I took a polygraph recently. I was honest on all the answers, but it was my first time taking a polygraph and I was nervous. There were two phases I went through. The first phase they asked if I had ever done drugs and if I have ever committed a serious crime. I said no to both. Then in the next phase it was like a silent answer test and they asked if I had ever done drugs in the past two years. Then they asked if I committed a serious crime within the last two years. I said no to both of those. After the test he said I was uncomfortable the first time the two questions were asked and then the next time I was comfortable so the test was telling him that I committed a crime outside the past two years and the same with the drugs. He then went on this long speech about being honest, and that a lot of people have done drugs and just be honest about it. I said that I never had and I do not know why the tests showed those responses. He then said that someone gave me bad information about polygraphs. I said the the only person I have talked to is my dad and he told me to be honest. Which is true, I never heard about this site until after and did not try anything funny in the test. He then said he was trying to write something good down for me and I said that I was telling the truth so I do not know what you want me to say. He then walked me out. 
Now a week or so later I get a call from the agency that says that I need to retake the test. I asked why, and she said she does not know. She was just supposed to make sure that I did not have the same person and set up a date.
So I have no idea what to make any of this? Thanks for the input.

After the test he said I was uncomfortable the first time the two questions were asked and then the next time I was comfortable so the test was telling him that I committed a crime outside the past two years and the same with the drugs.

How the hell could he know you were "uncomfortable"?  Is he psychic?  Does he read auras?

All the machine does is measure your level of autonomic arousal.  It could be due to MANY factors, not just from being untruthful!  Never forget that.  Maybe the question makes you nervous because of a strict upbringing, for example.

He then said that someone gave me bad information about polygraphs.

Translation:  Somebody had the nerve to try and EDUCATE you.

She was just supposed to make sure that I did not have the same person and set up a date. So I have no idea what to make any of this?

It probably means the hiring committee finds you to be a good candidate and has asked the security folks to retest you.

At the NSA, on the 3rd day of testing, I got so frustrated with them, I ripped the chest straps off my chest.  Yet, they gave me another chance six months later in another part of the country.  Actually spent extra money to retest me because the NSA hiring committee really wanted to hire me.

My advice is to tell the TRUTH.  Don't let them con you into doubting your own veracity.  Think about it, you and only YOU know what the truth is.  Their machine is simply a prop meant to intimidate you into not believing the truth of your own words, which only you know.

For example, if they somehow con you into believing you're not telling the truth, even though you are, which is ridiculous, you might start mentally "grasping at straws".  For example, you might think to yourself  "Well, there was that party I went to years ago.   Others were smoking pot.  I guess I could have gotten some 2nd hand smoke.  MAYBE THAT's what is bugging me and why the machine is saying I'm lying.  Better fess up...etc."

Don't do it.  Did you knowingly take drugs two years ago or within the past two?  ACTUALLY TAKE DRUGS.  Smoke pot, snort cocaine...etc.  (I think you'd remember sticking a needle in your arm, smoking a joint or whatever)  No?  Then continue to say NO, and don't start telling them your freaking life story! 

If it is CIA or NSA (where I tested) their goal is not to see if you are telling the truth.  There goal is to 1)  Get you talking, and 2) get you to say something even slightly incriminating so they can then later use it to justify some stupid ass gyration on their graph paper!

They are pencil neck geeks!  They are not there to help you.  If they get a response on the machine from one of your answers, their job then becomes to screw you, and you to get say something (no matter how innocuous) so they can use it to fail you.

They are the used car salesmen of the security industry.


DON'T FALL FOR IT!!  Make NO admissions if you are innocent!

George,

In a prescreen, rather than spend the extra money and resources and time on testing and retesting, and retesting and retesting, wouldn't it make better sense to hand the case over to a good investigator?

That is, with a really qualified candidate.

The polygraph people could explain their SPECIFIC trepidations (in my case foreign contacts) with the investigator, and the investigator could then do the leg work and investigate things.

Maybe then, the intelligence community wouldn't have to resort to hiring outside translation companies which turn out to have been set up by foreign intelligence services to spy on us.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20071221/NATION/676409066

I retired from this facility after years of faithful service.  Passed all my TSBI updates.   No way in hell would I have been involved in anything like that reported on in the above article.