I started last october excited as hell about a chance to work for the CIA.  This is something I always dreamed about and I was actually going to get the chance.  Interview went well and after 4 months I had a visit scheduled.

This is when I got less excited.  The office visit was fun, I actually went to HQ and got the grand tour.   

The polygraph was hell.  I had two separate polys.  Both lasted 3 hours.  At the end of the first one we had a discussion about the questions I had "issues" with.  Which happened to be about drug use and terrorism.  I thought it was nonsense and told the polygrapher I had no issues here.  I had already admitted to some pretty minor stuff - they are good interrogators.  We ended there and I came back the next day for another poly.  Happened the same way.  I was starting to get frustrated and so was my polygrapher I think.  At one point, after I was grilled for an hour and a half about drug use, I told her obviously the polygraph doesn't work.  The polygrapher got enraged and said "Dont say it doesnt work" with a "from hell" look on her face.  Soon after this she left to go check out the results.  She left for like ten minutes.  I have my suspicion that they were just watching me or something.  She came back and told me it was inconclusive.  When I said "Its good that its over" she said "Well its good for me, but bad for you."  She said more to allude that I didn't have a chance at the job.

I was crushed.  I told the truth, I didnt do anything major in my whole life and this #$@# just told me my war was over.  After this I was pretty pissed at the CIA and found this site.  Well several months later I get a call.  I actually passed.  I have no idea why my polgrapher hassled me so much.  And I hope, if I take the job, I never see that @#$@# again.

Moral of the story, there is no sure bets when in this process.  It makes no sense how they do things and when they tell you you pass, sometimes you fail and when they tell you you fail, sometimes you pass.

Good luck all.

Same stuff with me. 

I had my first poly in November 2001 in which they kept me WAY over time. During this session I was told not to repeat any questions they grilled me on. 

My 2nd poly was about two weeks ago. Same questions, same crap. I actually figured out they were lying to me and deceiving me as well. This time around I was NOT told to keep the poly session private. So, if they didn't tell me to keep my mouth shut, oh well....

I confessed my little brains out. According to the poly I knew how to hack every system out there, but in reality I can barely run my own computer, much less find simple stuff.

Now, here's the kicker. According to the poly I was not trying to hold back information or cheat the test. I passed THAT question. However, I didn't pass the drug or computer questions. Now, if I wasn't lying when I said I wasn't trying to hold back information or lying, how can I be lying on my computer skills or past drug usage? I  caught my polygrapher in a deliberate lie, but played along anyhow. He was not pleased in the slightest. 

Will I get the job, I still have yet to find out. I've lead a pretty clean and decent life. I'm highly responsible, and can handle heavy stress extremly well. I also know when to keep my mouth shut. 

But, when they lie to me and deceive me during the poly, it just infuriates me to no end.

Quote:

Dear Failed,

I completely believe your story after three polygraphs with the FBI.  Your quote above must be a standard FBI polygraph bait line for confessions since my examiner used a very similar attack.  He led me to believe that my readings could be ignored if he could "understand" what was bothering me.  This is the same agent who was viciously attacking my credibility just five minutes before he turned "good cop."  I think I was more upset that he thought I was stupid enough to buy his crap than I was about being accused by voodoo "polygraph results."

The FBI throws away many good candidates because they have such a huge surplus of applicants.  I know that what they did to you is not right and I would still send an appeal letter describing your experience to the Chief, Applicant Division, in Washington, D.C., so it can be placed in your record that you did not agree and are disputing their findings.  This letter could be very important if someone investigates your background in the future.

Regards.

I got word that I didnt my polygraph for the FBI. The polygraph was hell and I was made to feel like a criminal the whole time. No wonder lawyers never let their clients take a poly. I was told I was a liar and that the FBI doesnt hire liars. But if there is one thing that this whole experience taught me is that I could never have been an agent because I dont think I have the "meanness" in me that the polygrapher had.