If the CIA starts its background investigation does this mean that they've passed you on the poly?  I imagine so because they probably wouldn't waste the time, correct?   

Thanks for the quick reply.  I appreciate it.  basically i was worried because they made me take it twice and said i might have to come in for a third.  I understand that's par for the course but overall it was a horrible experience.

Great.  How often does that happen? Anyone have any idea?  AngryinNY, did you eventually get in or did they bonk you? 

Anyone have any idea what % CIA rejects after the background is completed?  In other words, what % are rejected after the poly and then what % are rejected after the background?

Thanks.

Hi AngryinNY,

If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take for you to get your clearance after the completion of the polygraph and/or BI?

I am currently 8 months from my COE and 4 months since the conclusion of the BI, and I still haven't heard anything.

Each time I call for an update they change the expected waiting time (originally from 4-6 months total, to 6-9 months total...and now they are saying it could be "a couple months more").

Did you have this same experience?  When should I finally expect to hear from them?!?


Thanks!

I got to do an office visit.  In fact, almost all (if not all) of the other people that I spoke to who were getting processed at the same time as me had office visits scheduled.

My BI was completed shortly after my poly and health tests too.  I went in for my poly early in May (around 7th-8th) and my BI was started that same weekend (I know this b/c I had received a call from my investigator asking me to clarify some things).  During my BI interview, my investigator told me that he would be done with my investigation by June 1.  I guess I don't have too many bones in my closet, but I guess I thought the BI would take longer than 3 weeks!

missnina,
I thought that if you did not pass the poly the first two times, they would offer you a third and final opportunity to take the test.  Did they not do that with you?  And also, did the polygrapher specifically say, "you did not pass the poly"?

My memory is starting to get fuzzy.  For a while I thought that the polygrapher had told me I passed.  But now I'm starting to wonder if he used those exact words.  It might be possible I determined in my mind that I passed because I wasn't called back for a second poly, without him really saying that I "passed."

However, I'm pretty sure he did say something along those lines.  I remember when he walked in after he left to "analyze" the charts and consult with his "supervisor," he told me I passed (or something along those lines).  To which I replied, "oh really?" (B/c he had just finished grilling me about a major crime history that doesn't exist in my background...so I thought they were getting this false impression of me).  And then he responded, "well, we could continue if you'd like..."  Anyway, I'm pretty sure he said that I passed, simply because of the reaction I remember having to what he said.

I have the same question...  I know I'm in adjudication now and I've completed two inconclusive polys.  Even after my second poly the BI people were still calling my friends. Not sure whether this is good... 

Are there any readers out there who made it to adjudication and were not offered the job?

Quote:


Sounds like a carefully refined interrogation tactic at work there. Such a statement (i.e. “was it”—as in past tense) was likely an attempt at reinforcing in your mind that the “test” was over (when it really wasn’t), as anything you say from the moment you walk in to the time you leave the building can (and will) be reported as derogatory info.

I would be willing to be that the friendly, non-confrontational females like this get a substantial amount more damaging admissions than threatening, abusive male interrogators.

I can’t imagine than even a substantial portion of sophisticated people uninformed about polygraphy fall for the in-your-face, finger pointing, shouting, cursing tough guy interrogation techniques used by the more obnoxious examiners. To me, this type of thing is readily transparent. If I were subjected to something like this, it would immediately put me into a very defensive position about volunteering of any info.

On the other hand, the approach where the examiner portrays him/herself as the applicant’s ally against the administration is a lot harder to pick up on. I’d be willing to be that some examiners with super refined skills here manage to best a few people with complete knowledge of the entire polygraph process. We cannot underscore enough that to make the mistake of believing that YOUR examiner is somehow different—no matter how nice he or she is—will likely have fatal results for your career path.

As George and I note in the book, smart polygraphers realize that you can catch far more flies with honey than you can with vinegar.