Get Accurate Practice for the PAPI Test. Free Practice & Tips Below

What is the PAPI 3?

The PAPI test consists of 2 parts: PAPI N and PAPI I.

1) PAPI N (Normative) – In this section of the test, you will rate statements from a scale of 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 7 (Strongly Agree).

The statements you will encounter evaluate your unique workplace behaviours and working style.

This section of the test is untimed and should take between 25 to 35 minutes to complete.

2) PAPI I (Ipsative or “forced choice”) – In this section of the test, you will encounter 3 different statements per question.

You’ll need to choose one answer that describes you most and one that describes you least, leaving one answer option unselected.

Each of your responses will be analysed to ensure that you have what it takes to fit the role you have applied for.

This test is also untimed and should take no longer than 30 to 35 minutes to complete.

Personality Traits Under Evaluation by PAPI 

The personality traits or dimensions evaluated by the PAPI test are divided into 7 key areas:

It is important to understand each of these traits and how they correlate with your experience and job level.

If you'd like to assess your personal strengths and weaknesses and address them before you sit you PAPI test we have a tailored PAPI 3 test PrepPack™ on offer. 

It includes job-specific practice tests and other preparation materials to help you prepare in advance for what this test has in store.

Cubiks PAPI Test Sample Questions

On your personality assessment, you'll be asked many question to assess your personality traits in 7 different areas. 

Every statement in the samples below belongs to a different personality trait measured by PAPI3. Based on your answers on your PAPI personality test you will receive a score for each personality trait under assessment. 

It is the employer's objective to see whether or not you fit a certain mixture of these scores decidedly desirable in their employees. 

You can take a look inside this video for a direct peak into what the test actually looks like in action.

- Jump to 1:05 in the video as this video is meant for employers and most of it will likely not interest you.

Tips & Advice to Successfully Answer the Cubiks PAPI Test

1) Read the job description. The job description is key to understanding the exact characteristics and traits looked for by the employer.

Knowing this information will help you with drafting your CV, when taking your personality assessments and during your interviews.

2) Be careful of misleading instructions. The instructions prior to each test section are mostly there to help you to navigate through the questions.

However, keep in mind that many of the instructions given before a personality test are misleading.

You should always answer personality test questions with the work habits and attitude desired by the employer in mind.

Some of the most common misleading personality test instructions include:

● Just be yourself
● There are no right or wrong answers
● Give the first answer that comes to your mind
● Nobody is flawless; everyone has made mistakes

To get the job you’ll need to supply the answers the employer is looking for, and this is not necessarily the same as your instinctive replies.

So, be sure to emphasise your qualities that are best suited for the role and convey those traits in your answers.

That said, don’t lie or overly exaggerate your strong points, as doing so may create inconsistencies (or unnatural consistencies) in your answers and suggest you’re being manipulative.

Instead be sensible yet honest by upselling your strong suits and downplaying your weak points.

3) Practise test questions to remove stress and avoid surprises. Although personality tests are not used to measure a job-related skill, they can still be tough to get through if you aren’t sure what to expect.

Practising will allow you to become comfortable with the PAPI format, questions and answering styles.

Practising can also help you pinpoint your weakest traits regarding the job you have applied for and find ways to work around them before you sit the assessment.

Remember: the closer your personality profile is to that of the job you have applied for, the higher your chances are of being considered for the role.

4) Beware of ‘extreme’ answers. You will get an extreme score if you answer either positively or negatively to every question that refers to the same trait.

Even if you want a high score on a certain trait, you don't want to answer consistently to ALL questions that are looking at the same trait.

Try to consider each question separately and think about the specific situation being asked about in the question.

5) Relax. Keep in mind that stress can alter the way you choose your answers during the actual test (usually not for the better).

FAQs