Went in for first poly and was accused of withholding information and using countermeasures even though I wasn’t. Examiner kept pressing me to say what’s on my mind. Only thing on my mind was how fake everything was (both the examiner’s accusations and the machine’s readings), which helped me stay level headed and confident throughout the exam despite their ridiculous accusations. I wasn’t even nervous! Got invited back to another and am pretty sure they’ll use the same schtick again. If they ask about what I’m hiding, should I admit that I basically see right through them?
3 Likes
Why risk pissing them off when they control your fate with the voodoo box? They can think they can read me all they want. Bozos.
And yes, they will use the same schtick again. Just do what you did the first round, stay consistent and don’t give them anything new.
3 Likes
I agree there’s that risk. Guess I’ll keep playing their game lol.
1 Like
Definitely not recommended. I finished mine and I was accused of withholding information as well. I have had a clearance for a long time…pretty sure I know I wasn’t and not a machine. Anyways, I went back and was completely fine.
I failed 2 polys. First failed for drugs (according to the Guy) second for a “serious crime”. Of course both were false I don’t even have a parking ticket. I think that any normal person would have a physiological reaction when asked something that bad.
I never felt so stupid in my life after putting myself in that position TWICE.
1 Like
This is why I’ve refused to take a poly my entire career. I studied them academically BEFORE ever getting a clearance and I know that they’re nearly entirely bogus, and I’m just not willing to play into this nonsense.
Same reason I don’t buy into many other things in society and don’t exactly hide my views.
For someone who can’t afford this “lmao who cares” lifestyle, however, maybe more caution would be wise.
1 Like
They probably hear that a lot.
But they don’t need to hear it from you. 
2 Likes
Yes you should mention that if you don’t want the job.
2 Likes
Imagine you hold total control over someone’s ability to get a job. Now imagine that person tells you to your face that your career is a joke. Are you now gonna help that person get their job?
Well, you know, and I know, and many of those on ClearanceJobs and elsewhere know, that the “polygraph”, aka the “lie detector” but they really hate when you call it that, is bull**** (holy crow - I actually had to put the asterisks in - apparently ClearanceJobs doesn’t like bad language!). Always has been, always will be. Anyone with a shred of self-respect wouldn’t be involved on the “exam” side of the voodoo box. As far as I’m concerned anyone who is has proven themselves unworthy of even a shred of respect (of course, I think that about the entirety of the FBI, CIA, NSA, CDC, DHS, and half a dozen other Federal agencies that are nothing but cockroaches). However, comma - The Powers That Be believe the voodoo box can do magic, and tell them who should have a job and who shouldn’t. So, if you want the job, play along with the guy twiddling the vooodoo box.
Remember, its not just the box but the box and the examiner/polygrapher. They put quite a bit of effort into training those folks… they go to like a nine-month school and many IC agencies have their own training after that. Sometimes I wonder if the box is just some kind of prop and the examiner is really the one making the calls 
“sometimes i wonder”
i think i am beyond the “wondering” stage. for me, i could care less if the pgraph itself is effective. what is certainly effective is the ability for examiners to wriggle out anything the individual may be hiding
1 Like
If you ever have occasion to look at a vacancy announcement for polygraph examiners, one of the “desired qualifications” is often something like “experience eliciting confessions.”
In my military career I had the opportunity to go to survival school in the event I ever got captured. During my polygraph, I saw a lot of the same techniques used.
1 Like