A supervisor is a manager at the first level of management, which means that employees
reporting to the supervisor are not themselves managers.
Each student is to conduct an interview about managerial supervision with a business professional in an industry of your choice. You should contact the individual early in the semester, so that you will have flexibility and time to schedule the interview, conduct the interview, and allow sufficient time to write the reflection paper by the due date.
IMPORTANT!When you contact the individual, please be courteous and professional during the entire process.Explain that you are completing an assignment for Industrial Supervision and are interested in scheduling approximately thirty minutes to meet and discuss their experiences as a supervisor within their field.Be on time for your interview, whether it is conducted in person or over the phone. Finally, make sure to thank the individual after the interview, which always helps in maintaining strong professional contacts. Send a Thank You note as soon as the interview is complete.
After the interview, the student will submit two (2) documents:
• The first document will consist of actual interview results/notes. In all likelihood, you will be taking notes by hand and, thus, will have a handwritten document. You may scan this document or take an image of it, perhaps with your smart phone, and place it in the provided digital drop box space.
• Subsequently, each student must also submit a reflection paper. This paper should synthesize what you have learned from the interview. While the summary will not necessarily be exhaustive, it should include key content from the interview questions that you consider the most relevant as well as your personal reactions to or thoughts on what was covered.
Both documents should be turned in by the due date shown above.
The attached list of questions should be incorporated into the interview. Feel free to modify the general questions to be suitable for the industry, the professional you interview, and the flow of the interview. However, please make sure that all questions listed are addressed in some way. You may also add your own questions/discussions.
The reflection paper must meet the following guidelines:
• At least two pages in length (body of the paper must be at least two pages);
• No more than three pages in length;
• Double-spaced;
• Standard one inch margins on all sides;
• Times New Roman / 12 point font; and
• Correct spelling and grammar.
Interview Questions
Date & Time of Interview
Name & Title of Interviewee
Describe your present position and career progression for an individual to hold this type of position.
Describe the organization and industry where you work, such as number of employees, types of employment positions, services, and products.
What are the most rewarding aspects of your job?
What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
What would a typical day be like for someone in your position?
What is the mission, vision, and values of the organization?
Does your company do strategic planning and are you involved in the process in your position?
Could you summarize the general hiring process for vacancies?
How are employees recruited, trained, and retained?
How would you describe the culture of the company?
What characteristics do you consider important for the type of job that you have?
What advice would you give an undergraduate student who might be interested in this professional career or what type of educational and community experiences would be relevant to the job?