Hiring managers will be on the lookout for candidates who can responsibly ensure the efficiency, quality and the optimal functioning of production operations. To be able to effectively convey your suitability for a production supervisor position, you will need a well-rounded and professional resume. In this guide we will take a deep dive into the resume writing process with the help of some production supervisor resume examples, guidelines and pro tips to optimize your resume for the job market.
The Duties of a Production Supervisor
In the high-stress manufacturing environment, the role of a production supervisor is integral to ensuring that everything runs in an orderly fashion. A production supervisor is responsible for increasing productivity while making sure that the appropriate safety and quality standards are followed every step of the way. Let’s take a brief overview of the main job duties of a production supervisor.
Managing a Team
- As a production supervisor, you will be responsible for overseeing, guiding and motivating the production team to achieve their targets.
- You will need to assign roles and tasks, set performance goals, enforce systems and policies and maintain a positive work environment.
Quality Assurance
- Product quality control will be a huge part of your job as a production supervisor. This involves implementing and monitoring quality control measures, conducting regular inspections and taking corrective measures when necessary.
- This also includes checking whether the production and manufacturing equipment is functioning properly.
Managing resources
- Being a production supervisor, you will be expected to develop efficient resource management to ensure cost efficiency.
- This part of the job entails resource and inventory management and ensuring the proper usage of production equipment.
Adherence to Safety Procedures
- High-scale manufacturing industries can be potentially dangerous environments, and it is the duty of a production supervisor to ensure all the safety regulations and protocols are followed.
- This involves conducting safety drills and training regularly and addressing any safety concerns at the workplace quickly and effectively.
Crisis Management
- Whether it is handling conflicts between team members or managing the delays in production schedules, as a production supervisor you need to be adept at managing crisis situations in a calm and professional manner.
- This involves keeping disruptions to a minimum and not letting them affect the production processes.
Communicating Between Management and Production
- A production supervisor acts as a link between the upper management and production team.
- They translate the goals and expectations of the management into concrete plans on the production floor to ensure the production process aligns with the company’s objectives.
- Production supervisors also document and report the production progress to the top management.
Production Supervisor Resume Example
Reviewing resume samples, examples and templates can be extremely helpful while making your own resume. These examples help you get a clear understanding of the key details that are required in your production supervisor resume. Let's take a look at the following production supervisor resume example more closely.
How to Draft a Job Winning Production Supervisor Resume?
The secret to crafting an amazing resume lies in your decision of choosing the right format and layout for your production supervisor resume. The format of your resume can determine the way in which you present the pertinent information and sections of your dynamic supervisor resume. The structure of your resume ensures that a hiring manager and recruiter can easily scan through it and get all the information they require during the hiring process. These two elements need your undivided attention during the resume making process. Without further ado, let’s learn how to format and structure your resume so that it helps position you as one of the top candidates for a production supervisor job.
Choose the Correct Format for Your Resume
Choosing an appropriate resume format is the first important decision you need to make during the resume writing process. It is imperative to choose a format that can highlight your experience, skills and qualifications and advocate your candidacy for the production supervisor role. There are three types of resume formats, let’s check them out.
Chronological
The chronological format’s center of attention is your work history. In this format, your complete employment history is listed in a reverse chronological order. This is the best format for applicants who have a long history of professional experience working in the manufacturing industry. The section headings of your production supervisor resume are placed in the following order in the chronological format.
- Header section
- Resume Summary section
- Experience section
- Education section
- Skills section
- Certifications (If applicable)
- Extra sections (optional)-Professional memberships and affiliations, languages, volunteer work
Functional
A functional format is aimed at giving your skills section a higher priority than your experience section. This format serves a useful purpose for applicants who have a non-traditional professional background or have huge gaps in their employment history. This resume format works for the mentioned circumstances, however it is important to mention here that it isn't a highly preferred format by hiring managers or recruiters. The section headings of your production supervisor resume are placed in the following order in the functional format.
