Hello,

Just took my first ever polygraph and read bits and pieces of TLALD, because I had just discovered this website the night before the test. Upon arrival to the place, he sat me in the lobby with a clipboard and about a 20 page questionnaire. Filled out all of the info, brought me into the room, sat me down and went over every single question. 

Upon talking to me about my paper I filled out, the administrator went over my work history by the date with me. He had actually pulled an application I submitted years ago online that my hiring agency pulled from. This application had drug history, fighting information, police encounters, etc. I had not viewed this application in years, and totally forgot that the agency could pull my answers from it. This is where it went downhill...

During the questioning of my morning of test application, he said I admitted in my "other application" that I put I had done Marijuana (which I disclosed on day of app), but also Ecstasy, Cocaine, Hallucinogenics, and Hash. I denied initially, then he kept the questioning going, and wrapped it up. He sat me back in the lobby for about 5-10 minutes. I went through the moral dilemma, that if it's in my other application, it MUST match the application from today.

He brings me back into the room, sits me down and asks if I'd like to admit anything else before the test is administered. I said I'd like to come clean and admitted use to all of the illicit drugs in question, over 12 years ago. He wrote it down, went over the questions for the polygraph, hooked me up to the machine, and proceeded with the questions. There were three banks of questions, and the control questions were easily picked out. I did the cms described in TLALD, and imagined myself on a rollercoaster about to drop for the control questions. Poly went smooth, he went over each set of questions twice, with breaks in between. 

After the test, he removed the equipment, and sent me to the lobby. He brought me into the room, sat me in the chair, and told me that all of the questions were ok, except for my illegal drug question. He kept asking if I had sold drugs ever or if I used more than the drugs listed. I declined and said no. He tried the trick again, and said, "In your other application, you put that you held drugs for a friend." Which I denied, denied, and denied. He said, ok, maybe we'll have to bring you back in to redo this subject. I said no problem, and off I went. 

When I got home, I looked up my old application from years ago, and there was no admission of anything other than marijuana. He told me facts from my old app, then lied to me about it to illicit an admission. I can't believe I fell for that, and made the mistake of believing anything out of his mouth. I don't know if I passed or failed, but I feel like I failed myself because I should've seen this trick coming. 

Word to the wise is check all of your questionnaires you've ever filled out that can be used in the polygraph, and study that to match the day of questionnaire. Also, don't buy their bullshit about them wanting you to do well. Hope this saves the next person. Don't know if I got the gig or not, but I will update as soon as I get the word.

It wasn't the machine that got me, it was admitting to a lie he was telling me. DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING THEY SAY.