Elevator Pitch

• A CIA analyst recounts how repeated polygraphs—often inaccurate and psychologically damaging—shaped their career, ultimately making any polygraph-required job a “deal breaker.”

Key Takeaways

• The author experienced polygraph screening and reinvestigations as inconsistent, coercive interrogations that could produce false accusations and failures despite truthful answers.
• Examiner behavior and scripted interrogation tactics (and examiner experience) seemed to influence outcomes as much as—or more than—any “truth” the polygraph purported to measure.
• After failed polys and escalating pressure across agencies, the author refused further testing and ultimately left work tied to polygraph requirements, warning others away from such careers.

Most Memorable Quotes

• “I flew to Northern Virginia for two days of pre-employment screening.”
• “The 2002 NAS report made me cynical.”
• “The polygraph has become a deal breaker.”