My name is Alex Blais.
I'm the Director of the Credibility Assessment Division,
which is part of the Office of Professional Responsibility
in U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
As part of the CBP hiring process,
you have been scheduled to take a polygraph examination.
This video is intended to give you an overview of how to prepare for,
and what to expect, during your exam.
The best way to prepare for the exam
is to maintain your normal routine prior to the test.
Get a good night's sleep, eat breakfast in the morning,
and make sure to take any prescribed medications
on the day of your test.
The exam will take place in a professional office setting,
so dress in neat, business casual attire.
The exam will last several hours
so please be sure to schedule an entire day with us.
Feel free to bring snacks and water as you'll be given breaks during your exam.
Prior to your exam, your polygraph examiner
will explain the testing process to you
and the two of you will discuss all of the questions you'll be asked.
You'll also have opportunities to ask questions
and to clarify your answers prior to the exam.
Most applicants are a bit nervous prior to taking their polygraph.
This is normal and is taken into account when reviewing your exam results.
Nervousness will not affect the outcome of your exam.
Areas that will prevent you from passing
are withholding information, whether minor or otherwise,
and attempting to manipulate your responses
to questions during the exam.
Please know that your examiner is there to guide you through the process
and wants you to pass your exam.
To do this, you need to follow your examiners instructions
and be completely forthcoming when asked to provide information.
At the conclusion of your exam, you will be provided
with your preliminary exam results,
and will have the opportunity to discuss the results with your examiner.
However, exam results are not considered final
until a Quality Control review is completed.
On occasion, following Quality Control reviews,
applicants are contacted and asked to return to a CBP
testing site on another day if additional information is needed.
Thank you for your time and we look forward to seeing you on exam day.
For more detailed information about the polygraph requirement,
please visit our website.
Thank you.