Master Electronics PI Test Practice
Most assessment case studies are vague about whether candidates sit anything. This one says exactly who takes what and when, and it is one of the very few that puts the timed cognitive test in front of applicants as well as the behavioral questionnaire.
What the Case Study Says
Master Electronics is a Phoenix-based distributor of electronic components. The Predictive Index case study about it, published in February 2020, is one of the most useful in PI’s library for a candidate, because it states plainly both which assessments are used and at what point.
In PI’s words: “Trevor worked with Jerry Rutter, President of PI Certified Partner MindWire Group, to roll out the PI Behavioral Assessment™ first as part of the operations department’s hiring process, then across the rest of the organization. Prior to bringing candidates in or extending a job offer, they’re given the behavioral assessment—and, more recently, the PI Cognitive Assessment™ as well.”
Jon Trevor, Head of People, is quoted on how completely it was adopted: “We’ve been hiring exclusively from the behavioral assessment for almost a year, and now our sister companies are starting to use it as well. Since we added the cognitive assessment, attrition has become even lower with new hires and performance has gotten even better, obviously, because it’s a great predictor of quality talent.”
The PI Cognitive Assessment
This is the part that rewards practice. PI publishes the specification clearly: 50 questions in 12 minutes, which is about 14 seconds each, covering verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning interleaved rather than separated into sections.
Three published details change how you should play it:
- You are not expected to finish. PI describes candidates as completing as many as they can in the time.
- Your score is the raw count of correct answers. There is no published penalty for a wrong one, so leaving a question blank is never better than a guess at the moment the clock beats you.
- Everyone sees a different paper. PI uses a linear-on-the-fly design, so items are drawn from a larger pool to equivalent difficulty. That is an anti-cheating measure, not adaptive difficulty: the test does not get harder because you are doing well.
PI also states it offers 18-minute and 24-minute variants as reasonable accommodations under the ADA, which is worth knowing if you are entitled to one.
The PI Behavioral Assessment
The other half has no clock and no right answers. PI describes it as two questions over one list: candidates “are presented with two questions, each pertaining to a single shared list of adjectives.” The first pass asks which words describe how others expect you to behave at work, the second which describe who you really are. PI states it is untimed and takes about six minutes.
Results are reported on four drives, in PI’s own words:
- Dominance– how a person naturally approaches control, independence and decision-making on the job.
- Extraversion– how people communicate, persuade and engage with others.
- Patience– how someone prefers to manage time, pace and change.
- Formality– how strongly a person seeks structure, rules and precision in their work environment.
Practice Both
Cognitive
Behavioral
The full range is on the Predictive Index practice hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which department does this apply to?
The case study describes the rollout starting in the operations department’s hiring process and then extending across the rest of the organization, with sister companies adopting it too. It does not enumerate the roles, so treat it as broad rather than universal.
Is the cognitive test adaptive?
Not in the sense people usually mean. PI uses a linear-on-the-fly design so each candidate receives a unique set of items of equivalent difficulty. The difficulty does not rise in response to your answers.
Should I guess if I am running out of time?
PI states the score is the total number of correct answers, and publishes no penalty for a wrong one. On that basis an answer is never worse than a blank. Guess rather than leave gaps.
How old is this evidence?
The case study was published in February 2020 and remains live on the Predictive Index site. It describes practice at that time rather than guaranteeing today’s process.
Are your tests the real Master Electronics assessment?
No. These are independent practice exercises matching each test’s published format. They contain no real test items and are not supplied, reviewed or endorsed by Master Electronics or the Predictive Index.