Polygraph Testing

[Chief Complaint]

I'm not going to list the links, but it might be worth it to do a search of "polygraph" on this forum-- there have been good discussions in the past.
One of the things I do know on a federal level is that polygraphs are NO LONGER admissible in court, and CANNOT be used for pre-employment screening, absent of a few federal agencies. Significant scientific research has demonstrated they DO NOT WORK, are easily manipulated and function off of the examiner scaring you into believing it all works.

I found some good threads on this site as well as other message boards, thanks.

It is indeed a shame that polygraph testing is still used to disqualify potential employees even though it is not considered to be an accurate form of testing (not admissible in court), but its an issue that i will have to deal with since i live in an area of the country that doesnt feel that way.

I, and many others, have skeletons in our closets that apparently will be held against us forever. Nobody to blame but myself, but stupid decisions are often made by young people. I understand disqualifying people based on a criminal record, but thats not my issue.

After re reading some of the application documents and posts in some online discussion forums, it pains me to say this, but i just cant be 100% truthful and expect to get a job around here. Although most of my drug use occured a decade or longer ago, some of the drugs i experimented with will likely be automatic disqualifiers.

Id be crazy to think that a county would hire me if they knew the full extent of my drug history. I have no problem admitting to some minor recreational use of 1 or 2 drugs, but i dont think it would be wise to disclose all information and expect to be seriously considered for a job.

 

[nwhitney]

but i just cant be 100% truthful and expect to get a job around here.

I really hope you reconsider.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

I really hope you reconsider.

I second that.

I strongly suggest you be not just 100% honest, but 110% honest. Be above reproach. Look at it this way, would you rather tell them up front and not get hired, or not tell them, let them hire you, then get FIRED later on for lying in your interview? Good luck getting another job then. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH!!!!

If you start here, where do you stop? What is to stop you from lying on PCRs if you lie on your interview? Guess what? That'll get your behind dragged into court. What happens when you forget something in your care (which you WILL) and yet you write in your report you did it anyhow. Well, the doc thinks you did xyz, so he doesn't do it and the pt ends up dying.

Don't start it man! It is a long slippery slope to destruction. I don't mean to sound fatalist or overly dramatic, but I've seen it happen to people. Guess where is often starts? On applications and in interviews.

Please please please don't lie. It'll only end up hurting you in the end.

 

[Chief Complaint]

I really hope you reconsider.

I second that.

I strongly suggest you be not just 100% honest, but 110% honest. Be above reproach. Look at it this way, would you rather tell them up front and not get hired, or not tell them, let them hire you, then get FIRED later on for lying in your interview? Good luck getting another job then. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH!!!!

If you start here, where do you stop? What is to stop you from lying on PCRs if you lie on your interview? Guess what? That'll get your behind dragged into court. What happens when you forget something in your care (which you WILL) and yet you write in your report you did it anyhow. Well, the doc thinks you did xyz, so he doesn't do it and the pt ends up dying.

Don't start it man! It is a long slippery slope to destruction. I don't mean to sound fatalist or overly dramatic, but I've seen it happen to people. Guess where is often starts? On applications and in interviews.

Please please please don't lie. It'll only end up hurting you in the end.

Thanks for the kind words. When i made this thread i was fully expecting to be scolded and run out of here. So far people have been pretty understanding and nice.

I keep going back and forth, and now im back to just being up front on my PHS/poly. Lying just isnt my thing and its not how id like to start things out with this county. It would also feel very good to have nothing to worry about come polygraph time (if i make it that far).

 

[EMDispatch]

Anymore the point of the polygraph is often just a deterrent for "unsatisfactory" employees and foreign operatives. While employers pay attention to the answers and how truthful you are. Good employers and agencies understand that people get nervous and that can lead to some problems. In my experiences outside of the EMS community they will let you retest if there are issues, even in jobs where the polygraph examine is part of necessary clearances.

 

[firetender]

The whole idea of the polygraph is to catch you in a lie. Why help them?

Be honest and let the pieces fall where they may. If you don't fully accept the truth that you made some dumb-butt choices in the past, no one else will be inclined to help you move forward.

 

[zzyzx]

Most fire departments will not hire you if you admit to having done "hard drugs" even one time, such as having taken mushrooms once twenty years ago. Dont go into a background interview being naive about this.

Have any of you guys ever gotten behind the wheel when you were up all night on a busy shift? If you were being interviewed and you knew that admitting to having done that even once would immediately disqualify you, would you tell the truth?

 

[Chief Complaint]

The whole idea of the polygraph is to catch you in a lie. Why help them?

Be honest and let the pieces fall where they may. If you don't fully accept the truth that you made some dumb-butt choices in the past, no one else will be inclined to help you move forward.

But what if being honest will surely cross me off the list for a potential hire? Im positive that some of the drugs i experimented with waaaay back in the day are automatic disqualifiers.

Ive always been an honest fellow, but also a guy who made many mistakes as a youth. Its really depressing to think that something i did as a youth will affect my career goals for the rest of my life.

