Polygraph help!!

[ffemt2466]

I have taken 2 polygraphs in the past and one I never got results from but didn't get the job after and the second one they said was "inconclusive"????? I thought I was being 100% truthful so not sure if its my nerves? I do have a bit of a past but everything has been over 5 years? Anyone have any suggestions or books I can read or something to help??!!!??!! THANKS!!

[FDNYPD]

Inconlcusive usually means you were too nervous if you were teling the truth. Dont look up ways to "beat" the test. That will make you more nervous because you're not supposed to be doing that. Just calm down and stop thinking so much about the fact you're supposed to be telling the truth. If you know you are, then you should be fine

[ffemt2466]

I think part of it is they have you staring at a blank wall and sitting still for like 3-5 minutes at a time. Maybe I have a bit too much of ADD but its hard for me to concentrate

[fire49]

I do have a bit of a past but everything has been over 5 years

Is this all spelled out in the application you submit??

[CaptBob]

I have taken 2 polygraphs in the past and one I never got results from but didn't get the job after and the second one they said was "inconclusive"????? I thought I was being 100% truthful so not sure if its my nerves? I do have a bit of a past but everything has been over 5 years? Anyone have any suggestions or books I can read or something to help??!!!??!! THANKS!!

According to Doug Williamson a 35-year veteran polygraph evaluator from www.polygraph.com “It is a very serious mistake to believe that you will pass your polygraph or CVSA tests just because you are telling the truth - they are not "lie detectors". Scientific research proves that simple nervousness will cause a truthful person to fail as NPNYPD mentioned above!”

Often candidates are eliminated through the poly with inconclusive results. Not that you failed, but it’s the same as you did. Why is that? You didn’t fail and you didn’t pass? Your results were inconclusive. You still don’t go forward in the hiring process. I think the problem again is candidates need to prepare for the poly the same as with any segment of the hiring process.

Randy had the same problem. He took the poly and the evaluator eliminated him with inconclusive results based on his use of pot within the last five years. He swore he had not. Yea, right you say, but that’s his story.

So, Randy jumps on the Internet and found www.polygraph.com and www.passapolygraph.com He educated himself on what to expect. He took a poly for another agency and passes with flying colors even that inconclusive area about pot and was hired.

[ffemt2466]

They didn't ask any questions about that kind of stuff in the app, only if you have done drugs and if so which ones I believe. I was honest on the app and I plan to be honest on the poly. I think I may have offered up too much info instead of blabbing everything and anything. I think as long as I just answer the questions directly and honestly I'll be ok. Just didn't know if anyone had any tips of how to focus when he's asking the questions, I had a hard time cause I was so focused on my breathing and they guy kept asking me to stop controlling my breathing but I wasn't trying to?

[PaulC.]

Capt. Bob-

The passpolygraph.com link is no longer valid. polygraph.com is still up, though.

Best,

Paul C.

[FDNYPD]

They didn't ask any questions about that kind of stuff in the app, only if you have done drugs and if so which ones I believe. I was honest on the app and I plan to be honest on the poly. I think I may have offered up too much info instead of blabbing everything and anything. I think as long as I just answer the questions directly and honestly I'll be ok. Just didn't know if anyone had any tips of how to focus when he's asking the questions, I had a hard time cause I was so focused on my breathing and they guy kept asking me to stop controlling my breathing but I wasn't trying to?

You said you were focused on your breathing. Focusing on it will surely look like you are trying to control it.

[CaptBob]

I have taken 2 polygraphs in the past and one I never got results from but didn't get the job after and the second one they said was "inconclusive"????? I thought I was being 100% truthful so not sure if its my nerves? I do have a bit of a past but everything has been over 5 years? Anyone have any suggestions or books I can read or something to help??!!!??!! THANKS!!

You certainly don't want to waste any more opportunities. Seriously consider preparing in advance before you next poly. Yes, you can prepare in advance so you will understand what's happening. Not to learn how to cheat the system but to be prepared.

Are You Trying to Cheat on the Poly or VSA?

