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How To Go From Employee To Supervisor In 6 Months

Written by: MIchael Otto

Article Overview: These articles come in a six part series: 1) The essence of managing 2) Re-engineer yourself to be a manager 3) How to go from employee to supervisor in 6 months 4) How to go from supervisor to entry level manager in 6 months 5) How to go from entry level manager to mid level manage in 6 months 6) How to go from mid level manager to top-level manager in 12 months

How To Go From Employee To Supervisor In 6 Months

These articles come in a six part series:
1) The essence of managing
2) Re-engineer yourself to be a manager
3) How to go from employee to supervisor in 6 months
4) How to go from supervisor to entry level manager in 6 months
5) How to go from entry level manager to mid level manage in 6 months
6) How to go from mid level manager to top-level manager in 12 months

How to go from employee to supervisor in 6 months
Your job as an employee is to perform to certain standards.
Your job as a supervisor is to get your subordinates to perform to certain standards.
Employees are judged by what they produce first and how they produce it second.
Supervisors are judged only by what their subordinates produce.

The transition from employee to supervisor is not that difficult once you understand what is expected of you.
What it takes to be a supervisor
1. You set an example for your subordinates to follow.
2. You must have excellent people skills.
3. You know how to do the job of your subordinates better than they do.
4. You understand how to motivate people.

What companies look for in a supervisor
1. A person who can maximize productivity insubordinates
2. Somebody who is not too expensive.
3. Willing to learn and is adaptable.
4. A person who fits-in with the company’s corporate culture.

What you can do to become a supervisor
1. The following steps outline what you can d to become a supervisor.
Your self-promotion to supervisor
This chapter is about moving-up from employee to supervisor.
Before you mail your resumes lets do a little planning first.

Your strategy to become a supervisor:
1. Analyze your personal situation
a. Financial situation.
b. Ability to re-locate.
c. Relationship issues to resolve.
Don’t pre-judge your personal situation, just write down all the facts, the solution will present itself later.

2. Outline your goals and objectives.
a. Here would you like to be in 5 years?
b. How do you think you can get there?
c. What do you need to do to get there?

3. What could possible prevent you from realizing your goals and objectives?
a. Financial issues and what you can do about it.
b. Personal issues and what you can do about it.
c. Lack of education and what you can d about it
d. Inability to re-locate and what you can do about it.

Step # one:
Think like a supervisor
Ask yourself:
As a supervisor what would I like in a good subordinate (model employee)?
Become that employee.

Attitude
The ideal employee has a positive attitude. He/she views problems as challenges, mistakes as opportunities.
A positive attitude can overcome many challenges.
Develop a positive attitude.

Team player
Good subordinates work with each other and not against each other, or for themselves.
Team players always get the job done.
Become a team player.

Conscientious
The key to good productivity is, employees who take their job seriously.
A conscientious employee will set a good example and is easy to work with.
Be a consciences employees.

Respectful
A respectful employee will work well with other subordinates.
To be respectful of one another creates a healthy work environment.
Always be respectful.

Willing to learn.
Every job requires some form of learning and when a subordinate is not willing to learn, that is a problem for the employee and the supervisor/manager.
More experienced employees who have been “at it” for a long time, often resist learning new things.
Employees who are willing to learn are often more desirable then employees with a lot of experience.
Show an eagerness to learn.

Make your supervisor’s job easier.
Understand what your supervisor’s job is all about.
Understand why there has to be a supervisor.
Understand how the supervisor/manager thinks.
Think about what you can do to make your supervisor’s job easier, and you will become that model employee. In time, you will be able to anticipate your supervisor’s needs (they love that).


Step # two:
Act like a supervisor:
Come up with ideas to improve the work you do.
Every job can be improved upon; just because it hasn’t been done before is because nobody thought of it.

When you do your work ask yourself the following questions:
1. Why am I doing it this way?
2. What would happen if I change it?
3. What would be the benefits?
4. What would be the cost?
5. Why is it better?
6. Can it be improved?

