Hiring for the floor: what to look for beyond the resume

THE SHORT VERSION

The best floor hires aren't always the ones with the flashiest resumes. What matters is reliability, attitude, and a willingness to learn, plus a set of interview questions you can run through below.

What makes a great hire in the workshop has less to do with qualifications and more to do with how they show up. A resume lists experience and tickets, but that’s only half the story, the best floor hires often don’t have perfect paperwork, and the longest CVs aren’t always the best fit. So what should you look for?

01Reliability over everything

You can teach someone to run a press brake. You can’t teach them to show up every day, on time, ready to work:

→Do they communicate clearly?
→Do they seem like someone who follows through?
→Would your team rely on them when it counts?

Skill matters, but not if they’re inconsistent or unavailable.

02Attitude and coachability

Workshops change and teams evolve, you need people open to learning, not stuck in their ways. Look for people who ask questions, admit what they don’t know, and show curiosity about how your shop runs. A positive attitude will outperform ego every time.

03A fit with your floor

A great hire isn’t just a good worker, they’re a good fit, someone who complements how your team operates:

→Do they take pride in their work?
→Do they treat others with respect?
→Can they hold pace without cutting corners?

Culture fit doesn’t mean beers on Friday. It means shared standards and a common work ethic.

04Pride in the work

Even if they’re green, you can usually spot someone who takes pride in what they build. Ask what job they’re most proud of, what a ‘job well done’ looks like to them, and what bugs them about bad workmanship. Their answers tell you how they’ll show up when no one’s watching.

05A willingness to grow

Whether they want to become a team lead or just run a job well, a growth mindset matters. If they’re already talking about learning new processes, getting faster, or taking on more responsibility, that’s a great sign.

IN THE INTERVIEW

Questions to ask floor hires

0/10 done

☐Reliability: walk me through what a typical workday looks like for you

☐Reliability: how do you stay accountable when no one’s watching?

☐Attitude: what’s something new you’ve learned on the job recently?

☐Attitude: tell me about a time you got feedback, how did you take it?

☐Fit: what kind of team environment helps you do your best work?

☐Fit: how do you deal with a disagreement on the floor?

☐Detail: what job are you most proud of, and how did you know it was finished?

☐Detail: what common mistakes do you watch out for?

☐Growth: where do you see yourself a year from now?

☐Growth: what skill are you actively trying to improve?

FINAL WORD

Hiring for the floor isn’t about ticking boxes, it’s about finding people who can grow with your business, and help it grow too.

Look past the resume. Listen to what they value. And trust your gut on whether they’ll lift the standard, or lower it.

WRITTEN BY

Paul Lutkajtis · Founder, Factory

Paul writes Steel & Sense for owners who would rather run a sharper shop than a bigger one. Factory is the software he always wished he had on the floor.