One of the questions on many (if not most/all) polygraph tests is "have you read or sought out information on 'how to beat a polygraph'?"....

Well, not always.

This from FF/PM:

Yes, I was asked if I had researched polygraphs in my pre-interview, but not in the actual polygraph exam. The examiner asked me why I researched polygraphs? Was I going to manipulate it? I said of course not, but I always study before going into a test, I knew nothing about polygraphs prior to my hiring process and wanted to know what they are about.


While I am a big advocate of honesty in the hiring process, I am also an advocate on RESEARCH prior to entering into a new portion of the hiring process.

This does not make you a "cheater" or "dishonest" for wanting to know what you are getting yourself into, just thorough.

I researched every step of my hiring process. I learned everything I could about interviews, medicals, psych exams, polygraphs, backgrounds...not because I was trying to manipulate the system with deception or dishonesty, but I wanted to know what is next.

Honesty was the foundation of everything during my hiring process. I used this formula.....


If asked, a truthful answer was always given.

If asked a question, I would answer the question honestly then be quiet.

All other times I sat there with my mouth shut.

I have had friends fail polygraphs, not because they were dishonest, but they were not educated for what they were getting into. They sat down and were honest, but when answering one of the polygrpaher's questions, they would answer the question and then ADD additional info not even asked for. This ultimately led to their demise.

Learning about a polygraph does not mean I am trying to cheat it. Were you trying to cheat by going to fire stations and finding out what types of questions may be asked on the oral interview? No, you just wanted to be prepared.

Be honest, be prepared and be consistent.

[BigGriffC12]

I hate polygraphs...I took 1 for a county job in northern virginia, not only did the questions make me feel like such an idiot for doing some dumb things when I was younger but I failed because..well..I don't know..going to be going through the process for another job that requires a poly..if this dosent work out..then I think I'm going to call it quits

[CaptBob]

Are Polygraphs Lying to Us?

Being prepared for every step of the hiring process before you show up will place you in a better position to end up wearing a badge than being caught flat footed wondering what happened when the career you have been intensely pursuing evaporates before you eyes.

I often hear from X military special forces, seals, etc. When I ask them if they're prepared for a poly they laugh.

If polygraphs are so great why aren’t the results admissible in court cases? Criminologists say lie detector tests pass 10 percent of the liars and fail 20 percent of the truth-tellers.

The first time I ever had contact and talked to Scott was 45 minutes after he got the call that he had failed his poly. Needless to say he was devastated. When I asked him what he had done to prepare for his polygraph he said he used the free information from some of the “experts” on some of the firefighter Internet forums. Using those guidelines he said he went in and spilled his guts, just like going to confession.

Just a few minutes into our conversation he realized that he had become too familiar with the evaluator, got chatty, volunteered too much beyond what was requested, was really nervous but thought everything was going just great.

Scott wrote: I chose to take this test knowing I had nothing to hide and being truthful was the best route I could take. The next test I take, I assure you, I will be better prepared.

I believe Scott is only referring to understanding the process better. I’m a firm believer in preparing for every step in the hiring process before you get there.

I talked to Scott after he checked out polygraph.com. He realized he had not been as prepared as he could have been before his polygraph and revealed information beyond what was required. If he had it to do over again he would have been better prepare on the process before his evaluation and could have had a better opportunity of passing without compromising his truthfulness.

DM: I had a poly today. There were six pages of questions asked verbally by him before he hooked up the poly. When hooked up, there where only ten questions asked 3x in different order each set. DM
All seemed to go well until the end when the examiner asked me:

"Anything you want to tell me about the question you had a problem with?"

Me (puzzled) "NO"

Again he asked as he began to take the equipment off me.

Me (really puzzled now).."I can't think of anything"

Then he proceeds to tell me that there was one particular question that I had elevation on.

Should I consider or was this all a smoke screen to get a boring person to confess to something?

CB: Quite common to use this smoke screen to get you to confess to something.

DM: After everything I've prepared for I didn't consider the poly. I hope my oversight did not come back to bite me in the end.

DM passed.