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.
The core idea
The résumé is the tip of the iceberg.
Occupational DNA® is a five-step, position-specific process that uses assessment data from top-performing employees to define what success looks like and evaluate candidates for job fit.
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.
See the process
A clear introduction to Occupational DNA®.
Watch this short overview to see how the process connects job requirements, assessment evidence, and performance modeling for hiring, promotion, and development decisions.
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 job-specific model.
Each step builds evidence—from proven employees in the role through candidate comparison—to make job fit clearer and more consistent.
Select top-performing employees
Identify employees who consistently succeed in the same job using meaningful performance evidence and input from leaders who understand the role.
Assess Your Stars
Assess the selected top-performing employees with PXT Select to capture their Occupational DNA® and reveal what success looks like in that specific job.
Create the ODNA® Performance Model
Analyze the top performers’ results to identify shared ranges and patterns, then use that evidence to create a model for the specific job.
Assess internal or external candidates
Administer the same assessment consistently to candidates being considered for hiring, promotion, or succession.
Identify Occupational DNA® matches
Compare each candidate’s results with the Performance Model to reveal alignment, guide structured interviews, and support—not replace—the final decision.
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?
Occupational DNA® is a structured five-step 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®.