- Header section
- Resume Summary section
- Skills summary section
- Achievements section
- Experience section
- Education section
- Extra sections (optional)-Professional memberships and affiliations, languages, volunteer work
Hybrid/Combination
A hybrid resume format is a product of both the chronological and functional styles as it incorporates essential elements from both the formats. This format is suitable for applicants who are fairly new to the workforce and want to give equal importance to the work experience and the skills section. The section headings of your production supervisor resume are placed in the following order in the hybrid format.
- Header section
- Resume summary section
- Skills summary section
- Job experience section
- Education section
- Optional additional sections- Professional memberships and affiliations, languages, extra curricular activities
For a production supervisor role that requires a certain amount of experience, we recommend using the chronological format for your resume. It will help you showcase your professional history and aptitude for the role. Hiring managers and ATS softwares are biased towards the chronological format, so it is the obvious choice for your supervisor resume.
Important Sections of a Production Supervisor Resume
Every resume format may differ in the order of the sections, but each format comprises a set of mandatory sections that complete your resume. These sections provide all the necessary information about your professional career to recruiters and prospective employers. The following are the main sections that need to be included in your production supervisor resume.
- Header
- Resume summary
- Professional experience
- Skills
- Education
- Certifications
- Extra sections (optional)
Header
The header is the topmost part of your supervisor resume that contains all your important personal details and contact information. This is a simple enough section to make, but do not forget to check that all the information is correct and valid. Remember that this is how a recruiter will get in touch with you so you cannot afford to make any mistakes here. Include the following information in your header section.
- Full name
- Job title
- Phone number
- Email address
- LinkedIn profile
Incorrect Example of a Header Section
INCORRECT(000)-888-4444
Atlanta, Georgia
Correct Example of a Header Section
CORRECTProduction Supervisor
(000)-888-4444
johngeller@example.com
linkedin.com/in/johngeller
Resume Summary
Imagine that you had 30 seconds to convince a hiring manager why you are the most suitable person for the job, what would you say? This is the rationale you should keep in mind while writing your resume summary. You need to write a summary which encapsulates your career, skills and expertise and positions you as a top choice for any hiring company. The resume summary section should be brief and to the point. The best length for a resume summary is around 2-4 sentences long. To help you structure your resume summary, we have identified certain elements that can be included to make this section significantly impactful.
- Start with an adjective that best describes you and your job title (For example, Dedicated production supervisor)
- Mention the number of years of experience you have along with your key production experience
- Highlight your top skills and qualifications relevant to the job that you are applying
- The unique skill set and values that you bring to the team and organization
Incorrect Example of a Resume Summary
INCORRECTCorrect Example of a Resume Summary
CORRECTExperience
During the recruitment process, applicants with the most relevant work experience will get a higher preference than the others. It is very important to know how to represent your professional history on your supervisor resume. It is also essential that your experience from your previous jobs aligns with the requirements of the position that you are applying to. Recruiters usually go for candidates who have 3 years or more experience in a related production line role. We have compiled a list of essential pointers that can help you structure, organize and present your work experience in a clear and professional manner.
- We recommend that you list your work experience in a reverse chronological order starting with the job you held before applying and working your way backwards from there.
- Start each subsection with your job title, company name, location and the time period for which you were employed with the company.
- Avoid the use of long paragraphs and only use bulleted and concise lists to describe your duties and responsibilities for each position.
- We advise you to mention your career highlights and achievements with specific metrics and tangible examples.
Incorrect Example of an Experience Section
INCORRECT2016 - 2020
- Made production schedules and daily workflows
- Oversaw day to day logistics
- Worked on quality control
- Mainted safety protocols
Correct Example of an Experience Section
CORRECTXYZ Manufacturing, New York, NY
Jan 2016 - December 2020
- Led and supervised a team of 40 production employees providing them with daily workflows and production targets.
- Spearheaded the implementation of lean manufacturing principles which has increased production efficiency by 20%.
- Upheld high safety and quality standards which resulted in a 15% reduction in dangerous workplace incidents.
Skills
In the skills section, you get a chance to show all the relevant skills that you possess for the job that you are applying to. Your resume should have a healthy balance of both your hard and soft skills. We advise you to organize your skills in bullet points so that it is convenient for hiring managers to read and quickly scan through this section. Let’s take a look at some of the top skills that are in demand for a production supervisor.
