Everything you need to know about the Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment (PI Behavioral Assessment) is in this informative guide. You can also take a free personality test that uses the latest advancements in artificial intelligence to get detailed insights into your personality.
Every organization wants to hire the best people because its success depends on it. The hiring process is hard and it needs to be refreshed from time to time. If you are looking for ways to make better hiring decisions and lower hiring costs then you must add PI cognitive assessment to your hiring process.
The cognitive test helps test the recruit’s ability to solve problems and find solutions.
What Is Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment?
A predictive index cognitive test is a perfect tool for improving the hiring process. The tool is used for creating a variety of questions that help in assessing recruits. It measures the candidate’s ability to adapt, learn, and understand the workings of the new workplace.
There is a difference between an IQ and a cognitive test. Instead of telling the actual intelligence level of a person, it focuses on revealing an individual’s ability to learn and apply newfound knowledge for problem-solving.
The PI assessment is a multiple-choice test and it includes a variety of questions including abstract, numerical, reasoning, and verbal questions.
Difference Between PI Cognitive and PI Behavioral Assessments

Cognitive assessments are a perfect tool for enhancing one’s ability to select the most qualified and suitable candidates. According to research, cognitive ability is the most powerful tool for predicting job performance.
The average pre-employment screening includes:
- Resumes
- Unstructured interviews
- Reference checks
These are not enough to make sure that you hire the best candidate as using them only gives a 14% chance of finding the best hire. The chances of hiring the best recruit increase to 38% by adding a PI behavioral assessment question to the test. But using PI cognitive tests raises the chances of success to 54%.
These statistics may seem low but it is essential to remember that human behavior is highly unpredictable and measuring it is not easy. Cognitive ability tests are the most reliable HR tool for assessing suitability during talent acquisition.
How Does PI Assessment Predict Job Performance?
A study was conducted by a large North American research institution. The study was conducted to measure the relationship between job performance and cognitive ability for research technicians. The research institution is filled with people who have less than a 4-year degree and they face a high turnover. The organization conducts tedious and repetitive, but precise work.
To assess the impact of cognitive ability on job performance, the company administered the cognitive test to more than 70 candidates. They also collected data about problem-solving capabilities, performance, and independence they displayed while performing job tasks.
The results showed cognitive assessment’s ability to predict performance in areas like problem-solving, developing new skills, process improvement, and following protocol.
The company collected valuable data and was able to set target scores that gave a 61% likelihood of finding the most suitable candidates for the job and enjoying the best performance rating.
How Is PI Cognitive Assessment Scored?
Choosing a target score is one of the most important decisions while using the PI cognitive tests. The target score helps identify candidates that have the required cognitive score for the job. Using a predictive index provides target scores for a variety of jobs.
The assessment also recommends choosing a target score and establishing a scoring band around it. Creating a scoring band provides flexibility and makes the process fair and creates room for strong candidates.
Why Use PI Cognitive Test?

Companies are adding cognitive PI tests to the hiring process because it ensures the right people are hired for the job. Here are a few reasons why it is an excellent addition to the recruitment process:
Predicting job performance
Most recruiters implement cognitive assessments because it makes the hiring process easier. It is an excellent predictor of performance on the job.
Simple to administer
Hiring recruits is a time-consuming and costly process. Adding the PI assessment to the process is easy and it makes the recruitment process less tedious. All you need to do is use an online platform and send a link to the test to the applicants.
PI behavioral assessment is cost-effective
Adding PI tests to the hiring process is effective in improving the quality of the hires and the tool does not cost you much. The benefits of the tool outweigh the costs.
Increasing chance of successful hires
PI cognitive test is the perfect tool for improving the efficiency of the hiring process. It reduces the chances of unsuccessful hires, improves retention, and makes the entire process less time-consuming.
How to Start Using PI Cognitive Tests?

The assessment is a part of the predictive Index Platform. It provides an easy and seamless candidate and user experience. It also offers a scientifically validated measure of general cognitive capability which can be used as a benchmark against the target score.
PI Behavioral Assessment Conclusion
A predictive index assessment assists in assessing the cognitive abilities of the recruits providing a deep insight into their skills than a CV. To lead a business into a bright future, it is essential to recruit people with potential and increase chances of achieving organizational success.
Sam Najar, MBA

MBA from the Australian Institute of business. Over a decade working for IBM Australia and Oracle Europe and the Middle East. Worked on Artificial Intelligence technology for many years and believes that technology can help everyone better understand his/her personality and find the job they deserve.