supervisory style. The only criteria is that it should be appropriate to the situation. Your ability to adapt your style to the demands of the person you are dealing with, the task at hand and the circumstances is key to success as a supervisor. Provide examples of how you have had to adapt your supervisory style to meet different needs.

Include these key competencies or skills that apply to all supervisor jobs. Planning and organizing, problem-solving, decision-making, delegating, motivating, influencing, communicating and managing conflict.

► How long have you worked as a supervisor?

► How many people did you have directly reporting to you?

► What were the exact duties and responsibilities at that workplace?

► Tell us a major achievement from your previous job, where you showed good sense of leadership?

This question is designed to assess your performance standards. Show how you set high work standards for yourself and your subordinates, how you communicate your expectations and how you monitor performance.

These supervisor interview questions explore your ability to plan and organize. Your interview answer should demonstrate your ability to set priorities, establish objectives and milestones, schedule activities and plan proper use of resources.

Coaching and developing others is part of the supervisor function. Supervisor interview questions about coaching and 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.

Your example can show how you identified the source of conflict, used the conflict situation as a constructive process to exchange opinions and ideas and clarify roles and responsibilities. Discuss how you kept the focus on the desired outcome rather than on personal grievances.