When you ask yourself these questions you condition your mind to think “outside the box”. This will take some time but stay with it and eventually you will come-up with new ways of doing your job.
That is only the half of it. When you propose a change you can expect resistance, even resentment from most supervisors. The reason for that is two fold, first you are doing the supervisor’s job, and he/she might resent that. Second, people in general resist change. They resist change because they feel threatened by it.
When you propose change, always get behind your supervisor (by being supportive), never in front of him/her (by being confrontative).
Don’t tell your supervisor you think your way is better. That would mean you are getting in front of your supervisor and you are preventing him/her to move on you idea, another word you are in the way (doing the supervisor’s job).
Propose your idea in such a way that it will be your supervisor’s idea (don’t take credit for your idea, that will come later).
Here is how you get behind your manager (being supportive).
Lets say your idea is to improve the way you have been doing things. Pick your time to sit down your supervisor, but make sure he/she is willing to listen to you. Ask matter-of-factly if he/she has any idea of what can be done to improve what you do (make your job more productive). Your supervisor will ask you “what do you mean by that” you say “well I think there must be a better way of doing this and I thought you might have some ideas. Now you lead the conversation into your idea but it must come from the manager. The manager must believe he/she thought of the idea. This take a little practice but it is well worth cultivating.
Remember never get in front of your manager or you will get run over. Always get behind your manager and you’ll get what you want every time.
Let the supervisor know you are thinking about how things can be improved.

Step # 3:
What you should never do:
1. Never complain.
2. Never talk bad about the company you work for.
3. Never bring a problem to the supervisor’s attention without a solution.
4. Never say you want to be a supervisor to another supervisor or manager.

Step # 4
What you should always do:
1. Be on time all the time.
2. Always do the best you can.
3. Be open and honest.
4. Merchandise your good deeds without coming across like you are sucking-up.
5. Let it be known you like a challenge and consider it part of your job.

Step # 5
Imagine yourself to be a supervisor:
1. Ask yourself how you would handle it when you are the supervisor?
2. Make mental decisions like a supervisor (but keep them to yourself)
3. Find out what your supervisor does every day.

When you are ready to move-up from employee to supervisor, you’ll know it. You will know it because you’ll start to get restless and your job, as a subordinate, is getting more and more difficult to perform.
When you look for a new job as a supervisor look for a the largest company you can find, even if you have to re-locate.
However, before you quit your job, it is always a good idea to see if your company is not willing to create a supervisory or assistant management position just for you to keep you in the company. Don’t talk to your immediate supervisor about this; talk to the owner or president of the company and explain to him/her what you are trying to accomplish (becoming a supervisor). You’ll be surprised how often a top-level manager will make certain arrangements to accommodate the needs of valued employee.

Make a plan and follow it.
Plan for it; don’t leave it up to chance.
Outline in detail exactly what you are trying to accomplish and by when.

Prepare a list of to do’s, for example:
1. Read several books on management styles.
2. Practice interpersonal skills.
3. Learn all there is about the business you are in.
4. Stay fit physically and mentally
5. Give up bad habits (smoking or drinking).

Give yourself enough time to make all the required changes, but adhere to the time schedule.
There are several reasons why you need a time schedule.
1. So you know how long it should take and where you are in your timeline.
2. Time schedules in project management teach us discipline to finish projects on time.
3. It helps you make decisions without having “all” the information (you decide when an intangible goal is realized, like what you need to know about a job).
4. It will encourage efficiency and maximize productivity potentials.

Your job marketing strategy
Identify the different SIC codes you plan to work in.
Don’t limit yourself to only one sector of an industry; think about what other industries/sectors

your expertise could be used.
1. Get as many SIC codes as possible.
a. You can type into Google – Standard Industrial Classification-and go to the Osha website enter your industry and the SIC code will come on screen.

2. Identify your market.
a. You are the product; the market is the different companies you want to apply to for a job.
b. Contact either D&B 1-800-590-0065 or Data Base America 1-800-587-1533
c. Ask for a count on prospect for a mailing.
d. You want four different mailings.
e. The first mailing is for a supervisor position and you want the contact to be the manager who would be your superior manager if worked in that company. You need your SIC codes, different states you would like to work in and number of employees (100+ employees for this mailing).
f. The second mailing is for an entry-level manager position and you want the contact to be the manager who would be your superior manager if worked in that company. You need your SIC codes, different states you would like to work in and number of employees (60 to 100 employees for this mailing).
g. The third mailing is for a mid-level manager position and you want the contact to be the manager who would be your superior manager if worked in that company. You need your SIC codes, different states you would like to work in and number of employees (40 to 60 employees for this mailing).
h. The fourth mailing is for a top-level manager position and you want the contact to be the owner of the company. You need your SIC codes, different states you would like to work in and number of employees (20 to 40 for this mailing).
When you talk to a list broker let him/her know you plan to do a test mailing in different markets (different number of employees and different states).

