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Production supervisors often oversee facilities that manufacture millions of dollars in goods regularly.
With such severe responsibilities involved, hiring managers will only choose candidates who can demonstrate key leadership and problem-solving abilities.
In this article, we'll show you exactly how to demonstrate those traits during your production supervisor interview. We’ll discuss 30 of the most common interview questions you’ll face, as well as tried-and-true answers you can give to impress.
Key Takeaways:
Candidates should highlight their leadership skills and how they are able to communicate and lead a team to success.
Interviewers should ask for the required certifications for the position to ensure the candidate is qualified.
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To help you prepare for your interview, we have put together 20 common interview questions. We have also included some production supervisor behavioral interview questions. We have also included some example answers so it's important to use your own words when it comes time to your own interview.
Tell me about yourself. This is a common interview question typically asked at the start of the interview. Be sure to highlight your relevant skills, experiences, and accomplishments in your answer.
Example Answer:
I have nine years of experience as a production supervisor at XYZ Company. During my time there, I developed a deep understanding of efficient manufacturing processes, quality control, and team leadership.
In my last role, I managed production schedules, ensuring that they were adhered to and adjusted them as needed to meet customer demands. I am skilled in monitoring and maintaining product quality, working closely with cross-functional teams o ensure compliance with quality standards and regulatory requirements.
Why do you want to work here? This question is usually asked to see how much research you have done on the company. Your answer should reflect your genuine interest for the company. Be sure to align your own values with the company values.
Example Answer:
I want to work here because of the company's outstanding reputation and it's commitment to excellence n the manufacturing industry. I really admire your focus on innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction. I believe those are important aspects to a successful workplace.
I am also drawn to your emphasis on employee development and a collaborative work environment. I think investing in the growth and well being of employees leads to increased job satisfaction and overall performance.
Why should we hire you? When this question is asked, you need to sell yourself and highlight your unique qualifications, relevant experiences, and the value you can bring to the company.
Example Answer:
I have nine years of experience in production management. Throughout my career, I have demonstrated my ability to drive operational efficiency, optimize production processes, and ensure a high-quality output.
I have strong leadership skills that help me to be an effective manager and motivate my team. I encourage a positive work environment collaboration, and open communication within my team. I believe my skills and experiences make me a top candidate for this position.
Where do you see yourself in five years? Interviewers want to know what your long-term goals are and what your plans are for the future. Your answer should show your ambition and how you want to grow with the company.
Example Answer:
In five years, I see myself in a leadership position where I can make an impact on the production operations. To do this, I aim to further enhance my expertise in lean principles, process optimization, and performance management. I plan to stay updated with industry trends and technology advancements.
I am also enthusiastic about contributing to the company's growth and success. I hope to be involved in strategic initiatives such as expanding production capabilities. My ultimate goal is to establish myself as a trusted and respected leader within the organization.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Your answer for your weaknesses should provide an honest and self-reflective response that shows your self-awareness and your ability to grow and learn.
Example Answer:
My greatest strength would be my organizational skills. I excel in creating and maintaining production schedules, coordinating tasks, and ensuring timely completion of projects.
While I am highly organized, I tend to be overly meticulous in my work. I have learned to balance my attention to detail with the need for flexibility and adaptability in a past-faced environment.
Tell me about your experience working in manufacturing environments. It's insufficient for production supervisors just to be generally effective managers. They also need to demonstrate an understanding and proficiency with equipment, machinery, and standard manufacturing processes.
Highlight your education, experience, and share an achievement that demonstrates your expertise in the field.
Make sure to describe the result of your achievement, rather than just the duties. Quantify that result as well.
Example answer:
I have a master's in mechanical engineering and have worked in manufacturing facilities for over eight years.
At my last job as a production supervisor that produced products for major vendors such as Lowes and Home Depot, I developed new and improved manufacturing procedures that increased our total production efficiency by 6%.
What types of manufacturing and management software are you proficient in? In addition to listing off a few of the most popular and essential software that you're able to use, you should also state your willingness and ability to learn any tools for the job quickly.
Example answer:
I use Microsoft Staffhub and Sharepoint to organize my employees' schedules. I'm also an expert at AutoCAD, which I frequently use to create model designs for pre-production.
