This document discusses understanding candidate motivations by identifying their "DNA". It introduces the concept of candidate DNA as having four core dimensions: capacity, character, competency, and culture fit. Recruiters are often mistaken in their assumptions about what candidates want. Instead, recruiters should uncover a candidate's individual drivers within each of the four dimensions by asking questions to understand the "what, why, when, and how" of their key motivations around pain, pleasure, pursuit, and personal needs. Identifying a candidate's true DNA allows recruiters to better evaluate overall fit and attract the right people for open roles.

1. 1
Steve Lowisz
Candidate DNA:
Presented by:
Steve Lowisz
What Makes Them Tick and
How to Attract Them

2. 2
• Points to Ponder:
– The Lie - What candidates want in an employer.
– The Pit - Understand the dangers of assumptions.
– The Problem - Review the assumptions we make when recruiting.
– The Possibility - Identify the definition of candidate DNA.
– The Path - Uncover each candidate’s DNA.
Learning Objectives

3. 3
The Lie

4. 4
Opinion #1 – Jan 2017
• Meaning
• Cultural Fit
• Advancement Opportunities
• Work Life Balance
• Like Minded Team
• Vacation Allowance
• Recognition
Opinion #2 – Feb 2017
• Work at Home Options
• Compensation
• Work Life Balance
• Career Opportunities
• Market Reputation
• Perks/Benefits
• Personal Development
The Lie – What Candidates Want

5. 5
• Make a positive impact on the
organization
• Help solve social and/or
environmental challenges
• Work with a diverse group of
people
• Work for an organization best
in the industry
• Do work they are passionate
about
• Work life balance
• Career Opportunity
• Financial Security
The Lie – Millennials

6. 6
The Pit

7. 7
• The CLIFF - Are all
assumptions dangerous?
• The DRIFT - The dangers of
assumptions.
• The SHIFT - Avoiding
assumptions
• The LIFT - Moving from
Assumptions to Questions
The Pit

8. 8
• Not if based in rules set
by social contracts:
– Driving rules
– Tango steps
– Person yielding a gun
– Etc……
• Yes if assumptions are
based in people’s
– Gender
– Heritage
– Generation/Age
– Political Opinion
– Sexual Orientation
– Etc……
The Cliff – Are they all dangerous?

9. 9
Discrimination
Categorizing
People
Removing
Individuality
Lack of
Empathy
Lack of
Curiosity
Lack of
Relationship
Building
Lack of
Understanding
Lack of
Anticipation
The Drift – Dangers of Assumptions

10. 10
• Perspective
– Some people are color blind
– Some people are athletic and
others are not
– Some people need to be
around others
– Some people are right handed
and some are left handed
• Experiences
– School away vs at home
– Single vs dual parent home
The Drift – Assumptions Mislead

11. 11
• Why do we assume?
– Its easier and a shortcut
– We are taught to assume
(surveys, reports, Media)
– Not assuming means not
knowing
– Its faster in the beginning
to assume
– Not assuming means we
are all different
The Drift – Assumptions are Easy

12. 12
• Awareness – What do we believe?
– Assumption make us believe in a single perspective
– Remember each person has a different perspective
– Assuming creates “I’m right and you are wrong”
– What is the assumption you are making
• Investigation - Why do we believe it?
– What are the facts behind the assumption?
– Experienced or taught?
– Are the facts true? How do you know?
The Shift – Avoiding Assumptions

13. 13
The Lift – Asking Questions

14. 14
• Learn more about the person
• Understand individual drivers/motivators
• Understand individual de-motivators
• Clarify understanding of the person and situation
• Influence decision making
• Develop emotional intelligence
The Lift - Results

15. 15
The Problem

16. 16
• You’re a millennial………..
• You really won’t relocate………
• You’re gonna be
expensive………
• You wont be loyal………
• You have been there too long
to move………
• You should work for us
because………
• Unconscious bias………
• Etc………
The Problem – Recruiting Assumptions

17. 17
The Possibility
What is candidate DNA

18. 18
• Dimension of Necessary Attributes
– Core 4
The Shift – Candidate DNA
• Capacity
• Character
• Competency
• Culture Fit

