Inspiring Conversations with Dami Odunewu of Purpose Connect by DAMI

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dami Odunewu.

Hi Dami, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Something that weighs heavily on my heart is the lack of access to healthcare in third-world countries. 2007 is when my journey began. I was sitting in my living room in Lagos, Nigeria, when I suddenly began to see a vision of a healthcare outreach. I had lost a family friend who could not receive the blood he needed because his mom could not afford it. She searched for funds, but on returning to the hospital, her son passed. I remember being fourteen when this happened, and I just wept.

It was a no-brainer that God gave me a vision and a calling to provide access to healthcare to those who need it. I had found my calling and wanted to help others do the same. This is my why for the life and business I have established today. I started by developing a purpose strategy program to help people discover themselves so they can be fulfilled in their work. Then I customized it for high schoolers, college students, and young professionals. Also, I developed the DAMI Go-Giver Leadership Certificate Program and the DAMI Ultimate Team Party; both geared towards helping leaders and teams foster a safe and inspiring workplace. It is essential that when a worker discovers their way, they also find a workplace that’ll enable what they bring to the table.

In 2018, I realized my clients would have trouble getting in front of their prospective employer(s). I discovered that the problem was the job application overwhelm. There is an average of 250 applications per job posting, so it is nearly impossible for HR leaders to see every candidate’s application even after spending about 6 seconds looking at each application. I wanted to introduce a different approach. I believe if HR leaders are presented with the people they need in a much less quantity, they’ll have a better chance of seeing the candidate(s) right in front of them.

Purpose Connect is a no-resume hiring platform targeted and personalized for candidate-employer job matches. Our mission is to make hiring more human. I developed an algorithm that helps reduce the job application overwhelm by 96% while qualifying candidates for employers.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Haha! Is there such a thing as a smooth road? When I started this journey, I wanted to provide a solution. For me, there has been a learning curve. Before purpose connect, my work was very centered on healthcare nonprofits. Since the beginning, I have researched and learned all things business. I have tested business and market strategies and failed and retested them. Thankfully, I’m not on the journey alone. We have a team of consultants, interns, and contractors.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Purpose Connect by DAMI?
Our mission is to make hiring more human. Purpose Connect is a no-resume hiring platform targeted and personalized for candidate-employer job matches.

There are five components that makeup Purpose Connect:
1. No resume: We believe resumes are a distraction from a person and what they bring to the table. Purpose Connect collects essential data into a standard profile format so that no matter the candidate, employers know exactly where to look for what.

2. Limited job matches: We believe less is more. The chances of getting qualified candidates aligned with an organization’s mission, culture, and values are meager when HR leaders are overwhelmed with an average of 250 applications, with only 10% being qualified.

3. Comprehensive: Purpose Connect is an all-in-one platform with references ready once the job offer is made.

4. Fixed rate: Purpose Connect is not a pay-per-view, pay-per-click, or pay-per-application revenue model. Instead, it’s a subscription model based on employers’ number of HR leaders/users. Organizations will have the opportunity to set the annual budget and trust that the number of job openings will not change the cost of using the platform.

5. Leader reviews: A big goal for our business is to look at organizations months to years from now and see transformed workplaces. Candidates can see who their direct supervisor will be and how they are rated, including what their team is saying about them. The why is leader accountability and increase in employee retention.

We are currently beta testing which is free for employers and job seekers. Anyone can join our beta testing by visiting purposeconnect.us.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I’m a single mom of a super amazing four-year-old boy. I started this journey right before losing my marriage which taught me that there is always a way forward, no matter the challenge or obstacle.

Contact Info:

• Website: purposeconnect.us
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purposeconnect.us/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purposeconnect.us
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/purposeconnect3