A couple of years ago I applied for a corrections officer position at a sheriffs dept here in Maine. This department was the only one of 3 or 4 I believed that polygrpahed it's applicants. I when down to Portland Maine and met with the detective from this dept that did polygraphs. It was ok until he told me that I was registering deception on one question-theft. I explained that when I was middle school what me and my friends did and he said that doesn't matter but that it was something I did as an adult. I explained I didn't do anything as a adult. He told me I must have because my levels were high? So I made up a story and he accepted it and said we make mistakes and it's no big deal. I passed the polygraph and went on to the next phases but wasn't hired because I didn't have enough life experience. Is it common to be accused of something and the only way to pass is to make something up? Yes I told them what I did as a juvenile and they weren't concerned. Also could they tell your lying if you make up a confession when taking the polygraph? Or do you just need to be believeable to the point that they accept that as why your showing high levels of decpetion?

After I was told by the dept that I had passed the polygraph I was sent to the psych test which I passed according to them. All the information went to the sheriff and I waited a few weeks until I got the call and then the letter. That was their exact words that they felt I needed more life experience. Honestly I do tell the truth and in my current job (which is as a corrections officer) I've been commended for telling the truth and being honest. I've taken a couple of polygraphs for jobs and have passed and twice before that same issue came up and in the others no issues came up. How is that possible? I even took the test with the same polygraph tester a year apart where in the first test he said I was being deceptive and in the second test for another agency I was truthful and he asked the same question.

yes this was before the county in question stopped doing them.I think they stopped doing the psych test in 2002. I went to a tester center in the building with the digital clock on top, the tv station?

The examiner i had for my polygraph i believe still does that for them. what do you mean testing was different then too? you mean psych or polygraph?

he did them at the sheriffs dept. as he was a detective with that dept. the building i described was where i took the psych test.

i was told i passed all steps of the process. it took about 2 weeks before i got the letter.