supervisor Archives - That's Good HR

When Erin McLennan was about to graduate college, she wasn’t sure where she would land a job. She was no stranger to working, since she had been employed at a local hospital while balancing her studies. Erin majored in Psychology but was unsure if she wanted to head to graduate school or seek full time employment upon graduation.

Some of her friends from the hospital had used That’s Good HR (TGHR) to find a job, so Erin decided to reach out to a recruiter at our office. She made an interview appointment and met staffing manager Kate Stephens. Shortly after interviewing with TGHR, Erin was offered a position at an innovative company in Carmel as a lending associate on a temporary basis. After a few short months, her role converted to a permanent position and six months after that, based on her performance, she was made a supervisor.

After just two years at the company, Erin had gone from being a TGHR candidate to a TGHR client responsible for her own team. She was confident in the quality of TGHR temporary employees and knew it would make hiring employees a breeze.

Erin is now a product manager in the technology field working with software engineers. She credits TGHR for finding a career field that she is not only passionate about, but also excelling in. Erin never would have guessed she would be in the technology field after college. She is thankful she found a position where she can use her knowledge and creativity at the same time.

Erin’s favorite thing about working with TGHR could be credited to her psychology background. She loved having someone to go to as a mentor to counsel her through her job seeking journey. Erin felt supported by Kate right after college and found it helpful to know she had someone in her corner.

As a client, Erin appreciated TGHR’s high-level of customer service. When Erin was busy supervising 20 people, she was grateful that there was always a live person picking up the phone at TGHR if she had an issue or needed additional employees. When hiring, Erin looks for someone with a good personality and willingness to learn, just the type of candidates TGHR likes to work with – a perfect fit!

When she’s not working, Erin enjoys the outdoors with her black lab, Charlie, and is keeping busy planning her upcoming wedding. Wedding details can be stressful, but hiring decisions are not thanks to That’s Good HR!

You likely spend at least half of your waking hours at your job, often working closely with a superior. It should come as no surprise a good relationship with your boss is important not only to your career, but to your happiness at work—and even life. And while many supervisors are great leaders, mentors, and teachers, some may be harder to work for. No matter what kind of boss you have, you can enhance your working relationship with these seven tips:

Be Trustworthy. Trust is the foundation for any relationship, and the same goes for your supervisor. Put your best foot forward and follow through on deadlines, do what you say you’ll do, and be on time. If you consistently do your best, you’ll gradually build trust and a solid relationship.
Be a Problem-Solver. Many people make the mistake of seeking advice from their boss without first doing a little legwork. When you’re in a trouble spot, brainstorm two or three solutions before going to your manager with the problem. Your supervisor will appreciate your effort.
Be Observant. Notice the times your boss is typically in a good mood. Is she a morning person? If not, that’s probably not the best time to approach with a problem or concern. Is there a certain time of the month when his workload weighs heavily? Then consider waiting to have that conversation about a raise or promotion.
Be Open to Criticism. Negative feedback can be hard to hear, but try not to take it personally. Hopefully your manager only aims to improve your performance with the insights. Expect feedback to come, and prepare yourself to handle it professionally.
Be Flexible. You can’t change your boss, but you can change yourself. This includes your attitude, communication style, and even expectations. Bending appropriately to accommodate your boss’s working style, personality, and communication can make or break your rapport.
Be a Good Communicator. If you have a question or a problem with your work, don’t hold just stew on it. Set a time to discuss your issues with your manager and come to an agreement. It’s okay to be unhappy about being assigned extra work when you’re overloaded, but it’s not fair to your boss to just fume about it without discussing. Communicate directly and clearly and avoid going behind your boss’s back to others.
Be Respectful. Yep, respect really is a two-way street. If you want respect from your boss, you’ll have to delve out a big helping first. Sometimes that’s difficult when your supervisor does things differently than you would, but challenge yourself to be respectful anyway.

Learning to get along with your boss starts with you. A positive attitude and an open mind will set you up for success as you build a great relationship with your manager. And when the going gets tough, remember it’s better to build bridges than to burn them. You never know how the relationship with your boss will impact your future.

supervisor

From Candidate to Client

How to Work Better With Your Boss