Any business in any industry will arrive at a point when it needs the help of skilled supervisors who can focus on specific aspects of the organisation. Nothing good ever comes out of stretching yourself too thin, so it’s important to look for people who can function as your eyes and ears. As your business grows, not everything will be visible and you may have to put everything together on your own.
You have greater goals to pursue. Delegating other functions to supervisors will help lighten the load and allow you to focus on the things that matter the most. It’s only a matter of knowing who to recruit as supervisors for your growing organisation. If this is your priority right now, then this guide will walk you through the process of finding capable leaders you can trust.
1. Define Roles and Functions
Before you put time and money into a recruitment campaign, you should know the kinds of roles a supervisor will assume. You wouldn’t want to hire someone based on general criteria. Since you will be spending resources on a supervisor, you will have to make sure that the person understands their job description well. Start by outlining the tasks a supervisor will be handling once they’re onboard.
Consider the needs of your organisation first and look for gaps that need to be filled in. For instance, if your organisation needs to filter out applicants with criminal records, it’s best to delegate the task to an HR professional. If you’re using certain tools for screening applicants, an HR supervisor should be well-versed in following applicant screening protocols that are in line with existing privacy laws and using background verification software
2. Come up with a list of qualifications
In addition to specifying the supervisory role, you need to make sure your recruitment efforts are focused on getting the best talents in the current job market. Since you will be hiring supervisors, you wouldn’t want to put out job ads that will attract people lacking in leadership experience. It matters to consider the kinds of tasks a supervisor will handle. Doing so will help you identify the critical skills and expertise needed for the job.
When hiring a supervisor, you may have to require at least five years of work experience. You can also require another two or three years of supervisory experience if the role involves personnel management and other complicated areas.
Additionally, they need not possess a Master’s degree or a diploma in management to qualify, but these should be a major consideration. You should also check the competencies they currently possess. If you need a supervisor to head your IT team, it’s a big plus if you come across a resume showing proficiencies in systems engineering and cybersecurity.
3. Gauge their work ethic
Since supervisory roles are highly demanding, you need people who are not just competent but also easy to work with. Good work ethic is just as crucial as an impressive educational background and a long list of work experiences and seminars. In addition to skills, base your selection process on a list of values that your organisation cherishes. Aside from soft skills like time management and clear verbal and written communication, you also need to gauge an applicant’s character and personality.
The best way to know this is through personality tests conducted during the hiring process. If you think that’s not accurate enough, consider contacting the names listed in the applicant’s character references. Apart from counter-checking the details they included in their resume, ask their previous employer about their strengths, weaknesses, and the reasons why they resigned. It’s also important to ensure that the applicant has a clean record with the authorities. The best way to do this is to conduct a criminal record check through Triton Canada or any other screening service.
4. Put your best foot forward
If you’ve come across an applicant with a strong set of credentials, the least you could do is to lose them to your competitor. For sure, you may not come across a supervisor that shows a great deal of promise. If you feel like your organisation could benefit in the long term from their employment, then look for ways to get them to say yes.
The first thing you can do is to offer a competitive compensation package. If your personnel budget allows it, then it wouldn’t hurt the bottom line to provide a salary that’s slightly higher than the market average. More importantly, you will need to make an offer immediately, as the applicant may have sent their resume to multiple employers. If another organisation delivers a better offer, you should cut your losses and move on to the other supervisory candidates on your shortlist.
Endnote
Supervisors play a critical role in the success of your organisation. You will have to make sure you’re hiring the ones who can bring in the best returns and maximise your business’s growth.
