any tips or help for taking the p/t supervisor test tommrrow

[pkg handler]

well i know i going to get the standard , regualr over used one liners how mangement is evil or dont do it .. I'm only taking the test nothing is final..so if anybody has any tips or what specifically they are looking for in this test please feel free to help

thanks

[Fnix]

Fall on your head before the test.

[pkg handler]

Originally Posted by Fnix

Fall on your head before the test.

ok theres one.... anybody with a reasonable response

[UPS Lifer]

Put the answer down that you would do. Do not try to pick the answer you think they want to hear. This generally will show an inconsistency in your thought process which will cause a lower score.

[Ghost in the Darkness]

From what I've seen so far in my time at UPS I've noticed most sups are cross-overs who either couldn't handle or didn't like to do the work we drivers and package handlers do. Kinda sheds some light on how things get screwed up so much. Can't do it but want to be in charge of people who can do it... ?!

[pkg handler]

Originally Posted by Ghost in the Darkness

From what I've seen so far in my time at UPS I've noticed most sups are cross-overs who either couldn't handle or didn't like to do the work we drivers and package handlers do. Kinda sheds some light on how things get screwed up so much. Can't do it but want to be in charge of people who can do it... ?!

o i can hack it .. ( might ducks quote ) lol ...i was around 1 every 5k misloads ..so i was pretty good and regarded as one of the best in the building .. i was asked by my fulltime supe if i wanted to be a p/t supe for him .. the pay is better ..more money for school .. and i can load and think i would do a good job keeping a boxline in order .. they score the test .. by numbers like school test or another way ..I know they are looking for continuous answers but they could be all the wrong answers but answered similarily

[toonertoo]

I dont know what the test is, I was one ions ago (15 yrs) They just want to basically know how you work, if you are capable, and reasonable, of course these things may or may not apply now. They will ask about your education, and your experience, and will look at your your presentability. They will want to know what your plans after schooling are, I think, and your goals. Just be honest.
Dress businesslike, be on time. Try not to be overly nervous (easy to say) its just another person who probably started where you are now. And keep us posted.
And did I mention dress businesslike and be honest.
Good luck.

[Ghost in the Darkness]

If I were you I'd make sure you know what you are getting into. I was asked by three sups early on in my time at UPS to become a sup and I'm glad I didn't. How many years have you been with the company? If you've been there long enough than certainly you've seen enough reason not to do it? How is the pt sup turnover rate where you're at? Definitely make sure you know what you are getting into before you make the jump... you may regret it in the end.

[pkg handler]

Originally Posted by toonertoo

I dont know what the test is, I was one ions ago (15 yrs) They just want to basically know how you work, if you are capable, and reasonable, of course these things may or may not apply now. They will ask about your education, and your experience, and will look at your your presentability. They will want to know what your plans after schooling are, I think, and your goals. Just be honest.
Dress businesslike, be on time. Try not to be overly nervous (easy to say) its just another person who probably started where you are now. And keep us posted.
And did I mention dress businesslike and be honest.
Good luck.

well dressing business like will be hard because im taking the test right off my shift... so it looks like ill be in my pkg loading glory lol... he said its a computerized test

[pkg handler]

Originally Posted by Ghost in the Darkness

If I were you I'd make sure you know what you are getting into. I was asked by three sups early on in my time at UPS to become a sup and I'm glad I didn't. How many years have you been with the company? If you've been there long enough than certainly you've seen enough reason not to do it? How is the pt sup turnover rate where you're at? Definitely make sure you know what you are getting into before you make the jump... you may regret it in the end.

well in my part of the center there are 4 other p/t supes i talk to and they say the job is great and that they wouldnt go back to loading .. not 1 have left or quit in my area that I know of ..

[UpstateNYUPSer]

Coloring within the lines is an essential skill that you should possess to do well on the test.

Seriously, Lifer summed it up best. Don't put down what you think they want the answer to be, put down what you would actually do in the scenario presented to you.

On a side note, there is a P/T sup on the night sort that I used to coach in Little League baseball who still calls me Mr., although I have told him repeatedly just to call me Dave. He was in my daughter's class in high school. Although he is not one of my direct supervisors, I still give him the respect his position deserves and he affords me the respect that 19 years deserves.

[pkg handler]

Originally Posted by UpstateNYUPSer

Coloring within the lines is an essential skill that you should possess to do well on the test.

Seriously, Lifer summed it up best. Don't put down what you think they want the answer to be, put down what you would actually do in the scenario presented to you.

