Many police departments require polygraphs. If you have never taken one before, the idea can be intimidating. You may be asking yourself the following: How does it work? What are they going to ask about? What if I’m nervous during the test?
The polygraph measures several involuntary physiological responses to stress—specifically, the stress involved in lying. When you are actually “hooked up,” you will be seated in a chair near the polygraph. Three sensors will be attached:
Before you are hooked up to the polygraph, the examiner will ask you several questions. There are the baseline questions—“Is your name Jane Doe? Were you born in Peoria, Illinois?” Then there are the real questions, such as “Have you ever manufactured, transported, or sold illegal drugs?” You are not going to lie about your name or where you were born; even if your heart is beating faster than it normally would because you are nervous, that elevated heart rate is going to register as the baseline for the test.
The pretest may ask you questions outside of the application, like “Did you ever steal candy when you were younger?” or “Did you lie as a child?” For the most part we have all done something like that. Remember: no one is perfect, and the examiner doesn't expect anyone to be. But what the examiner will expect is honesty.
After you are hooked up to the polygraph, the examiner will go through the questions again. There will also be follow-up questions that aim to catch you off guard and elicit an immediate, uncontrollable response. For example, an examiner might ask, "Did you lie when you told me you haven't manufactured, transported, or sold illegal drugs?" The examiner might also drill down on certain topics that seem to provoke an unusual physiological response.
As you can see, taking a polygraph test can be nerve-wracking, and it will likely create some anxiety or stress. There are a few things you can do to eliminate some of the stress you may be feeling that day.
First, do not be late. Being late to any type of job interview can cause stress or anxiety. Because the polygraph is part of the hiring phase, being on time is also part of the process. Remember, the test measures stress and nervousness. Give yourself plenty of time to get there and keep yourself relaxed. Stay away from caffeine that day; drink water instead. Also try to relax your breathing.
Dress appropriately and professionally. This is no ordinary job interview. You need to act and dress professionally at all stages of the application process, including this one.
Finally, during the test, do not give evasive answers. Try to keep your answers to a simple "yes" or "no" if at all possible. Also make sure that any information you provide during the polygraph matches the information you provided elsewhere during your application.