First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand

/ Career Discovery, Conventional (Organizers), Enterprising (Persuaders), High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Career Overview

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of helpers, laborers, or material movers, hand.

Also Known As

  • Receiving Supervisor
  • Shipping Supervisor
  • Warehouse Manager
  • Warehouse Supervisor

Alternate Job Titles

  • Agency Operator
  • Aircraft Cleaning Supervisor
  • Boat and Plant Utility Supervisor
  • Building Materials Supervisor
  • Car Cleaning Supervisor
  • Car Wash Supervisor
  • Carpenter Labor Supervisor
  • Chute Boss
  • Circus Supervisor
  • Circus Train Supervisor
  • Cleaning Supervisor
  • Dock Boss
  • Field Pipe Lines Supervisor
  • Floor Supervisor
  • Freight Loading Supervisor

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

  • Maintain a safe working environment by monitoring safety procedures and equipment.
  • Collaborate with workers and managers to solve work-related problems.
  • Review work throughout the work process and at completion to ensure that it has been performed properly.
  • Inform designated employees or departments of items loaded or problems encountered.
  • Inspect equipment for wear and for conformance to specifications.
  • Prepare and maintain work records and reports of information such as employee time and wages, daily receipts, or inspection results.
  • Transmit and explain work orders to laborers.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

  • Customer and Personal Service

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

  1. Coordination
  2. Speaking
  3. Management of Personnel Resources

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

  • Oral Comprehension
  • Oral Expression
  • Written Comprehension
  • Speech Recognition
  • Speech Clarity
  • Deductive Reasoning
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Inductive Reasoning
  • Near Vision
  • Selective Attention

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

  • Leadership Orientation
  • Dependability
  • Cooperation
  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

  • Support
  • Independence
  • Relationships
  • Achievement
  • Working Conditions

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
  • Oracle Database
  • SAP software

Tools & Equipment

  • Banding machines
  • Barcode scanners
  • Claw hammers
  • Desktop computers
  • Dollies
  • Forklifts
  • Glue guns
  • Hand planes
  • Hand saws
  • Handtrucks
  • Hoisting hooks
  • Hydraulic jacks
  • Hydraulic winches
  • Lift trucks
  • Material-hoisting slings

Work Environment

  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  • Contact With Others
  • E-Mail
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
  • Frequency of Decision Making

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Median Salary: $78,300

First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers

Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Median Salary: $71,190

First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators

Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Median Salary: Varies

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers

Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)

Median Salary: $78,690

First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants

Education: Not specified

Median Salary: Varies

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.

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