What are the pros and cons of being a supervisor?

Question

I'm supposed to do an interview for my supervisory class, but I don't know anyone in a supervisory position. If you are a answering this question, please tell me where you are a supervisor, if you don't mind. Thanks.

Answer 1

A supervisor is a broad title from building super who takes care of all problems of a large building, to employee super, to project super, to account super.  

I work in payroll processing and deal with 10 different supers, 2 of which are women, & they in turn are responsible for 140 people in the telecommunications business.  

So, first the cons from those I work with (which may not apply to everyone)>>

• You toil long hours > 10-14 per day with no extra money for working past 40 hours per week.

• You have a great deal of responsibility > when you don't make the numbers (where I'm at it's called productivity, others have a quota to make), you are immediately called into question >> Why did this happen?  What are you going to do to improve your performance?  Do we need to get someone else to do your job?  (Implying you'll soon be sacked if you don't improve.)

• You have to deal with a variety of employee issues & problems>> many workers will whine over their assignments, feign illness, not show up for work, say you're being unfair or discriminatory, & mostly have terrible attitudes.

• You have to be a master at persuasion & motivation>> remember, it's the workers who have to make your numbers.  Many of whom are slackers & don't give a whit about you as the boss.  Sometimes, it's just a matter of bringing in a box of doughnuts to improve morale.  Other times a good butt kicking & @ss chewing is necessary.  & you have to know what works for what worker > they will not all respond the same to your request to do a bang up job, so you can stay employed.  

And now for the pros >>

• If you are successful at managing people, you will one day be rewarded with a better job where you will have more responsibility & a few more dollars in your paycheck.  This might take years however to happen > at least where I work it does.

• You won't have to do to much physical work > but it will be mentally & emotionally draining to work with the whiners & cry babies you have to deal with day after day after day.

• You can impress your friends & families by saying you're in a prestigious position of management.  Never mind, that it's only 1st level & the work is tremendously taxing.  

That's about all I can come up with > as far as pay, many of the workers who put in overtime, will earn more than the boss. so that's not a positive I could post.