Becoming a Supervisor

Promotion to supervisor is a major transition in anyones career. Not everyone formally becomes a supervisor of other staff members, but if you are around long enough chances are you will lead a team or a work project that requires you to direct others. This page is targeted to new supervisors but provides some resources that can help with leading a work group, either formally or informally. An article that may be helpful is Transition Guidance - 8 Tips to Transition from Co-Worker to Manager.

Becoming the Boss - Transition Meetings
Many organizations use Transition Meetings to bring a new supervisor on board. More information and examples on Transitions Meetings are provided below

• Transition Meeting Overview
• Example of new supervisor Who I Am outline
• Example of employee Who I Am outline

Training for Supervisors/Managers


• TEDS - Supervisor development course is a required course for supervisors. It is taken upon becoming a new supervisor and every 3 years while a supervisor. Access can be made through Total Employee Development (TED) or by Army Learning Management System (ALMS)
• Office of Personnel Management (OPM) - OPM Leadership Training
• Operations Project Manager PROSPECT Course
• Recommended training list for Operations Project Managers

Job Recruiting & Hiring

Finding new staff members is one of the most important functions of a supervisor/managers. Information on the process is provided here.

How To Become an Employer of Choice -- How do good supervisors and managers attract the brightest and the best? How do we compete against the recruiting budgets and the glitz that the private sector can offer? We have to work a little harder! To attract the best, we must maintain good relationships with the colleges and universities, the trade schools and the business colleges, and even the local public school systems. Job fairs, career fairs, shadowing, offering to speak at college classes/functions, a good program to attract interns, and a good volunteer program are ways to make contacts and place people in your work environment. The investment can be time-consuming, but the long-term benefits are substantial.

The Maze of Hiring Programs -- The Federal Government and the Corps have many different hiring programs to meet many different needs. As a supervisor, knowing the rules and purpose behind each program is essential. This link will take you to a comparison matrix covering the Temporary Appointments and Term Appointments. OPM provides guidance on programs for recruiting and hiring students and recent graduates.

As a Manager/Supervisor (Selecting Officials), How Do You Recruit for a Vacant Position? -- Recruiting to fill a vacant position is similar to hunting a job, only in reverse! Much of the work that was, in the past, performed by the local Human Resource Office, has been delegated to the selecting supervisor. As a supervisor/selecting official, you must:

• Determine if the position description is up to date (if not, then you need to update it and get it approved by your classifier).
• Determine the knowledges, skills and abilities needed for a position.
• Determine the keywords for the position. Keep in mind the keywords are the words that will be used in the artificial intelligence to match the application for your listing of candidates.

What Next? -- Most recruiting actions within the Corps of Engineers are subject to clearing the Priority Placement (Stopper) List. When a recruitment action is processed, each Division places specific information on the action. This information includes a specific code that would indicate any specific requirements that a candidate would need for that position. When an action is matched against the Priority Placement Program (federal employees who are being displaced from their current jobs), a code within the automated system will stop the action from proceeding. A review of the code(s) by a Human Resources employee at both ends of the action will determine if this is a true match. If so, the employee from PPP is placed into the position. If not, the action continues through the recruitment and hiring process.

You Have Your List! -- Now comes the easy part, selecting that perfect person for the position. There are generally three categories of candidates that can be qualified on your selection list. They are typically broken down to: Priority I, Priority II, and Priority III. Each priority denotes a different level of Veteran's Preference (5 CFR Ch.1, Subpart A 333.202) and dictates job offer considerations. Selecting officials must be careful to follow established guidance if more than one priority level is represented on the selection lists.

Time for the Interview - You have narrowed the list and it's time to interview the candidates. Interviewing is one of the most critical times in the selection of a potential candidate for both the selecting supervisor and the candidate. Bad interview techniques by the selecting official can render an interview meaningless, while a well-structured interview can be very enlightening to both the interviewer and the candidate.

Check References! -- One of the best things a selecting official can do is check the work references of potential hires. Going back three or even four references is ideal since the person you talk to is most likely far-removed from any potential situation and able to give an honest evaluation.

Not Done Yet! -- In the federal system, your selection must be reviewed and approved by your internal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Office. Once your selection has cleared EEO, you are well on your way to offering your selection the position. Be advised, each District Central Personnel Advisory Center (CPAC) have different approaches as to who may offer a position and how it may be offered. It is very advisable to discuss this with your local CPAC if you are unsure.