Above all, I'm a quick and diligent learner who will quickly master any additional tools that prove necessary.
You notice that one of your employees isn't using the mandated safety equipment. What would you do? Understanding and enforcing safety procedures is one of the most critical roles of any production supervisor.
Emphasize how seriously you treat such cases and how you would quickly spring into action.
Example answer:
First of all, I would make sure during onboarding that every new employee understands the safety rules and how little we tolerate non-compliance.
If I see or hear about an employee breaking those rules, I would immediately schedule a meeting with them and ask for an explanation. I would use my communication skills to emphasize the importance of following safety procedures and motivate them to do so.
After the meeting, I would monitor the employee to make sure that they fix their behavior and apply appropriate discipline if they don't.
How would you respond if an employee was underperforming at their production job? Manufacturing is a field that is often tightly constrained by deadlines and production goals.
It's up to production supervisors to use their discretion to decide when to prioritize strengthening employee relationships by training underperforming staff and when to replace them and prioritize those production goals.
Example answer:
I always try to meet face-to-face with underperforming employees to learn what challenges they're facing and how I can help.
By targeting those issues, I'm usually able to develop and get them to agree to an improvement plan. I then monitor their performance to confirm that they're taking action and fixing their mistakes.
However, If an employee is consistently underperforming and is hindering our production goals, then that's when I consider more drastic options.
Tell me about a time when you improved a process. For all situational or production supervisor behavioral interview questions like this one, make sure to answer using the STAR method. The key is to focus on how you were able to generate value for a past employer.
Example answer:
As a production engineer at Jenkins Industrial, I was tasked with finding a way to increase the production of one of our contracted goods, as we were currently falling behind schedule.
I immediately conducted a thorough analysis of our plant's operational processes and identified several inefficiencies that were bottlenecking out productions. I used my engineering knowledge to develop more efficient methods that replicated those manufacturing steps and presented my report to management.
As a direct result of the changes I suggested, the company was able to meet its production goals 12% under budget and on schedule.
Suppose several important machines break down and you have an inflexible deadline to meet. How do you respond? Make sure to emphasize the importance of being prepared and convey your flexibility.
Example answer:
I always prepare for contingencies ahead of time, as I know you can never count on everything going as planned. This means having extra equipment at the ready, or if they're too inexpensive, setting up agreements with other facilities to borrow each other's machinery in such scenarios.
Explain the six sigma process. The six sigma process is a standard method used in manufacturing to make iterative improvements on production operations.
Example answer:
The five steps of the six sigma process are:
Define the problem
Measure your current process
Analyze the sources of inefficiency
Improve your process
Monitor and continuously refine
Tell me what HACCP means and why it's important in the workplace.
Example answer:
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is a systemic approach to maintaining safety in manufacturing industries such as food production.
A single bad batch produced under lax safety standards could seriously harm the end consumer. It could also result in lawsuits and severe damage to the reputation of the company.
How important do you consider reports to be? Are they any more than standard documentation? Great production supervisors understand the value of data in informing how to improve operational efficiency.
Example answer:
I believe detailed and accurate reports are vital if any production facility.
I always hire data analysts and engineers to identify inefficiencies in our processes. Their reports allow me to make smarter decisions in how to direct our operations to be maximally efficient and exceed our clients' expectations.
How do you ensure that a team meets its production quality standards? Quality management is one the most crucial roles of any production supervisor position.
Demonstrate a mix of leadership skills and a technical understanding of production quality assurance best practices in your answer.
Example answer:
I always set up multiple internal QA phases that goods must pass before being considered finished.
If a single unit does not pass set standards, then investigate the batch and identify the root cause. To key to ensuring consistent high quality is always to take defects seriously and never ignore what might be causing them.
Tell me about your experience with lean manufacturing. Understanding how to implement lean manufacturing practices is critical if you want to maximize productivity while minimizing waste as a production supervisor.
Make sure to explain the main principles and emphasize how important it is.
Example answer:
Implementing lean manufacturing practices was one of my primary roles as a production supervisor at John Deere. I did this by analyzing our operations and mapping our value stream. I used this knowledge to establish a pull system that I iteratively improved on using kaizen.