How to get the job you want.
You get the job you want by going after it. Chances are there are hundreds of openings for the position you are looking for, even though over 50% of these openings are not advertised. You will be surprised how many top-level executives are thinking about replacing certain managers/supervisors. They are just waiting for the right person, or the right time. It is very difficult for some top-level managers to replace a manager/supervisor out of concern for morale and other possible implications. If they would advertise the job, the person they are trying to replace might find out and that could create a problem (the person would quit and this could leave the position open for quite some time). You get the job you want because you are ready for it and you are qualified for it. Believe that you do and you will.

This career path will give you an idea what your career might look like. Of course every industry is different and you need to fill-in the blanks.
The principle is:
1. Start as an employee in a large company.
2. Get a job as an assistant manager/supervisor in a lightly smaller company.
3. Your next job as an entry-level manager will be with an even smaller company.
4. Your next job as mid-level manager will be with a still smaller company.
5. Your top-level management position will be with a very small company.

Now you start going back up the ladder
1. President of a very small company.
2. President of a slightly larger company.
3. President of a slightly larger company

You keep changing companies (every time a little larger than the previous company ) until you reached your goal.

You resume.
Not all resumes are suitable for all jobs. Your first resume for a supervisor’s position should be very simple and very basic. You probably have limited experience so make the most of it.

Your resume should include:
1. Your name and address
2. All personal data that would be important to your job (willing to relocate, like to travel)
3. The most important part of your resume is your objective. Since you have limited experience, now is the time to outline what your plan is to become an assistant manager.
4. List all your qualifications.
5. Why you want to be a supervisor
6. What you are studying now to get ready for that new position.
7. How you prepared yourself for this position.
8. Make a list of your education and any awards or honors you might have received.
9. List all your activities that you feel might be pertinent to the job.
10. Since you have limited experience, make a list of the qualifications you have.
11. These qualifications must match the job you are applying for, so do your research.
12. Outline your qualifications for the position in detail.
13. Only list what is important for the job.

Keep the resume short and to the point. Never write a resume or cover letter without having a complete understanding of what the job entails. Customize the resume to the job, but never embellish or make-up something just to look good. If you make up something on the resume it will catch-up with you eventually. There are plenty of companies who are willing to take a chance on somebody who is not experienced but is willing to be trained (one of the best qualities in a potential supervisor).

Broadcast Letter
A broadcast letter is used to solicit a position that is not advertised. The purpose of this letter is to introduce yourself and outline what you want to accomplish.

For example: You prepared yourself for the position of a supervisor and you would like an interview with the plant manager to discuss how your experience and qualifications would benefit the company/department.
If you don’t have a lot of experience a strong broadcast letter is very important.
Do not send a resume with your broadcast letter!
Read the chapter on BROADCAST LETTERS

Sending your broadcast letter
Start with the largest company possible. It is easier to get a job in a larger company, especially if you are willing to re-locate, which you should.
When you send your broadcast letter to companies who have not advertised a position (the best way to get a job because only less than 50% of all job openings are advertised) send the broadcast letter to your potential superior manager. For example, if you are applying for an production supervisor’s position you send you broadcast letter to the plant manager (from your mailing list).
When you send-out Broadcast Letters you can expect a return between 2% and 10%. A good mailing is about 500 letters: this will give at least 10 responses, which will result in 5 interviews and one to two job offers.
Depending on your budget, you can have a letter shops do the mailing for you (printing, stuffing, addressing and mailing).

You interview.
Depending on your industry, dress appropriately. First impressions are important, so make sure you know what the dress code is. When in doubt call the receptionist again and ask her/him what is appropriate to wear for an interview with the plant manager.
Do some research on the company, the more you know the better. Know the job you are applying for. Give the impression that you know what you are doing, but do not rehearse a speech, be spontaneous and above all relax. Remember you are not just being interviewed, you are also interviewing so you can decide if you want to work for that company or not. If you screw-up it is OK you are just practicing, the next time it will go better and the third time you will be perfect.

Related Articles
  You and Your Supervisor
  Making the Transition from the Employee to the Supervisor
  Successful Transitioning from an Individual Contributor to a Supervisor Role
  Relationships: The Key to Organizational Success
  Situational Delegating

Article Tags: 12 months, corporate culture, engineer, financial situation, goals and objectives, how to motivate people, job, level manager, personal situation, productivity, relationship issues, resumes, self promotion, subordinates, supervisor, transition



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