Have you been asked to take the Predictive Index® (PI®), either by your employer or a prospective employer? What does this mean, and what should you do (or not do)?

The Predictive Index is a behavioral assessment tool utilized by more than 8,000 employers worldwide to measure the motivating needs of employees and prospective employees. The tool, consisting of 2 simple questions, is a valid and reliable predictor of job fit and success, and it also is valuable in employee and team development and engagement. 

My current employer asked me to take the Predictive Index. What does this mean? Should I take it?

If your current employer asked you to complete the PI, take that as a great sign that you are working for an organization that values employees and strives to create an engaging atmosphere for them. Taking the Predictive Index and answering its questions openly and honestly will only benefit both you and your team, as the analytics from the assessment will be used to build awareness and develop you professionally and personally. Ideally your results should be delivered and explained through a trained PI Analyst, as the results provide more data than even  the computerized report provides. Many organizations choose to share Predictive Index data with their employees during a team building session.

Should you become trained as a Predictive Index analyst in a Predictive Index Management Workshop™, you’ll be even better equipped to interpret results from the survey and understand your own behaviors and those of others.

A prospective employer asked me to take the Predictive Index assessment. Why would they do that, and do I have to?

If a prospective employer asks you to take the PI, take that as a great sign that this employer values employees and wants to hire talented individuals who will fit into its culture. The Predictive Index is a valid, reliable survey for job fit, and is an EEOC compliant tool for use within the employee selection process. If an employer asks you to complete the PI during the selection process, this is probably a non-negotiable piece of candidate information that they are collecting. If you’re interested in joining the organization, you should take the survey.

I’ve already taken the Predictive Index survey, but I’ve been asked to take it again. What should I do?

The original results of the PI are always the accurate ones, although resurveys can be administered periodically to measure employee engagement. If you’ve taken the PI before, your original results will be the true results for the employer to interpret. Let the requesting organization know that you’ve taken the PI before and that you understand that the original results are best, so you’ll pass on retaking the PI and will provide your original results.

If you don’t already have your results on hand to share, you can request those from your employer. If you took the PI at another company, you can ask the administrator of the PI there to either release your results directly to you or to share with the PI analyst requesting your results at the other company. Most organizations are happy to share PI results with other trained organizations, as odds are they’ll someday need to request results themselves.

So, if you’re asked to take a Predictive Index survey, take heed: you’re affiliating with an employer that wants to uncover the full potential of its employees, not just what they see on the outside during a meeting. Answer the questions honestly and thoughtfully, and when you see your results, you’ll most likely be amazed by the accuracy and insights from the data!

 Post by Jeanne Ward.