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My best guess as to the criteria is that the applicant has to have been honest about everything and have scored an INC on national security and DI on drug/application completeness portion. The FBI expects applicants to fail the drug portion, not the national security(employees are the ones who are more likely to fail this part.)
I was granted a retest after scoring an INC & DI. It's the one thing I have in common with another applicant who was also granted a retest. Interestingly, I was not retested on national security, only on drugs/application. Now, you don't think the FBI is going to hire someone with an INC on national security, do you? A second FBI polygraph is done for pure show, nothing more.
By the way, I didn't find out about the INC until I filed a FOIPA. Before leaving my 1st polygraph, I almost said the the examiner, "What am I a terrorist, too?" Thank goodness I kept that thought to myself. He's sure to have said, "Well, let's talk about that." Ridiculous.
Consider yourself lucky not being granted a second so-called test. Nothing but a pure waste of time.
Posted by: disappointed Posted on: Sep 12th, 2008 at 3:27am
I thought I would update this post, in case anyone in the future is in a similar situation looking for info. I received a reply to my letter requesting a retest. The letter said the my request for an additional pre-employment polygraph has not been authorized. "Although the FBI does offer a polygraph retest under certain circumstances, you do not meet the criteria required . . .". I would be interested to know what those criteria are, if anyone has any thoughts.
Based on other people experiences posted on this site I sort of expected that I would at least be given another shot (I didn't expect to pass a 2nd exam). I wonder if they have filled all their openings and there was nothing I could have said or done to get a retest?
I guess my next step will be to FOIPA request my file to make sure the polygragher didn't embellish anything.
Regards
Posted by: T.M. Cullen Posted on: Aug 10th, 2008 at 6:17am
It is unexplainable at this point except to say that it is harder to admit that something is a waste of time and does not work than to keep the charade going.
It boils down to "Bureaucrat-think" at the higher managerial levels at the FBI/CIA/NSA. They can't afford to stop using the polygraph because that would be admitting they WERE WRONG in the past. The "cover your arse" mentality rules the actions/inaction of politicians and government bureaucrats, rather than common sense or what is right. This is hardly a secret. Never admit you were wrong! Just keep doing what you've always done, and don't ROCK THE BOAT!
OTOH, I'll bet the FBI special agent on the street has much confidence in the polygraph. Except maybe the old farts that have been there too long.
TC
Posted by: Fair Chance Posted on: Aug 10th, 2008 at 12:35am
George is completely accurate about the retest chances of passing. The insane absolute trust in the polygraph is as strong as ever in the FBI. It is unexplainable at this point except to say that it is harder to admit that something is a waste of time and does not work than to keep the charade going.
Regards.
Posted by: George W. Maschke Posted on: Aug 10th, 2008 at 12:26am
As it turns out, there's little point requesting a "re-test." Virtually everyone fails. The FBI seems to have a policy that applicants will not pass re-tests except under rare circumstances (for example, if the applicant was already a federal law enforcement officer to begin with).
All you need to document your disagreement with the polygraph results is a letter to the person who signed your rejection letter affirming that you answered the polygrapher's questions truthfully. You should avoid the pitfall of trying to explain why an invalid test produced inaccurate results. It will suffice to mention the National Academy of Sciences' conclusion that "[polygraph testing's] accuracy in distinguishing actual or potential security violators from innocent test takers is insufficient to justify reliance on its use in employee security screening in federal agencies." And it wouldn't hurt to cc your letter to the FBI Director as well.
Posted by: disappointed Posted on: Aug 8th, 2008 at 2:40am
MY apologies if this is in the wrong forum. Long story short: I was offered an FBI Intel Analyst position, took the poly and failed. It was the serious crimes question, I got something minor 'off my chest' (big mistake, I know now), which the examiner blew out of proportion and insisted must have been worse than I was letting on.
At any rate, got my rescind letter. I called up the person who signed the letter (I was never given/told who my applicant coordinator was?) and she told me I could write a letter to the poly unit requesting a retest, but it was up to them whether or not to grant it.
At this point I don't want to work for the FBI anymore after the way I was treated, and I know I will fail the retest, but I feel that I should try to take it again so that at least my file will reflect that I didn't just accept the initial fail.
So my question is: What do I put in the letter? Keep it really short and simply request a retest, or explain why I felt I failed, etc? I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has written such a letter.
Finally, IF I get a second poly, will the examiner review my previous test (I also stupidly wrote out one of those SF-86 addendum)?
Thank you so much for your help. This is a great site and I wish I had studied it closer before I took the test.