Firefighter Pre-Employment Poly Soon:CQT

[CornHusker1974]

Good afternoon all. I am new to the forum , but this site has been a great resource to me in other areas. I have a pre-employment polygraph soon that I am almost certain will be a control question test format. I downloaded the pdf that goes into extensive detail about these, as well as countermeasures but I have a question. It says to employ countermeasures when answering control questions, so they have a stronger reading than relevant questions. But do you employ the same countermeasures when answering the relevant questions? Or should I just answer them normally? If you don't understan what I'm talking about...it comes from pg 145 of the lie behind the lie detector. Please help! This job is very important to me and it has taken a lot of time, money and hard work to get this far...any advise is appreciated.

[George W. Maschke]

I'm not sure precisely what at p. 145 led you to believe that perhaps you should also produce reactions to relevant questions, but no, you should not. The key to passing the CQT is to exhibit stronger reactions to the "control"/comparison questions than to the relevant questions. Thus, augmenting reactions to the "control" relevant questions would be counterproductive.

[someoneunimportant]

Don't listen to what anyone has to say. just tell the truth. that's all they want. an honest person. is that so hard???

[dizz]

Listen to George, he knows what he's talking about!!

[1904]

Don't listen to what anyone has to say. just tell the truth. that's all they want. an honest person. is that so hard???

Hmm. Cute and a putz.

[decisions]

Yes tell the truth I agree. But let's hope the polygrapher tell's the true.  we need polygraphs to screen out the bad but you need to be very honest and just relax. It is true what is so hard about the truth everyone makes mistake in life just be honest no matter what we are not perfect

[1904]

Yes tell the truth I agree. But let's hope the polygrapher tell's the true.  we need polygraphs to screen out the bad but you need to be very honest and just relax. It is true what is so hard about the truth everyone makes mistake in life just be honest no matter what we are not perfect

Hmmm. The Cute Putz has a twin.

[Lethe]

Why do you need to take a polygraph exam to become a firefighter anyway?  Sure, look at the person's references and do a basic background check.  But if that comes up clean, why spend all that money on polygraphing applicants?  Are there that many qualified people willing to put their health and lives on the line that we can afford to winnow them down like this?

Does anyone have an answer for this?  That is, an answer besides "the polygraph lobby thought it'd be a good idea since it's more money for them"?

[1904]

Why do you need to take a polygraph exam to become a firefighter anyway?"

Good Question. I guess some of the RQ's to use would include:
"Have you ever stolen a fire truck?"
"Do you know how to hotwire a REO Speedwagon?"
"Does your brother own a REO Speedwagon?"
"Have you ever smoked weed through 100 yards of fire hose?"
"Does your brother own a very long canvass garden hose?"
"If you were dousing a marijuana fire, would you inhale?"

The obsession with p/g pre-employment examinations is as absurd
as the people who advocate its continued use.

Used in that arena, between the years of 1994 - 2000, I found that
55% of pre-employment subjects failed - according to their charts;
but passed according to actual and detailed background checks.
So, despite the p/g result, approx 90% of the 55% 'failures' were
passed for honesty and background screening.

If there is only ONE area where polygraph should be banned, it is
in the arena of pre-employment screening.

[Lethe]

Used in that arena, between the years of 1994 - 2000, I found that
55% of pre-employment subjects failed - according to their charts;
but passed according to actual and detailed background checks.
So, despite the p/g result, approx 90% of the 55% 'failures' were
passed for honesty and background screening.

1904, where are you getting that information?  Can you cite your source(s) for us?

I concur that the first place the polygraph should be banned is in employment screening.  Somehow it's not good enough for the private sector but it's good enough for government work.

[1904]

Used in that arena, between the years of 1994 - 2000, I found that
55% of pre-employment subjects failed - according to their charts;
but passed according to actual and detailed background checks.
So, despite the p/g result, approx 90% of the 55% 'failures' were
passed for honesty and background screening.

1904, where are you getting that information?  Can you cite your source(s) for us?

From work undertaken by my firm. In that period we processed some 1400 candidates.
The process involved p/g, personal interview, pen/paper tests, personal background check,
employment history check, crim records check, civil debt bureau check, IRS check.

Happy ?

[PussyLiquor]

can a test have control, relevent, and irrelevent all in one???   also, what type of question is "have you ever lied to get out of touble"

[George W. Maschke]

can a test have control, relevent, and irrelevent all in one???

Yes, and it's standard procedure in the "Control Question Test" (CQT), the most commonly employed polygraph technique.

also, what type of question is "have you ever lied to get out of touble"

Probable-lie "control" question.

[1904]

can a test have control, relevent, and irrelevent all in one???   also, what type of question is "have you ever lied to get out of touble"

Good Day PL,

A decent question today !!
Sounds like you're out of your chemical haze.
How was the trip to planet Roche then ?

[PussyLiquor]

the alien people were very welcoming...

so then what are questions such as is the room blue... and are examinees always supposed to lie to these???