Ultimately, I was able to increase productivity rates by 17% across five different plants, while simultaneously decreasing our waste by 12%.
How do you make tough decisions when there isn't enough information and meet production goals? You'll often need to meet extremely tight deadlines, meaning that you're afforded less time to make critical decisions than managers in many other industries.
Make sure to variety of leadership skills such as:
Flexibility
Communication
Decisiveness
Example answer:
I try to pool as much available data as possible to help inform my decision.
This means communicating with specialists and asking questions to relevant departments and then making the best-informed available. If it doesn't work out, then I quickly analyze the situation to identify how we can make improvements.
What are some of the advantages of contract manufacturing? Simply list a few of the following key benefits of contract manufacturing:
Example answer:
Savings in energy, taxes, and overhead costs
Potentially easier product entry into other countries
Increased dropshipping capabilities
How do you motivate team members to stay mainly focused when the company needs to meet tight deadlines? Understanding how to encourage team members effectively is an essential leadership skill for any manager to master, especially in manufacturing when you need to meet strict production goals.
Show the hiring manager that you have several techniques prepared and know how to appeal to different employees.
Example answer:
I always listen and learn about my employee to better understand what motivates them.
When we need to meet tight deadlines, I'll offer various incentives such as vacation time, promotions, and bonuses to reward exceptional work.
I always make sure to praise high performers for setting an example for others publicly.
What are some shifts in industry trends that you've experienced, and how did you deal with them? It's imperative to demonstrate adaptability, as being a production supervisor will require responding to many unforeseen circumstances that would otherwise hamper productivity.
Example answer:
The most significant and most recent shift I've had to deal with was the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on manufacturing operations.
At the last plant I supervised, it cost the company over $400,000 each day we had to shut down. As soon as reopening guidelines were released, I spent the entire night studying them and designing new operational procedures to comply with them.
The next day, I immediately communicated the changes to my team and trained them to practice.
As a direct result of my decisive actions, the plant opened within two days and reached its prior level of productivity within three weeks. It's estimated that this saved the company over $9 million.
Can you describe your experience in implementing and managing production schedules and ensuring they are followed accurately and efficiently?
How do you ensure that production processes comply with quality standards and regulatory requirements, and what measures do you take to address any deviations or issues?
Can you discuss your expertise in monitoring and optimizing production line performance, including reducing downtime, improving throughput, and implementing continuous improvement initiatives?
Describe your approach to overseeing inventory management, including tracking stock levels, coordinating with procurement teams, and minimizing waste or excess inventory.
Have you implemented any specific safety protocols or initiatives in your previous roles? How did you ensure compliance and minimize workplace accidents or incidents?
Can you explain your experience in coordinating and communicating with cross-functional teams, such as engineering, maintenance, and logistics, to ensure smooth production flow and resolve any interdepartmental issues?
Have you worked with any specific manufacturing technologies or equipment? Describe your proficiency in operating and maintaining them, as well as your ability to train and supervise production staff in their usage.
How do you approach workforce management, including scheduling shifts, assigning tasks, and managing performance to ensure optimal productivity and employee engagement?
Can you discuss your experience in implementing and overseeing quality control measures, including conducting inspections, implementing quality assurance protocols, and addressing non-conformance issues?
Have you been involved in any process improvement projects? Describe your role in identifying areas for improvement, implementing changes, and measuring the impact on production efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
As the Candidate:
Highlight your leadership skills. To be a production supervisor, you need excellent leadership skills. Your answers should highlight how you are an effective leader and can communicate and motivate your team. Use examples from your experiences to help show the interviewer your skills.
Mention previous responsibilities. Back up your answers with examples from your experiences. This can include managing employee's schedules and managing manufacturing department operations.
Bring copies of certifications. Bring extra copies of certification such as OSHA Safety Certificate and Certified Product Manager (CPM) for the interviewer to look over.
As the Interviewer:
Create behavioral interview questions. Creating production supervisor behavioral interview questions will allow you to see how the candidate will react and handle specific situations.
Understand the role. Have a basic understanding of what is needed from the candidate in the position. This included things like skills required and responsibilities. This will allow you to be on the look out for experiences the candidates have.
Ask for certifications. To ensure they are up-to-date with their certifications, ask for any that are required for the position.