On a side note, there is a P/T sup on the night sort that I used to coach in Little League baseball who still calls me Mr., although I have told him repeatedly just to call me Dave. He was in my daughter's class in high school. Although he is not one of my direct supervisors, I still give him the respect his position deserves and he affords me the respect that 19 years deserves.

yes i know but if i answer say i come off too srong and not fit for the job because im honest .. but if i play to their aspects and be fair but firm .. and pick what they would like out of a supe :

say example question 1 :

employee 1 is acting up and refuses to work and doesnt like to listen to suggestions :

a.) tear him aprt on the spot
b) approach him and scrutinize him in the middle of the boxline
c ) try to reason with him
d) let it go and see if he comes around
e) have a talk with him and see what the problem is and what we can do to fix it

i'd pick e ... but they might not be looking for that ?

[UpstateNYUPSer]

Treat others the way that you would like to be treated while keeping in mind that you have a job to do as do the employees that you will be supervising.

I would also choose "e".

Relax, you will do just fine.

[UPS Lifer]

Originally Posted by UpstateNYUPSer

Treat others the way that you would like to be treated while keeping in mind that you have a job to do as do the employees that you will be supervising.

I would also choose "e".

Relax, you will do just fine.

As stated above...
Follow the Golden Rule - be firm, fair and consistent and don't over-think the answers. Follow a logical pattern of training or discipline.

The questions are not geared to be right or wrong. They are geared toward a pattern of how you would handle the situation using the guideline above. Also, anyone who tells you where they scored is pulling your leg. There is only a pass or fail based based on management style or guideline above.

I almost hesitate to even tell folks this because you are only hurting yourself if you over-think what type of management style UPS is looking for. There are many styles or variations that can all be successful as long as you follow the model above.

[pkg handler]

Originally Posted by UPS Lifer

As stated above...
Follow the Golden Rule - be firm, fair and consistent and don't over-think the answers. Follow a logical pattern of training or discipline.

The questions are not geared to be right or wrong. They are geared toward a pattern of how you would handle the situation using the guideline above. Also, anyone who tells you where they scored is pulling your leg. There is only a pass or fail based based on management style or guideline above.

I almost hesitate to even tell folks this because you are only hurting yourself if you over-think what type of management style UPS is looking for. There are many styles or variations that can all be successful as long as you follow the model above.

well i took it and the person who grades them was ironicly not in today so i'll have to wait until monday for the results..... but the guy who greeted me and set me up with the test said he looked over it and it looks like i pased but he couldnt say for sure because h wouldnt know til the person showed on monday and reviewed it.. i stayed consistent and did well with the math questions on it..

[UPS Lifer]

Remember this... If for some reason you did not pass, there is a lesson there. Take each lesson and learn from it. Every thing happens for a reason. I believe in purposeful synchronicity. You may want to read the thread ethics in management also!
I will think positive thoughts for you on Monday!

[tieguy]

Originally Posted by pkg handler

yes i know but if i answer say i come off too srong and not fit for the job because im honest .. but if i play to their aspects and be fair but firm .. and pick what they would like out of a supe :

say example question 1 :

employee 1 is acting up and refuses to work and doesnt like to listen to suggestions :

a.) tear him aprt on the spot
b) approach him and scrutinize him in the middle of the boxline
c ) try to reason with him
d) let it go and see if he comes around
e) have a talk with him and see what the problem is and what we can do to fix it

i'd pick e ... but they might not be looking for that ?

You'll see many questions of this type, though the wording would be a little more professional. Many questions where the scenario is similar and the options are similar. The test measures your ability to pick the most preferred answers consistently.

A you won't get in that context. You may get the disciplinarian type option which would not reflect well if you consistently picked that as your first option. A can be an option if you have had numerous problems with the same person.

b) not sure about that option but that one that is similar to D in that you basically do nothing to address the problem. Ignoring problems does not score well for obvious reasons.

E and C would obviously be your better options. E being the most preferred and C the next most preferred. In E you're trying to gather feedback from the employee on why he is behaving that way so that you can hopefully work towards a resolution. C you're not gathering feedback or input as much as you are selling.

When you take the test you will often see questions with a do nothing option, a but heads with authority option Or a call the boss with the problem option. In some scenarios those options may be the right one.

So lifer is right you're better off going with what you think the right answer for that scenario rather then trying to guess what the company wants.

However someone who addresses problems, solicits feedback from the employee and tries to develop win/win solutions will generally do better.

[atatbl]

Update?

[pkg handler]

Originally Posted by atatbl

Update?

well i took it today ... and actually it was a little more challeging then I thought, On some questions the internet would lag so much that i Thought I wouldnt have enough time to finish. I took it but with my luck the person that grades them wasn't there so i have to wait until Monday for the results.. but the guy who administered the test and set everything up said some hr pppl looked at ait and from the looks of it it looked like I passed it but he coudnt guarantee anything because the person who grades them wasnt there..so now i have to sweat it out until monday

[pkg handler]

Originally Posted by UPS Lifer

Remember this... If for some reason you did not pass, there is a lesson there. Take each lesson and learn from it. Every thing happen