These leaders dish out what they’re looking for in a new hire

Xaume Olleros | Bloomberg | Getty Images

John Seifert, chief executive officer of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide Inc.

For a global advertising and marketing agency like Ogilvy & Mather, it wouldn’t be unheard of for each employee to be passionate about the marketing space; yet when it comes to the company’s worldwide CEO, there are a few more qualities he has in mind.

First things first, Ogilvy & Mather’s John Seifert is looking for someone with “insatiable curiosity”.

“So I always, when I’m trying to either motivate someone to come to the company or I’m evaluating someone of joining the company, (observe) how much curiosity they have, how expansive their thinking is in terms of their life, their job, the things that they’re interested in, is really important to me,” Seifert told CNBC at Cannes Lions 2017.

Secondly, Seifert is a “big believer in context”. If individuals can put themselves in the shoes of somebody else who may have a perspective that conflicts with their own, but can then understand that perspective and formulate it into a point of view independently – then they’ll definitely win points with this CEO.

And finally: drive. “This is a tough world we live in, you want people who are not afraid to go for it and be brave,” Seifert concluded.