Interviewing for High Potential

How to spot growth, coachability, and upward trajectory in your next hire.

Hiring for a startup (or any team) is about finding people who can grow.

You don’t just need someone who can do the job today, you need someone who can stretch, adapt, take on new responsibilities, and level up as the business scales.

That’s why I often weigh the potential of a candidate above things like experience or pedigree. These are people who may not check every box right now, but they have the mindset, curiosity, and drive to take on more and learn fast.

Here are five of my favorite questions to help identify high-potential talent.

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1. What’s a skill you’ve developed that didn’t come naturally to you?

This question uncovers grit and work ethic.

High-potential candidates tend to seek growth proactively and are gritty (I love grit). I’m looking for people who’ve pushed through discomfort, made progress, and can clearly articulate what they learned.

Bonus: ask both “what do you expect to learn in this role?” and “if you have this role what do you expect to teach us?” Their answer tells you how they approach their own growth and contribute to the growth of their team.

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2. Tell me about a time you took on something that felt too big for you.

Building something new is full of moments where the scope outpaces the org chart. This question reveals self-awareness, agency, and adaptability.

Look for:

• How they handled the ambiguity

• What they did to get unstuck

• How they reflect on the experience now

The best answers show humility, creative problem-solving, and most importantly: action.

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3. Tell me about a piece of critical feedback you received that was hard to hear. What did you do with it?

This tests for coachability, openness to feedback, and the ability to apply it.

High-potential people tend to seek out and integrate feedback. They also know how to handle hard truths and while it can be challenging, they know the value of radical candor. If a candidate struggles with this question or gives a vague answer, it’s a red flag for growth ceiling.

Bonus: ask “did you agree with this feedback?” or “have you ever received critical feedback you disagreed with?” Both of these questions dig deeper into how the candidate takes direction.

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4. Tell me about a time you took on a responsibility that no one asked you to do?

This is a way to understand ambition and self-direction. The best hires you can ever make never need to be told what to do. They just constantly make things better around them.

You’re looking for:

• Understanding of broader goals

• Sense of pride in company and team

• Self-driven action

• Alignment with the team

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5. Who’s the best manager or mentor you’ve had, and what did they teach you?

This reflects the candidates ability to ask for help, and invest in themselves. Finding and maintaining a strong mentor relationship is real work which reflects investment. Acknowledging the need for help and support shows self-reflection.

The answer I want to hear would cover specific lessons learned, and appreciation for feedback. If the candidate has never had a mentor, ask them why. This can be very revealing about how the individual approaches their growth.

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Final Thoughts

Hiring for high potential is about betting on trajectory, not track record. These questions help reveal how a candidate learns, adapts, and pushes themselves beyond what’s expected.

Look for signs of agency, self-driven growth, resilience under pressure, and intellectual curiosity. That means you’re likely talking to someone who will grow with the company and help the company grow.

High-potential people are unstoppable and if you can foster their growth they will be the best hires you have ever made.