Hiring Playbook: 5 Questions that Reveal COACHABILITY

Experience gets candidates in the door.

Coachability determines how far they'll go.

If you're looking for someone who will grow with your team, these five questions can help you identify candidates who are open to learning, feedback, and continuous improvement.

1. "Tell me about a piece of feedback that changed the way you work."

Everyone receives feedback.

Coachable people can describe:

• What they were told

• How they responded

• What they changed

• The positive results that followed

If they struggle to think of an example, it may be a sign they don't actively seek feedback.

2. "Describe a time when you realized your original approach wasn't working."

Top performers don't cling to a failing strategy.

Listen for candidates who can admit they were wrong, pivot quickly, and explain what they learned from the experience. Adaptability is one of the clearest signs of coachability.

3. "What's a skill you've intentionally worked to improve over the past few years?"

The best candidates don't stop learning after onboarding.

Whether it's technical product knowledge, negotiation, presentation skills, or time management, coachable people usually have a clear answer because they're always investing in themselves.

4. "When you're starting a new role, how do you prefer to learn?"

This question reveals how someone approaches growth.

Listen for answers that include:

• Asking questions

• Shadowing experienced teammates

• Seeking customer feedback

• Taking notes

• Practicing until they're confident

People who actively own their learning often ramp up much faster.

5. "Tell me about a time you disagreed with your manager. What happened?"

You're not looking for blind agreement, you're looking for maturity.

Coachable people can respectfully disagree, remain open to another perspective, and move forward professionally.

The best candidates balance confidence with humility.

GRS Insight: We can teach products. We can teach systems. We can even teach sales processes. But it's much easier to develop someone who's eager to learn than someone who believes they already know everything.

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GRS Recruiting was founded in 1979 - serving clients in the manufacturing and distribution world by finding the best talent to meet their needs. Over the years we have focused on creating relationships within specific industry niches, gaining a deep understanding of the specific skills and traits required to help our clients grow their business and candidates fulfill their career aspirations.

For more information, please contact Betsy Lee at (440) 305-6374 or blee@grsrecruiting.com.