The Personality and Preference Inventory, better known by the acronym PAPI, is a personality assessment test typically used by organizations and companies during the recruitment process.
Its first version was created by Max Kostick in the 60s, following the premise that individuals are not defined by dichotomous personality traits or preferences (e.g. extrovert or introvert). Rather, the author defended that what makes each person unique is the combination of the various degrees of preferences and traits that individuals can have, regardless of the scale used.
The PAPI test was then developed to help organizations understand the personality and preferred behaviors of a potential employee. It is designed as a tool that explores the motivations, working style, ambitions, habits, morals, interpersonal skills, and possible behavior of the individuals within the workplace.
This assessment then helps organizations decide if the candidate would fit the ethos and working environment of the company and/or find the job or position where the individual would perform the greatest.
There are two main types of PAPI assessments, the PAPI Normative (PAPI N) designed to set a profile of the individual in comparison to others; and the PAPI Ipsative (PAPI I) which explores the elements of an individual’s personality and whose results are not meant to be compared with those of others.
Our PAPI I test offers users the opportunity to gain more insight into themselves as workers and as individuals.
For this PAPI I test you will be presented with 90 pairs of statements. Choose from each pair the statement that best describes you, or that best expresses what you feel.
It may happen that none of the statements completely agrees with you or, on the contrary, that both apply to you. Regardless, choose the one with which you identify the most.
This test is designed with the intent of being an insightful and educational tool. We do not guarantee the accuracy of the results as they depend on the precision and fidelity of the test-takers’ self-evaluation and the honesty of their answers. As such, they should not be used as an indicator of the capacities of the individual for a specific purpose nor do they constitute a psychological or psychiatric evaluation of any kind.
We do not collect personally identifiable information of the test-takers but responses may be recorded and used for research purposes or to be otherwise distributed. All responses are recorded anonymously.
Take your time analyzing each pair of statements and thinking about which one you feel describes you the best. You must consider each statement carefully to ensure the accuracy of the results.
Time is not a constraint nor is it taken into consideration for the final results.
There are no right or wrong answers on a PAPI assessment. Do not choose your options based on what an employer may expect from you or on what you wish was true. Likewise, you should not evaluate each statement from a working context perspective.
Try to always choose the statement that best describes your regular behavior and attitudes, regardless of the context or situation.
Adjusting your responses according to what others might expect can be harmful to you in the long run. For example, you might get the job you are applying for, only to find that your behavior, work ethics, or abilities are not suitable for that particular position or the organization.
You might see very similar or repeated statements throughout the test, but paired with different options. This is done to assess the degree of importance you give to each personality preference.
Pay close attention to the wording in each statement, as some will be contradictory. Try to be as consistent as possible to avoid having your results compromised. Even if the statements these are paired with do not describe you accurately, you should still identify with one of them more than with both these contradictory statements at the same time.
There is no need to worry about the results because they are not inherently good or bad. This assessment tool is designed to simply draw a general picture of your personality and preferences.
Even if the organization believes you are not suitable for a particular job, your results can still be useful for you to realize what type of career or job would suit you best. That is why you must be honest.
Also, try not to overthink your answers. Your immediate instinct is likely the most accurate one. If you dwell too much on the options, you may start doubting yourself and analyzing particular contexts and situations instead of thinking about your behavior as a whole.