Posted: 5/7/2010 9:41:37 AM EDT
| Ok guys, I did good in the interview. Next step is the lie detector test, I know the most obvious way to "beat" it is to tell the truth, but what kind of questions will they ask? I've heard that your answers to the questions dont matter, as long as you tell the truth. Is this true, or are they asking questions that could keep you from getting the job depending on your answer? Thanks again. |
| If this is a municipal test for a civil service job like PD or FF then you will be given a battery of questions that you will fill out prior to the test. Answers that need further explanation are written out. The actual test is yes or no questions. Questions include everything imaginable. Have you ever lied on a lie detector test? Have you ever stolen anything? Have you ever tried to beat a lie detector test? Have you ever received any training in how to beat a lie detector test? Do you have sex with animals? They are looking to see if you are truthful. But, if you answer yes and you are still doing some things like drugs, stealing, etc., then you would probably be excluded. Best bet tell the truth. |
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Our polygraph machine is an antique. The chair looks like an electric Chair minus the cap.
Lie Detector? LOL I cant believe departments are still using those things! You mean it's not??? They told me "if you lie... we'll both know"... Me (the tester) by the sparks & smell, you... well you'll be the lier! 
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Polygraph is voodoo at best. Computerized or graph models? For some reason the anti-poly crowds seem to know lil' about them. For what questions they will ask, look at your personal history questionnaire. Should be very similar, focusing on areas that you flagged or they deem critical. |
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The polygraph tech is not your friend. He is a cop. Or at least an employee of said police dept.
A lot of courts have rejected polygraphs out-of-hand because of their reliability. Too much can be influenced by the type of question, length of questioning, repeated questioning, as well as the interpretation is done by a human being with the goal of satisfying the employer. Read that again. The machine is read and interpreted by a human being with an agenda. The machine is incapable of saying "He's lying" or "he's telling the truth". Pure Voodoo. 
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Wow, I'm impressed by the number of propagandists.
Why does the polygraph work? Because you're a good person who believes in the truth. Those who are inherently deceitful adopt a different mannerism. To tell it in brevity: If you're used to lying, you'll probably get away with it. If you're a good person, your reactions will be well measured. |
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Tell the Truth!
As long as you have been honest on your application, and honest in your interviews, then just tell the truth. If nothing comes up that they don't already know about you are good to go. The problem comes up when the polygrapher says that "he is being deceitful". Then, even though you might be deceitful on the "Drugs" or "Theft" or insert any other category here, and YOU know that it's about that time you smoke marijuana two years ago, or took that candy bar, or whatever other minor transgression you have chosen to lie about, the department doesn't know if it's something minor or is it, "I manufacture meth", "I've stolen guns/cars before", or any other number of HUGE problems. All they know is you haven't been 100% honest and are going to pass on hiring you. Good luck. |
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Lie Detector? LOL I cant believe departments are still using those things! Says the guy who has had a hard time passing them!! Just relax and tell the truth. They do what they are intended to do. Plenty of people take polys every year and pass them. Some fail them. Cops are being hired all the time. It will probably suck to bare your soul to someone you don't know. Just suck it up and take it. Relax as much as you can. Good luck. |
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Quoted: That's pretty funny.Quoted: Quoted: Our polygraph machine is an antique. The chair looks like an electric Chair minus the cap.Lie Detector? LOL I cant believe departments are still using those things! You mean it's not??? They told me "if you lie... we'll both know"... Me (the tester) by the sparks & smell, you... well you'll be the lier!  A polygraph examiner with a sense of humor is a good thing, ours retired and we haven't replaced him yet. Even when we get someone trained up on the box, I doubt they'll be as good as the one we lost. |
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I have watched a few polygraphs given by the Virginia State Police as part of active criminal investigations, either that I was involved with, or simply got to observe. I don't know what particular model or type the machines were, but the Agent was of the opinion that the polygraph only worked as part of an in-depth interview, with all the back story figured out, and where the polygraph interview is nailed down to a specific time period and set of events. He wasn't under the impression that pre-employment polygraphs could be effective due to the lack of focus.
Personally, the ones I've seen appeared to be more catered towards giving the investigators an extra tool, and if they were poor interviewers then the polygraph wasn't going to save their ass. Polygraph examination results are inadmissible in VA courts, by the way. |
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if you have little to no experience taking PGs, the best advice is to treat it like any other job interview. Probably the single best thing to do is not be confrontational with the examiner. If that happens, you are screwed. In order to get the job, you need to pass. So you need to play their game. |
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They will go over all of the questions with you first, to make sure there are no surprises. Usually the questions center on the background investigation you fill out (?)
Just answer truthfully, and you will be fine. Only people who tell the truth and sociopaths who don't have any remorse for what they have done pass the polygraph with flying colors. Oops, did I say that out loud? 
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