Hard Skills
- Production management
- Lean manufacturing
- Project management
- High product quality
- Inventory management
- Production schedules
- Process improvement
- Safety compliance
Soft skills
- Attention to detail
- Leadership skills
- Team building
- Strong communication skills
- Crisis management
Education
The minimum educational requirement for a production supervisor is a graduate degree in business or related fields. While stating your educational qualifications, include the following details.
- Degree earned
- Name of the college or university
- Graduation Date
Incorrect Example of an Education Section
INCORRECTXYZ College
Correct Example of an Education Section
CORRECTXYZ College, New York, NY
Graduation Date: April, 2014
Certifications
The presence of certifications on your resume heightens your credibility in the eyes of a potential employer. Certifications are a great way to update your skills and stay up to date with the latest practices in the manufacturing industry. This section can be the one thing that sets you apart from other applicants and give you an added advantage at landing the supervisor role. Here’s a list of some of the certifications that can be added to your production supervisor resume.
- Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration Certification (OSHA)
- Six Sigma Green Belt Certification
- Food Safety Manager Certification
- Certified Product Manager (CPM)
Extra Sections
If you have some space left over in your resume, we recommend that you explore the options of adding extra sections. These sections should contribute to advocating your candidacy for the position. We advise against adding unrelated extra curricular activities or hobbies as these have little to no value in your application process. These extra sections need to be a sensible extension of the essential sections mentioned in your resume. For example, if you are a part of a professional organization then you can mention that. If you speak more than one language, then that can also be a good addition to your resume. Let’s take a detailed look at some of the possible additional sections for your resume.
Professional Affiliations
Being a part of professional organizations solidifies your commitment to excel in the field of production and manufacturing. If you are a member of an organization directly related to your line of work, then it is a must to mention that on your production supervisor resume. Professional affiliations can elevate and distinguish your job application from other candidates. The following are some of the relevant organizations that would look amazing on your supervisor resume.
- Association for Supply Chain Management
- Production and Operation Management Society
- American Society for Quality
Languages
If you can fluently speak more than one language, we advise you to mention that in a separate section on your resume. Your job opportunities automatically expand if you have proficiency in multiple languages. You are not restricted to a particular location and have exponentially more career opportunities available to you. So, in your supervisor's resume, add in the languages that you have a command over and also mention your level of proficiency in each of them. (Basic or fluent)
Pro Tips for a Consistent and Structured Resume Layout
A good professional resume offers an easy reading experience and conveys your professional story effortlessly. To achieve that, it needs to be presented in a visually appealing way. This heightens your chances of grabbing the attention of a recruiter and getting shortlisted for an interview. In today’s competitive job market, you need to pay equal attention to the aesthetics and design of your resume. We have compiled a checklist of pro tips for you to follow while designing and formatting your production designer resume.
Choose a Readable Font
- Use readable and professionally accepted fonts like Calibri, Helvetica and Arial
- We advise picking sans serif fonts as they have a better track record of being readable on all devices.
- The standard font size for your resume is usually 10-12 points for the main body and 13-15 points for the headings.
- Make sure that you use the same font throughout your resume to maintain uniformity
Divide Your Resume into Clear Section Headings
- It is advisable to divide your production supervisor resume into clear sections for easy readability.
- Organize your resume and add different sections like contact information, resume summary, work experience, skills, education, achievements, certifications
- To ensure that your headings stand out, make them bold and keep the font size slightly larger than the font size of the main text.
Keep Consistent Formatting
- Make sure that you maintain consistent formatting throughout your production supervisor resume.
- Keep a minimalist approach to formatting and avoid the use of graphics, tables and columns.
- Keep styling to a minimum and use bold or italics to emphasize a section.
Stick to Bullet Points
- Bullet points are the most effective way to break down your professional information and present it in a concise way.
- It elevates the reading experience for a recruiter and helps win you extra brownie points for a clean and structured layout.
- Always list your prior work experience in bullet points and make sure you start each point with a string action verb.
Leave Sufficient White Space
- Having a measured amount of white space can make your resume visually appealing and helps avoid a messy and cluttered look.