19. 19
• The Core 4 Defined
– Capacity – Does the candidate have the training/education
to do the job?
– Character – Has the candidate shown they want to do the
job?
– Competency - Does the candidate have the
ability/behaviors to do the job?
– Culture – Does the candidate do the job the way the
company does or wants to?
The Possibility – Candidate DNA

20. 20
• Capacity & Character MUST be matched with
Competency & Culture
– Capacity determines fit for the function
– Competency determines fit for the job
– Character determines fit for the career
– Culture determines fit for the company
The Possibility – Competency/Culture

21. 21
• Mark Murphy’s “Hiring for Attitude”
– States 46% of newly hired employees will fail within 18
months, attributed to non-technical or non-skill related
items.
• Coachability
• Emotional Intelligence
• Motivation
• Temperament
• Technical Competence
89%
11%
The Possibility – Why we get it wrong?

22. 22
The Possibility – Why we get it wrong?

23. 23
• Reality
– Most recruiting processes focus on a candidate’s
experience - skills
– Most recruiting processes drive transactional behavior
– Most recruiting processes/interviews do not focus on a
complete understanding of an individual’s multiple
dimensions
– Most recruiting processes skip identifying true
candidate drivers within the Core 4 (What drives them
and why!)
The Possibility – Why we get it wrong?

24. 24
The Path
Uncover each candidates DNA

25. 25
• Dimension of Necessary Attributes
– Core 4
The Path – Candidate DNA
• Capacity
• Character
• Competency
• Culture

26. 26
Core 4 – Company
• Capacity– Does the candidate
have the training/education to
do the job?
• Character – Has the candidate
shown they want to do the job?
• Competency - Does the
candidate have the
ability/behaviors to do the job?
• Culture – Does the candidate
do the job the way the company
does or wants to?
Core 4 - Candidate
• Pain – What the candidate has
and does not want?
• Pleasure – What does the
candidate has and wants?
• Pursuit - What does the
candidate does not have and
wants?
• Personal – What the candidate
needs?
The Path – Candidate DNA

27. 27
• What
– Stick with the facts
– Not good or bad, it just “is”
– If you don’t nail this down, the other keys don’t matter
– Not complex - clear
• Why
– The why behind the what matters to each person
– The why helps you understand the purpose – what do
they stand for?
The Path – Understand the Keys

28. 28
• When
– What are the time
constraints put on
outcomes?
– Are they realistic?
– Is it urgent?
• How
– What is the action plan to
achieve the outcome?
– Does an action plan exist?
(Changing jobs?)
The Path – Understand the Keys

29. 29
• Pain
– What does the candidate has and does not want?
• What – Boss
• Why – He/she is a micro-manager
• When – I have been dealing with it because the pay
me well.
• How – I am going to ask for more money to keep
putting up with his/her crap.
The Path – Applying the Keys

30. 30
• Pleasure
– What does the candidate have and wants?
• What – Work from home twice weekly
• Why – I get more accomplished at home
• When – I just started two weeks ago
• How – It’s a nice perk but not a deal killer
The Path – Applying the Keys

31. 31
• Pursuit
– What does the
candidate not have and
wants?
• What – VP Title
• Why – I have been a
director for 3 years
• When – It needs to be
before the end of the year
• How – If I don’t get it
here, I will get it
elsewhere
The Path – Applying the Keys

32. 32
• Personal
– What does the candidate NEED?
• What – Flex time Tuesday & Thursday morning
• Why – My daughter/son is special needs
• When – I have had it for the past 5 years
• How – I cannot make a change since I care for him/her
The Path – Applying the Keys

33. 33
• Points to Ponder
– The Lie - What candidates want in an employer.
– The Pit - Understand the dangers of assumptions.
– The Problem – Assumptions we make when recruiting.
– The Possibility- Identify the definition of candidate DNA.
– The Path - Uncover each candidate’s DNA.
• Core 4
– Capacity, Character, Competency, Culture
– Pain, Pleasure, Pursuit, Personal
Conclusion

34. 34
• Keys
– What
– Why
– When
– How
• Using the Key to
Unlock the Core 4
makes available the
real motivators of
each candidate.
Conclusion

35. 35
Steve Lowisz
Candidate DNA:
Presented by:
Steve Lowisz
What Makes Them Tick and
How to Attract Them