The PAPI test: a personality test that hasn't aged a day since the 1960s
Contrary to what Spanish speakers might think, the PAPI test is not a paternity test. Far from it, in fact, the PAPI personality questionnaire stands for ' Personnality and Preference Inventory'.
It's not necessarily any clearer, I grant you. That's why, thanks to Appvizer, you'll know everything there is to know about the PAPI test. From its definition to how it works, not forgetting its advantages and limitations when it comes to comparing candidates!
The PAPI test: the candidate personality test
The PAPI test: definition
The PAPI test is a personality test that helps you find out more about your current and future employees. It is specifically designed to take into account relevant data that applies to the professional sphere.
Sometimes used by managers for employees already in the company, it is proving to be a considerable asset in job interviews to gauge the personality of candidates during the recruitment process.
The aim of the test is to decipher the professional personality of a candidate or employee. At the end of the PAPI test, you know more about the person's needs, motivations and behaviour. Their qualities and shortcomings are then clearer, and you are in a better position to determine whether they are the right person for the job.
Designed by psychologists in the early 60s, it is considered an extremely reliable tool and has been updated over the decades to provide increasingly accurate results.
The benefits of the PAPI test
The purpose of a PAPI test is to find out how an employee develops in his or her working environment. Using this test, you can draw up a profile of the candidate or employee you have tested.
It is used in recruitment to anticipate the behaviour of candidates. Once the test has been taken during an interview, it will show you the strengths, weaknesses and assets of the candidate. As a recruiter, it will then be easier to determine whether a particular profile is suitable for the job you have to offer. A relatively short test, generally lasting between 10 and 20 minutes, it is perfectly suited to a job interview.
In addition to job interviews, the test can be used as part of your employees' career development . Having them take a PAPI test helps you to see more clearly their personality at work and guides you in the directions they can take within the company.
Which PAPI test should be used during an interview?
The PAPI-I (or classic) test
The PAPI-I test, known as the " ipsative" test, is the basis of the test. It asks questions with two possible answers. The questions ask for answers without the possibility of argumentation. To a question such as " I work fast", the candidate is obliged to answer " yes" or " no", without being able to qualify the answer.
As a recruiter and during the interview, there's nothing to stop you persuading the candidate to elaborate. This makes for a more human exchange and allows you to get to know the candidate in greater depth. However, it is preferable to turn directly to the more up-to-date PAPI tests, which are already designed to qualify the candidate's statements.
The PAPI-N (or normative) test
The PAPI-N test, known as the " normative" test, is a PAPI test in which candidates rate their agreement with statements on a scale of 1 to 7. It includes 126 statements such as " I make decisions quickly". Candidates answer with one of these 7 statements:
- Totally agree,
- I agree,
- Somewhat agree,
- Neither agree nor disagree,
- Somewhat disagree,
- I disagree,
- Totally disagree.
The PAPI 3 test
The PAPI 3 test is the most recent and most widely used test. Created in 2014, its aim is to provide a more detailed analysis of the candidate's personality. This PAPI 3 test is based on the BIG 5 personality model, which takes into account 5 personality traits:
- the conscientious professional personality trait,
- the extraversion personality trait
- the agreeableness personality trait
- the narcissistic personality trait,
- the openness personality trait.
The PAPI 3 test is based on the form of the ipsative and normative PAPI tests, and completes its analysis by detailing candidates' personalities in greater detail.
Interpreting PAPI test results
Once the candidate has completed the PAPI test , the results are presented in the form of a graph. This circular graph illustrates the candidate's professional personality.
Example of a PAPI 3 test result
The pie chart is broken down into 7 character traits. These character traits are then divided into sub-categories to give a more precise idea of the candidate's position. These sub-aspects are rated on a scale of 1 to 10 according to the answers to the questions asked of the candidate during the PAPI test.
The PAPI 3 test, which is more comprehensive than the normative and ipsative PAPI tests, is therefore the one to choose if you want the most meaningful results. Despite the information that the PAPI test provides on a candidate , it has certain limitations that need to be taken into account.
The limitations of the PAPI test
Although the PAPI test can be a good way of determining a candidate's personality, there are a few reservations about the results you may obtain. Every good system has its flaws, and the PAPI test is no exception.
The risk of insincerity on the part of the candidate
Candidates may feel intimidated when taking a PAPI test. To give a good impression of themselves, they may embellish the truth or even lie, thereby distorting the test results. If you choose to recruit a candidate who hides their faults or claims to have qualities they don't possess, you run the risk of jeopardising the smooth running of your company.
Be careful to present the PAPI test as a personality test, the aim of which is to find out more about the behaviour of a potential employee in their working environment. Tell the candidate that if he or she has personality traits that may be perceived as a flaw, they should be seen as areas for improvement that can be worked on.
Failing to take this factor into account can put your company in difficulty, and as a recruiter, it is you who may suffer the consequences.
The dissociation of personal and professional personality
Although the PAPI test has been perfected since its creation, it is still a test that was created almost 60 years ago. Its basic principle remains unchanged: the dissociation of personal and professional personality.
This means that the test excludes the principle that a candidate has an overall personality , seeing him or her only through the prism of more or less pronounced personality traits. This goes against the grain of professional psychology, which is increasingly tending to bring together professional and personal personalities.
What can we learn from the PAPI test?
As you will have realised, the PAPI test is a relatively simple personality test to set up. Being relatively short (between 10 and 20 minutes), it can be perfectly complementary to the classic job interview procedure.
As well as giving you a better idea of the candidate's personality, it helps you to better visualise them in their potential working environment. However, bear in mind that under no circumstances should it be used as a determining factor in your decision to recruit the candidate.
The PAPI test is there to guide recruiters in their decision-making. It is just one of the many factors to be taken into account in the recruitment process.
Article translated from French