How to hire a general supervisor

How to hire a general supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step general supervisor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a general supervisor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new general supervisor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a general supervisor do?

Post a general supervisor job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The general supervisor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect general supervisor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of general supervisor salaries for various roles:

   Type of General Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   General Supervisor	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$28-50
   District Manager	District managers oversee the operations of a group of stores or areas covered by the assigned district. They are responsible for ensuring that the sales, marketing, quality control, and people management of their community align with the company's direction... Show more	$30-70
   Manager	Managers are responsible for a specific department, function, or employee group. They oversee their assigned departments and all the employees under the department... Show more	$17-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Continuous Improvement
   • Production Supervisors
   • Oversight
   • Corrective Action
   • Safety Procedures
   • OSHA
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Professional Work
   • HR
   • Kaizen
   • Center Management
   • CLIA
   • QA
   • Preventive Maintenance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead in the development of an organize inventory POS system.
   • Maintain A/R and A/P, sales reps commissions, and manage the collection process.
   • Train and manage FOH staff and improve overall quality, organization and professionalism of restaurant and bakery.
   • Co-Authore and continually improve the POS system.
   • Complete a QC sheet on all VOIP and CATV technicians indicating a pass or fail status.
   • Need to qualify for ISO with a facility that have no manufacturing or quality processes in place.

   More general supervisor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your general supervisor job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A general supervisor salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a general supervisor in Montana may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level general supervisor usually earns less than a senior-level general supervisor. Additionally, a general supervisor with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average general supervisor salary

   $78,650yearly

   $37.81 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level general supervisor salary

   $59,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average general supervisor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$92,563	$45
   2	Colorado	$92,055	$44
   3	California	$87,826	$42
   4	Maryland	$85,010	$41
   5	Massachusetts	$84,664	$41
   6	Pennsylvania	$81,995	$39
   7	Michigan	$79,629	$38
   8	Indiana	$78,628	$38
   9	Illinois	$76,453	$37
   10	Oregon	$74,864	$36
   11	Texas	$74,838	$36
   12	North Carolina	$72,332	$35
   13	Nevada	$69,135	$33
   14	North Dakota	$66,918	$32
   15	Arkansas	$63,341	$30
   16	Florida	$62,978	$30
   17	Alaska	$61,701	$30

   Average general supervisor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Southern California Edison	$125,770	$60.47	2
   2	General Motors	$102,162	$49.12	132
   3	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$102,146	$49.11
   4	Wawona Frozen Foods	$92,747	$44.59
   5	Daimler Trucks North America	$92,181	$44.32
   6	Charles River Labs	$89,911	$43.23
   7	Coeur Mining	$89,223	$42.90	1
   8	BASF	$89,001	$42.79
   9	Fujifilm Holdings America Corporation	$88,928	$42.75	2
   10	Barrick Gold	$88,542	$42.57	6
   11	G-TECH	$88,421	$42.51	3
   12	MGM Resorts International	$88,141	$42.38	3
   13	Nassco	$87,954	$42.29
   14	Curative	$87,895	$42.26
   15	Robert Half	$87,422	$42.03	7
   16	Contract Professionals	$86,583	$41.63
   17	Guardant Health	$86,540	$41.61
   18	Veracyte	$86,437	$41.56
   19	Amsted Rail	$85,271	$41.00	4
   20	Kohler Co.	$84,916	$40.83	4

4. Writing a general supervisor job description

   A good general supervisor job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a general supervisor job description:

   General supervisor job description example

   Howmet Aerospace , headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a leading global provider of advanced engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries. The Company's primary businesses focus on jet engine components, aerospace fastening systems and titanium structural parts necessary for mission-critical performance and efficiency in aerospace and defense applications, as well as forged wheels for commercial transportation. Howmet Aerospace is transforming the next phase of more fuel-efficient, quieter aerospace engines and sustainable ground transportation. For more information, visit www.howmet.com . Follow @howmet: Twitter , Instagram , Facebook , LinkedIn and YouTube .
   
   This position is a front-line supervisor with responsibility to manage, guide and assist in leading a manufacturing department, and providing strategic guidance, training and problem solving in the resolution of the manufacturing issues and staffing initiatives.
   Job responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
   
   + Follow Howmet's Safety Regulation and Work Rules Handbook along with all department specific safety requirements.
   
   + Prioritize, guide, and facilitate the activities of the manufacturing function to meet department goals, initiatives and requirements
   
   + Achieve servant leadership and consistent in-the-moment problem solving for shop floor operators, removing barriers for us to have productive employees, supporting team to keep employees engaged in eliminating downtime and increasing Fully Productive Hours (more value-add time for each employee performing the function they are specially trained and qualified to do)
   
   + Create an environment for the hourly workforce to feel supported and empowered, with the tools/instructions they need daily to be successful
   
   + Oversee the development of standard policies, procedures, and practices to ensure customer requirements are embodied in the manufacturing environment
   
   + Establish and maintain uniform manufacturing performance metrics and reporting systems
   
   + Establish and communicate daily expectations for hourly workforce, celebrating successes and working to resolve shortcomings with firm, fair and consistent accountability
   
   + Leadership of an hourly team of 20-25 or so direct manufacturing employees
   
   + Drive improvements by promoting best practice methodologies and new technologies
   
   + Ensure employees are following work instructions, identifying issues, and resolving when possible/escalating when not
   
   + Touch base multiple times per day with direct shop floor team to ensure they are supported and have what they need to be successful (ideally more frequent when tasks permit)
   
   + Ensure team development by creating an active training environment
   
   + Performs other work-related duties as assigned
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right general supervisor for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with general supervisors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit general supervisors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your general supervisor job on Zippia to find and recruit general supervisor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit general supervisors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new general supervisor

   Once you've decided on a perfect general supervisor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new general supervisor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a general supervisor?