--- title: "Hiring for the Floor: What to Look for Beyond the Resume" description: The best floor hires aren’t always the ones with the flashiest resumes. What really matters is reliability, attitude, and a willingness to learn. image: https://go.factory.app/hubfs/Hiring%20for%20the%20Floor%20What%20to%20Look%20for%20Beyond%20the%20Resume.png --- [![Factory logo](https://go.factory.app/hubfs/Steel%20Sense/steel_sense_logo.png)](https://go.factory.app/steel-sense) ☰ - [Operations](https://go.factory.app/steel-sense/tag/workflow-operations) - [Leadership](https://go.factory.app/steel-sense/tag/people-leadership) - [Profitability](https://go.factory.app/steel-sense/tag/pricing-profit) - [Customer Experience](https://go.factory.app/steel-sense/tag/customer-experience) Subscribe Featured image for Hiring for the Floor: What to Look for Beyond the Resume # 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 really matters is reliability, attitude, and a willingness to learn - because those are the traits that lift standards across your whole workshop. What makes a great hire in the workshop has less to do with qualifications - and more to do with how they show up. ## Most Resumes Don’t Tell You What You Need to Know Sure, a resume might list experience, previous roles, or trade certifications. But that’s only half the story. The best floor hires often don’t have perfect paperwork - and the ones with the longest CVs aren’t always the best fit. So what should you be looking for? --- ## 1. Reliability 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. --- ## 2. Attitude and Coachability Workshops change. Teams evolve. You need people who are open to learning and not stuck in their ways. Look for people who: - Ask questions - Admit what they don’t know - Show curiosity about how your shop runs A positive attitude will outperform ego every time. --- ## 3. A Fit With Your Floor A great hire isn’t just a good worker - they’re a good fit. That doesn’t mean everyone has to be the same. It means they should complement the way 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. --- ## 4. Pride in the Work Even if they’re green, you can usually spot someone who takes pride in what they build. Ask questions like: - What job are you most proud of? - What does a “job well done” look like to you? - What bugs you about bad workmanship? Their answers tell you what they care about - and how they’ll show up when no one’s watching. --- ## 5. A Willingness to Grow Whether they want to become a team lead or just run a job well, growth mindset matters. Do they talk about: - Learning new processes? - Getting faster or better at what they do? - Taking on more responsibility? If they’re already thinking about where they want to improve, that’s a great sign. --- ## Final Word Hiring for the floor isn’t just 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.   ## **Interview Questions for Workshop Floor Hires** - ## **1. Reliability** \- Can you walk me through what a typical workday looks like for you? \- Tell me about a time you had to manage a tough deadline. How did you approach it? \- How do you keep yourself accountable when no one is watching? ## **2. Coachability & Attitude** \- What’s something new you’ve learned recently on the job? \- Tell me about a time someone gave you feedback. How did you take it? \- How do you approach tasks you haven’t done before? ## **3. Culture & Team Fit** \- What kind of team environment helps you do your best work? \- How do you usually deal with a disagreement on the floor? \- What role do you usually play in a team setting? ## **4. Attention to Detail** \- What job or project are you most proud of? \- How do you know when a job is truly finished? \- What are some common mistakes you watch out for? ## **5. Willingness to Grow** \- Where do you see yourself a year from now in your work? \- Are there any areas or skills you’re actively trying to improve? \- What does ‘getting better’ look like for you on the job? These questions can help uncover who will not only do the job, but elevate your shop’s standards. **SUBSCRIBE TO STEEL & SENSE** Straight-talking advice for running a sharper, more profitable workshop. Subscribe [People & Leadership](https://go.factory.app/steel-sense/tag/people-leadership) ![Cathy Sparkes](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/f8ea860007afc9a31fdd59b4c76d9631) Cathy Sparkes Published July, 2026 **SUBSCRIBE TO STEEL & SENSE** Straight-talking advice for running a sharper, more profitable workshop. Subscribe ![Factory](https://go.factory.app/hubfs/Logos/Factory_Logo_Dark.png) **#1 PLATFORM FOR FABRICATORS** Learn more about Factory.app, the #1 platform for fabricators to create, track, plan and manage their jobs. [Chat to us](https://www.factory.app/chat-to-our-team/?hsCtaAttrib=141738235035) ### More in ‘People & Leadership’ [People & Leadership Your First Production Meeting Agenda (and Why It Matters)](https://go.factory.app/steel-sense/your-first-production-meeting-agenda-and-why-it-matters) [People & Leadership How to Handle Pricing Pushback Without Discounting](https://go.factory.app/steel-sense/steel-sense-how-to-handle-pricing-pushback-without-discounting) [People & Leadership How to Give Feedback Without Starting a Fight](https://go.factory.app/steel-sense/steel-sense-how-to-give-feedback-without-starting-a-fight) [![Are We Thinking Too Small? Rethinking Low-Profit Jobs](https://go.factory.app/hubfs/Are%20We%20Thinking%20Too%20Small%20Why%20chasing%20low-profit%20jobs%20might%20be%20holding%20you%20back.png) People & Leadership Are We Thinking Too Small? 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Subscribe [Factory.app](https://factory.app) © 2026 Factory ### SUBSCRIBE TO STEEL & SENSE Built for fabricators who want to lead better, work smarter, and stay in control. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Cathy Sparkes", "url" : "https://go.factory.app/steel-sense/author/cathy-sparkes" }, "dateModified" : "2026-07-22T20:33:08.845Z", "datePublished" : "2026-07-22T20:32:46.000Z", "headline" : "Hiring for the Floor: What to Look for Beyond the Resume", "image" : [ "https://go.factory.app/hubfs/Hiring%20for%20the%20Floor%20What%20to%20Look%20for%20Beyond%20the%20Resume.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://go.factory.app/steel-sense/where-are-all-the-good-people-rethinking-how-you-attract-talent", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://go.factory.app/hubfs/logo-color-1.png" }, "name" : "Factory Technologies Pty Ltd" } } ```