Passing CIA/FBI/DEA polygraphs?

[Anonymous]

Was wondering if anyone had experience with these entry tests. For context, I'm an incoming college freshman looking at some sort of intelligence/investigatory internship for next summer.

[Anonymous]

The point of the test isn’t to detect a lie. It’s to get you to confess stuff.

[Anonymous]

Don’t lie. Don’t do drugs or anything else shady. Even then, my personal opinion is that polygraphs are unscientific BS, and it is beyond ridiculous that so many people‘s jobs depend on passing them.

[Anonymous]

Trust me, someone has done something much worse than you have and has lied about it.

[Anonymous]

Just don’t lie and you’ll be fine

[Anonymous]

Alright, I guess I'll ask a follow up question: Suppose I hypothetically used marijuana recently, is there a real downside to me lying and saying I haven't?

[Anonymous]

Don’t lie. And stop using so you can say the last time was 6 months ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Alright, I guess I'll ask a follow up question: Suppose I hypothetically used marijuana recently, is there a real downside to me lying and saying I haven't?

Yes. They'll figure it out. Don't use drugs or break federal laws if you want to be a fed.

[Anonymous]

Don't lie. Smoking pot isn't necessarily a disqualifier, though I think it had to be not within the last year.

Unless you have serious financial problems, hard drug problems, or have family who work for foreign governments that hate the US, you should be fine.

The poly is an awful experience, but there's no way around it.

[Anonymous]

Lying isn't worth it. There are other jobs out there. If you aren't able to honestly get a clearance, you want to find that out sooner rather than after you've built a career based on having that clearance, because you never know when it'll come back to bite you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lying isn't worth it. There are other jobs out there. If you aren't able to honestly get a clearance, you want to find that out sooner rather than after you've built a career based on having that clearance, because you never know when it'll come back to bite you.

Absolutely, not least because at least with some of these clearances, you'll be subjected to reinvestations that include a poly.

[Anonymous]

FBI has a very low tolerance for federally illegal drug use. Don’t try to lie, but I wouldn’t recommend even applying for the FBI if you smoke pot. The FBI poly is long, and at least when I did it 10 yrs ago, you got one chance to pass it. I know some other places that issue clearances don’t mind pot, but they’ll make you sign something saying you did it and won’t do it again. But I think it depends on what you mean by recent and whether it was regular use.

[Anonymous]

Agree with all. Don’t do it again moving forward and do not lie. Remember they will also be conducting a background investigation so the potential of identifying separately that you have done drugs or drank underage is likely to be uncovered.

Be honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with all. Don’t do it again moving forward and do not lie. Remember they will also be conducting a background investigation so the potential of identifying separately that you have done drugs or drank underage is likely to be uncovered.

Be honest.

They're not going to care if you drank underage, as long as you aren't an alcoholic right now.

[Anonymous]

Not worth lying, but for an internship, they are less likely to hire you. If you want a career that requires a clearance, you'll have to eschew federally illegal drugs so your answer can be "yes, but it was X" years ago.

I've switched to a slightly different sector of my industry and no longer have a clearance... but I pass on casual marijuana use in case I ever want to go back. (And, I'm just not that interested.)