- Leave enough white space between every section and within the main resume content.
- This keeps a check on overcrowding your resume with too much information.
Align Your Text
- Use a standard left alignment for a majority of your resume unless you are going for a more creative style.
- Make sure that each common element of every section is aligned in the same way like the dates, location, job title, bullet points etc.
Do Not Use Abbreviations
- Always assume that the recruiter might need all the information pertaining to your professional history which means avoiding the use of abbreviations, acronyms and industry jargon.
- It is possible that a recruiter might not be aware of certain abbreviations so it is paramount to write the full form of the abbreviations and acronyms that you wish to use.
Keep it Brief
- The length of your production supervisor resume should be around 1-2 pages long.
- An important practice in resume writing is to edit out any irrelevant information that is taking up extra space and extending the length of your resume.
- A recruiter will typically spend 6-8 seconds on your resume so it's best to keep it as brief as possible.
Always Proofread
- This an unskippable step before you officially start the job application process.
- There is no option for typographical, grammatical or spelling errors in your resume.
- Proofreading will also help you correct any formatting errors and inconsistencies which you might have not noticed earlier.
Learn to Make Your Production Supervisor Resume ATS-Friendly
A majority of companies have automated their hiring processes to help them sift through a large number of resumes. This has been made possible by the implementation of applicant tracking system softwares. ATS softwares is used to conduct the initial screening of applicants to find the top candidates for the position. In the simplest terms, it ranks the applicants on the basis of their resumes and creates a shortlist of the top applicants. Resumes that meet the criteria as per the job description are eligible for the next round of the recruitment process.
Understanding the Workings of an ATS Software
To make a resume that is compatible with ATS software, it is essential to understand the basic functioning and purpose of these softwares. With this knowledge you will be able to apply the correct filters to ensure your resume isn't rejected by the applicant tracking system.
- The job application process has been completely digitalized and the ATS software comes into play the moment you submit your application.
- The ATS parses through the data in your resume and organizes it in a structured and centralized database for easy accessibility.
- ATS systems match the requirements given in the job posting with the information provided on your resume. It will filter out the irrelevant resumes on the basis of keywords used in the skills, experience and other sections.
- ATS systems have their own ranking and scoring system for candidates and the resumes that are the most aligned with the job requirements rank higher and get to the next round of the hiring process.
Tips to Make an ATS-Friendly Resume
An ATS software stands in the way of your resume reaching an actual human recruiter. Making your resume ATS-friendly is a necessary step that every applicant needs to undertake to give themselves the best chance to get selected. Here are some simple measures you can take to better your chances of getting past any ATS software.
Comprehend the Job Requirements
- The job description of an employer’s job listing should set the tone of your own production supervisor resume.
- Reading the job requirements thoroughly offers you clues about the skills and qualifications that should be highlighted on your production supervisor resume.
Customize Resume as per the Job Description
- A generic resume in the current job market as each employer has their own set of distinct requirements they are looking for in a candidate.
- The practice of tailoring your resume as per the job description will make sure that your resume passes the ATS software’s filtering process.
Use an Online ATS Resume Template
- Many of the online resume templates have been optimized and designed to bypass the filtering process of the ATS softwares.
- Choose a template that has minimal formatting and add in the essential sections and you have an ATS resume in no time.
Use an ATS-Friendly Format
- Out of the three resume formats, the chronological format is the safest option to make sure your resume doesn't get rejected by ATS softwares.
- The chronological format where your experience is listed in a reverse chronological order is the best suited and most compatible with ATS softwares.
Use Clean and Simple Fonts
- ATS-friendly fonts include Arial,Calibri, Helvetica and Times New Roman. These score high on legibility and are the best choices for an ATS resume.
- Avoid using decorative fonts as those can confuse the software and promptly get your production supervisor resume rejected.
Label Each Section Clearly
- Label each section of your resume clearly.
- Use standard heading names - “Resume Summary”, “Experience”, “Skills”, “Education”, “Certifications”.
- This will help the ATS to identify main sections of your resume better and give you a better chance of going through the next round of the recruiting process.
