Thinking style
How the person processes information and solves problems.
The Occupational DNA® process
Define the job before you try to define the right person.
Occupational DNA® turns assessment information into a position-specific model for stronger hiring, succession, and job-fit decisions.
Occupational DNA® is a process. It is not software, a standalone assessment, or a generic personality profile.
The core idea
The résumé is the tip of the iceberg.
Experience matters, but it does not fully explain how someone will think, behave, stay engaged, or fit the demands of a specific job.
Occupational DNA® adds structured evidence beneath the surface. It begins with the work and uses the right assessment information to make the match more visible.
Three strands of insight
Understand the person in the context of the role.
Behavioral traits
How the person is likely to approach people, pace, structure, and change.
Interests
The work activities that may naturally sustain attention and motivation.
The Occupational DNA® process
Five steps. One living model of the job.
The model should evolve with the work. That is why the final step leads back to the first.
Select top performers
Identify employees who are successful in the same role using meaningful performance evidence.
Assess the pattern
Use PXT Select to understand shared ranges across thinking style, behavioral traits, and interests.
Create the model
Combine employee patterns with the real requirements and context of the position.
Evaluate candidates
Compare internal or external candidates with the role-specific model.
Refresh the code
Reassess the model as the job and organization evolve.
Job requirements
Position-specificPerformance Model
Candidate comparisonThe output
A Performance Model grounded in the real work.
The model creates a consistent reference point for comparing candidates, preparing interviews, and discussing fit without pretending any single score makes the decision.
Explore PXT Select →
Read the framework
Breaking the Code
Hiring Strategies, Occupational DNA®, & the Modern Organization explains how to move beyond surface-level hiring and build decisions around the natural demands of the work.
View the book on Amazon ↗Occupational DNA® questions
Clear answers about the process.
Is Occupational DNA® an assessment?
No. Occupational DNA® is a structured process developed by The Assessment Company to connect assessment data, job requirements, and patterns from successful employees. PXT Select is the primary assessment used within the process.
What information is included in Occupational DNA®?
The process considers thinking style, behavioral traits, and interests, along with the realities of the position and the organization.
How is an Occupational DNA® Performance Model created?
A model can be informed by the job itself, by assessment patterns among top performers, or by both. The goal is to define evidence-based ranges associated with success in that specific role.
Can an Occupational DNA® model be updated?
Yes. Models should be reviewed as jobs, teams, technology, and performance expectations change.
Does Occupational DNA® work with every assessment?
No. It is primarily led by PXT Select and can support selected other tools offered by The Assessment Company. It is not positioned with Everything DiSC®, CheckPoint 360°, or Step One Survey II®.