Most fire departments will not hire you if you admit to having done "hard drugs" even one time, such as having taken mushrooms once twenty years ago. Dont go into a background interview being naive about this.

Have any of you guys ever gotten behind the wheel when you were up all night on a busy shift? If you were being interviewed and you knew that admitting to having done that even once would immediately disqualify you, would you tell the truth?

Unfortunately the county's near me feel this way. As far as i know, ANY hallucinogen use is an automatic disqualifier, doesnt matter how many years ago it was.

Its a "damned if i do, damned if i dont" situation. If im completely honest, i wont even make it to the polygraph portion of the hiring process. If i lie, i risk being caught in the lie and wont be considered for the job anyway.

Anybody have a time machine i could borrow?

 

[nwhitney]

But what if being honest will surely cross me off the list for a potential hire? Im positive that some of the drugs i experimented with waaaay back in the day are automatic disqualifiers.

Ive always been an honest fellow, but also a guy who made many mistakes as a youth. Its really depressing to think that something i did as a youth will affect my career goals for the rest of my life.



Unfortunately the county's near me feel this way. As far as i know, ANY hallucinogen use is an automatic disqualifier, doesnt matter how many years ago it was.

Its a "damned if i do, damned if i dont" situation. If im completely honest, i wont even make it to the polygraph portion of the hiring process. If i lie, i risk being caught in the lie and wont be considered for the job anyway.

Anybody have a time machine i could borrow?

If you aren't honest and you "pass" the polygraph and get hired then I guarantee that you will always be wondering if this is the day they find out and I get fired. Any time you get called into your supervisors office you'll wonder if they know. Wouldn't you rather be honest with them and yourself and not have to wonder "oh God did they find out"?

Polygraphs suck and I don't think they should be used but the reality is they are. If you want to be a medic with this agency then you have to be willing to jump through their hoops. Ask yourself, "do I really not know what to do or do I just want someone to tell me it's okay to lie?" You know what the right thing to do is.

 

[Chief Complaint]

Just an update.

I took the poly for one of the departments i have applied with, interesting experience to say the least.

I was 100% honest but was told by the examiner that i "spiked" on just about every question, excluding the control questions. I found that to be odd.

 

[zzyzx]

Not sure if that's good or bad according to them, but I hope things work out for you.

 

[Chief Complaint]

Not sure if that's good or bad according to them, but I hope things work out for you.

Gracias.

Not sure how they handle things from here on out with the hiring process. Im assuming that i will receive something in the mail from them shortly. Hopefully i can at least go in and meet with the Chief to talk about my results.

 

[EMTStudent02]

Not sure how common Polygraph testing is among agencies across the nation, but its part of the hiring process in every county near me. Just looking for some insight as to what i should expect. Unfortunately, i have a fairly extensive drug experimentation history, and i have been asked to explain all of this as part of the application process. My answers will be verified on a polygraph test should i make it to that stage of hiring.

The easy answer is obvsiouly, just tell the truth, but im afraid that i may be disqualified based on my history. Id hate to lie on the test but i fear that honesty may not be the best policy in this case. In your opinions, should i be completely forthcoming in answering these questions? Or do you think i should maybe leave some information out? Ive never used any injectable drugs, but ive experimented with just about everything else. Most was over 10 years ago but i was a pretty regular pot smoker up until about 2 years ago.

Any advice is appreciated.

In the end, how did everything go for you?

 

[hometownmedic5]

In massachusetts, it is illegal to use a polygraph for employment purposes. Evidence in a criminal case is another matter, but never for a job.

To lie or not to lie, that is the eternal question. Some agencies have a strict no tolerance policy from genesis to yesterday. In that case, if you know that, you either decide to lie or toss the application in the bin. There is no third direction. For less strict agencies, you've got something of a pickle. Some recognize that the likelihood of making it to adulthood in this country without at least trying something illegal once is pretty low. Not impossible, but on the lower end of probability, so their goal is really to see who's going to be honest about it. Naturally, they'd like to identify and eliminate habitual users from consideration as well, so theres that benefit.

Ultimately the choice is yours. Is the job important enough to carry around a lie(nibbling into the venue of perjury) forever? Can you actually hope to lie effectively enough to be successful?

 

[akflightmedic]

6 year revival!! Woot Woot!

 

[KnightRider]

Polygraph tests should not be used for employment purposes. They are just plain crap. I had to lie to help the examiner calibrate it. Then he asked me the same questions..lol. I remember one BS question. "Have you ever stolen from an employer?" Of course my answer was no. He then clarified, "not even a pen?" Ok then, yes. Waste of time. Then AFTER I got the job, a Supervisor came to me and said one of my answers showed a slight deception and had to sign next to it to verify it was in fact the truth and the test was wrong. Stupid!

 

[SandpitMedic]

6 year revival!! Woot Woot!

Almost exactly 6 years.
6 years and 20 days.

Is that a record?

 

[akflightmedic]

Sadly in every way....we have had longer resus cases....