Taking a POLYGRAPH test, anyone take one before?

[newls1]

I have 1 last step to pass then i will be rewarded with a FULL TIME position at my local Fire Dept as a firefighter / emt... I have to take a polygraph test next week. This 1 last "test" is holding me from starting the career i want to hold down for the rest of my life. For those of you that have taken a polygraph test before, can you tell me "how to not be nervous" for it??? I dont lie, not even brobbying about that. I dont steal, etc... so i shouldnt have a issue with it but i get nervous very easily Tips anyone???

Please dont reply people if you have NEVER taken this type of test... thanks

[Jessica]

dont they ask you some basline questions to see where how you react? Like what is your name? and stuff. That way if you are nervous it won't pop false positives.

[Skullz]

They understand and know what to look for so being nervous should be a non issue, unless you have something to hide and they'll find out pretty quick when you start lying.

[truthsayer]

All they are concerned with, is you willingness to take the test. Since a lie detector is proven not to be accurate and therefore not admissible, police and other organizations use it, to basically see if you are willing to take it and how well you do under pressure.

Just go take and not sweat it.

[Rockford96]

I took 5 of them for a local college over a five week span for a study they do ask the baseline questions to check but its nothing to be nervous about

[newls1]

All they are concerned with, is you willingness to take the test. Since a lie detector is proven not to be accurate and therefore not admissible, police and other organizations use it, to basically see if you are willing to take it and how well you do under pressure.

Just go take and not sweat it.

I took 5 of them for a local college over a five week span for a study they do ask the baseline questions to check but its nothing to be nervous about

Thanks fellas, appreciate the replies

[gckless]

I've taken one for my job. You actually can fail by being nervous. They ask you baseline stuff, get you to purposely lie to see where it is. Just don't sweat it. It's not gonna be anything incriminating more than likely if it's for a fire department. Don't be nervous. And sit still lol.

[LT.Smoke]

You'll be straight seth. One word of advice DON'T drink any caffeine or energy or take anything that will elevate your heart rate bro other than that just stay calm bro and you'll be fine

[ROLEXrifleman]

1st you and the administrator have a general conversation which last about 20 - 30 minutes. This all happens while you are hooked up to the machine. In that conversation there are about 10 -15 questions that are asked. Depending on how you answer he/she may ask you to explain your answer or give further details.

For example one of my polygraphs started with him asking about what my former job was. As i explained what i did he asked if i had ever stolen anything from my employer. I said i guess you could consider the office supplies I took home as theft, but then again I was in management and worked form home. he followed up with had I ever taken anything over $500 in value. i said no and explained that i was in upper management and had access to a fleet of vehicles, corporate credit cards and millions of dollars worth of equipment and that i had never taken anything over $500 in value. And then the conversation went on from there moving from topic to topic as he included his "base line" questions in the conversation. the administrator will direct the topic of conversation and the tempo. He also asked me Have you smoked marijuana in the last 10 years. I responded NO, I have never smoked Marijuana or taken any illegal drug for that matter. The administrator did not believe me at first and we talked about this topic for about 8 minutes.

After the conversation he takes about a 5 min break and doesn't say anything. He "adjusts' the machine.

Then he goes over THE SAME QUESTIONS from the conversation or any part of any information you voluntarily gave up but this time in YES or No, True False format bullet point format.

For example.

Have you ever stolen anything over $500 from your previous employer : NO

Have you taken any illegal drugs in the last 10 years: No

Where you born in Chicago: Yes

etc

So as long your honest in your answers and don't fall into a category they know they wont hire from you should be fine.

Dont be nervous, it is what it is and you've done what you've done. Either they want you for being honest with what you done or they will disqualify you for being a liar or nervous wreck.

The truth shall set you free and give you a job

[gckless]

Yeah forgot to mention, the BIGGEST thing is to be honest. Let's say you smoked weed a couple years ago, but you told them about it, they probably wouldn't really scoff at that too bad. But if you lie about it and say you never did, and they flag it as a lie, then you are far more likely to not get hired. Just lay it out bro, if you've made mistakes just be honest and then let them know it was simply that, a mistake.