API Potential
Generalities
The Applicant Potential Inventory (API) is distributed by FifthTheroy LLC based in Chicago, USA [2025. It was formerly published by Pearson Reid, London House, UK [2006]. The API was initially created in the 1980s.
It is one of 400 proprietary assessments, as well as other assessments built on demand by FifthTheory, designed to measure personality dimensions in the workplace, including those relevant to jobs in security and healthcare.
Assessment
The API is derived from another assessment called PSI (Personal Selection Inventory), also published by FifthTherory, but doesn’t include specific dimensions such as math or risk avoidance.
API measures 11 traits which are the following:
| Dimension | GRI a priori |
|---|---|
| Honesty | Not Applicable |
| Drug Avoidance | Not Applicable |
| Employee Relationship | Not Applicable |
| Work Value | Not Applicable |
| Attitude in Supervision | Not Applicable |
| Job Stability | Low 1, very high 3, high 4 |
| Safety | Not Applicable |
| Customer Service | High 2, low 1 |
| Social Desirability | High 2 |
| Accuracy | Very high 4 |
| Employability | Not Applicable |
Usage
The assessment is sold to help hiring decisions. The publisher adds,”helping to build strong customer and employee relations, improve productivity and profitability, and help to reduce employee turnover and theft.”
Comments
The assessment used to be taken over the phone or directly on a computer. Processing could have been outsourced (2006).