Use the Correct Keywords
- One of the most important steps to make your production supervisor resume ATS friendly is to use the exact same keywords that have been used by the employer in their job description.
- It is important to note cram your resume with keywords unnecessarily and tactfully add in the ones that are relevant to accentuate your candidacy.
- Some of the important keywords in general for a production supervisor resume include production management, lean manufacturing, quality management, continuous improvement etc.
Avoid Abbreviations
- A simple rule of thumb is to remember that abbreviations do not work for either softwares or humans on your resume.
- Make sure to write the full form of every acronym so that there is no confusion.
Save Your Resume in a Standard File Type
- Most ATS softwares are compatible with word and PDF file types.
- Make sure that you have a resume version in both the file types.
- Scan the job posting to see if the employer has specified a certain file type for your resume and stick with that.
Proofread
- ATS software is extremely sensitive to grammatical spelling errors and formatting inconsistencies in your resume.
- We recommend proofreading and checking your resume more than once to be sure that there are no errors present in it.
Take Your Resume on a Test Run
- Before you dive into the application process, we suggest you check whether your production supervisor resume is ready to pass an ATS software.
- Pick one of the many ATS compatibility tools available online and see how your resume fares on it.
- Once you have had your resume reviewed you can make last minute adjustments and get your supervisor resume ready for any ATS software.
Complement Your Resume with a Cover Letter
In a highly competitive job market, you need to cover all your bases to ensure that your job application is flawless. Apart from having a competent resume, you always have the option to add a well-written cover letter. A cover letter gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your enthusiasm and showcase your eligibility for the position. Let's take a look at the key details to keep in mind while writing a cover letter for your production supervisor resume.
- It is important to address your cover letter to a specific person like the hiring manager and avoid general salutations.
- The opening statement of your letter should convey your excitement and eagerness for the position and answer why you are the most suitable person for the job.
- This is the perfect opportunity to show that you have done your research and understand the company policies and values. Mention how your own values align seamlessly with the company goals and objectives.
- Re-emphasize your skills, qualifications and elaborate on the relevant experiences that have prepared you for this particular job.
- It is always a good idea to give real life professional instances where you have had to exhibit a certain quality that is valued by an employer. For example, write about the moments in your career where you have led production teams and been a driving force behind the successful projects.
- Address the core requirements given by the employer. For example, if the job posting mentions quality control, safety procedures or process improvement initiatives then give a detailed explanation on how you excel in these areas.
- Make a strong and impactful closing statement to leave a lasting impression on the hiring manager.
- Make sure your cover letter is one page long and keep it focussed and to the point.
- Always proofread and edit your cover letter before submission.
If you would like more assistance, you can browse through our amazing cover letter templates and save yourself the hassle of making one from scratch.
Now you are fully equipped to start your resume writing journey to craft a job winning production supervisor resume. The trick lies in adding all the relevant information to your resume and optimizing it so that it gets noticed by recruiters and potential employers. If you would like to dive deeper into this process, then we highly suggest checking out our extensive collection of resume examples and templates. Incorporating the key elements and tips given in our guide, will surely get you one step closer to achieving your professional goals.
Summary
Let's summarize the important things to keep in mind while you make your production supervisor resume.
- Do your research and understand the role and duties of a production supervisor in the manufacturing industry.
- Choose the chronological format to effectively showcase your strong professional background.
- Create a professional header and include your important contact details on it.
- Write a powerful resume summary to highlight your skills, qualifications and suitability for the production supervisor position.
- Use bulleted lists to describe your key responsibilities for each of your previous roles and begin each sentence with a string action verb.
- Mention notable career highlights and achievements and support them with tangible examples.
- Include both your hard and soft skills to emphasize your eligibility for the position.
- Detail your educational background by mentioning the degree you have earned,name of college and your graduation date.
- Mention all the relevant certifications you have in your kitty to build a credible image in the eyes of a prospective employer.
- Add in extra sections like professional memberships and languages to make your production supervisor resume better.
- Maintain consistent and uniform formatting throughout your resume.
- Ensure that your resume has been designed keeping the ATS filter in mind.
- Write a stellar cover letter to show your enthusiasm and position yourself as a top candidate for the production supervisor role.
