Plant manager resumes tend to look alike: cost savings, safety improvements, a list of tools. Five checks separate what the candidate did from what the plant did.
First, responsibilities. Look for headcount, revenue, shifts and products. If the resume gives percentages without a base, ask for the base. A 30 percent improvement from a bad starting point is a different story than the same figure from a good one.
Second, tenure and timing. Two years at a plant that was a turnaround is not the same as two years at a stable site. Ask what state the plant was in when they arrived and when they left.
Third, who reported to them. Were supervisors direct reports? Did engineering, quality and maintenance report in, or did they sit elsewhere? A plant manager who never handled those functions will learn them on your time.
Fourth, how they describe the team. Strong plant managers name people they developed and say where those people are now. If every success is described in the first person, ask about the team.
Fifth, why they are moving. Good reasons are specific: a sale, a closure, a ceiling. Vague reasons deserve a second question. We ask all five early, so the shortlist you receive has already been through them.