I waited a while to post this because I needed to let myself cool off. It is amazing to sit back and reflect that I was at one point recruited by the CIA. I was so close to having my dream career. A life of not telling people where I work or what I do, knowing that terrorist probably want me dead, and a life of adventure. The secret recruitment trips to DC were fun at the time, but now all for naught.
After applying online and dropping off my resume to recruiters at career fairs, I was eventually (like many months later…so forget that 45-day CIA rule) granted an interview at the CIA Dulles Discovery Building in Chantilly VA, off Rt.28 and Air & Space Museum Pkwy. It was a standard interview, with standard behavior based questions, no surprises. About a month later, I received a Conditional Offer of Employment (COE) from the CIA in the mail, with my COE letter and all of the paperwork to fill out, including a intrusive medical form and the famous SF-86 security clearance form (the CIA at this time makes applicants fill this form out by hand, there is no electronic version like e-QIP). After returning my COE stuff, I had to wait several more months before I was called in for the famous 3-day processing (medical, psychological, and polygraph exams…plus an office visit). A few months prior to the 3-day, I had a phone security interview with the CIA where I basically went over my entire SF-86 ten-year history again. They were concerned mostly about crime, drugs, and misuse of technology systems. Downloading music, though it is illegal, does not disqualify you. Most people especially college students did this, just pretend you didn’t know that it was illegal. Minor drug use in college does not automatically disqualify you if it was minimal and over a year ago, thank God!
The 3-day processing also occurs in the Dulles Discovery Bldg. The CIA will fly you in and put you in a hotel and give you a very generous reimbursement, much more than your trip expenses! My hotel had a complimentary shuttle to this building. I’m sure the hotel staff knows that it is a CIA building, but we just refer to it as “Dulles Discovery” so that neither one of us risks being shot and killed. Lol. There is enough security in this building to thwart any potential terrorist or threat. No cell phones allowed. They give you a key and a small locker in the visitor center to store your cell phone and other electronic devices. No weapons either. I know this is VA, but don't even think to exercise your right to bear arms in this building! You take a little shuttle bus from the visitor center to the next building which is the Applicant Processing Unit. Honestly you could really walk to this building if you aren’t lazy. There may be about 20 or so other applicants there for their processing at the same time. Nobody really talks to each other because we are all nervous and don't know what to say. Cameras are all over the ceiling. The Applicant Processing on the 2nd floor waiting area is big, clean, relaxing, has plenty of tables and chairs and cushion chairs and sofas, and magazines to read. Makes you feel at home. They make you sign in with first name only.
Everyone’s 3-day schedule may vary, but the appointments are the same, just in a different order maybe. Day 1 consists of a 3-4 hour polygraph and medical test. The medical test draws blood from your arm and you piss in a cup. They test you for drugs, HIV, other STDs, and other stuff. Standard. They also test your vision and hearing. Don't worry; wearing contacts or glasses is ok. They just want to make sure that you aren't deaf or blind, though if you were, I’m sure accommodations could be made since the CIA hires disabled people. Day 2 is another polygraph and a psychological test. The psych test is the famous MMPI-2 psychological test with 567 questions (Google it. There is even
a thread on this forum about it). You also chat with a shrink who will go over your results with you. Day 3 is the office visit. The office visit will vary depending on which office is recruiting you. Mines took place in the same building and I talked to someone in the office that was recruiting me. We have general chat about daily job tasks, dress code, security measures, where to live in DC or VA, personal and social life (the CIA generally “parties” with each other and FBI, Secret Service, NSA, DIA, and other top secret government people), etc.
Anyway, on to the polygraph...
I’ll never forget my polygraph. This will be my first experience with this device ever, like most applicants. I came to Antipolygraph.org because I was afraid of getting falsely accused of being deceptive. My polygrapher seemed nice and friendly, asks me how was my flight and weekend, cracks a few jokes, all of which I think is standard procedure to give me the false sense that I’ve made a new friend. We enter the polygraph room. There is a camera in one upper corner of the room, and a two-way mirror in the back. If there were any additional cameras hidden, I didn’t see them. The room looks just like a small office. Nothing fancy. The “polygraph” device is nothing more than your standard desktop computer connected to the polygraph accessories, which include an arm cuff and tubes. I note the model number and company logo of the polygraph equipment which is Lafayette Instruments. I would later go to their website and research their polygraph devices. The CIA 3-day security process is just like a user posted
here. I spent 3 to 4 hours on both Day 1 and Day 2 being interrogated during the polygraph. One day I’m accused of crime and the next day I’m accused of other stuff like being a spy. Two conflicting accusations. The funny thing is that after my first polygraph, I am told that I will be given the RARE chance to take another polygraph on the second day. Rare? Really? My 3-day schedule had a nice intentional gap in my schedule, a perfect spot for some 3-4hr event, as if a polygraph appointment was meant to fit there. I am on told on Day-2’s polygraph that like 80% of applicants are given the chance to take the polygraph again. Ok, so my first polygrapher lied to me about the statistics? Great. The polygraph consists of standard Counterintelligence and Lifestyle questions, both sets which were reviewed with me before hand so I knew exactly what they would be asking. The question that everyone (whether you take a poly for the CIA, FBI, police, NSA, or other agency) is drilled on is something like “have you ever committed a crime for which you weren’t caught”. This is a cover all question, as it applies to every other area that the polygraphers are concerned about. So they want to see if you’ll admit to computer hacking, looking at porn at work, theft, pedophilia, killing someone, violence, drugs, etc. Everyone gets grilled in this area. If you have extensive overseas travel (like military people do), then you’ll also be grilled on foreign contacts and foreign intelligence during the counterintelligence portion of the poly. The counterintelligence questions are something like:
- Have you ever plotted to overthrow the US.
- Have you ever had contact with a foreign agency
- Do you have any financial stakes or property in a foreign country
The lifestyle questions may be something like:
- have you ever committed a crime for which you weren’t caught?
- Have you used illegal drugs that you have not told us about?
- Did you intentionally falsify info on your application or security paperwork?
- Have you discussed the hiring process with anyone, either in person or online? (yep, they may ask this!)
They will also want to know what you know about the polygraph, and what websites you visited. They know about Antipolygraph.org, and they don’t like it. The fact is, they assume that every applicant has done some research, so they want to see if you’ll be honest. It is best to say that you researched the CIA hiring process, came across some polygraph information, and considered it garbage and chose not to use countermeasure techniques.
Well two months later I get a rejection letter in the mail. Game over, thanks for playing. I filed my FOIA request and stuff and filed an appeal, which I hear can take years. Don’t expect too much from the CIA.
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My CIA Polygraph Story (Read 337213 times)
