A polygraph test can be as tricky as you can imagine, a little mistake and you fail the test. To prepare for a polygraph test, you must be emotionally and mentally ready for whatever you will be asked. Let’s briefly consider some things you must do to pass a polygraph test.
Never Ask Anyone About Theirs
You may be tempted to talk to someone who has done the test, maybe even asking how the test went and what they think about the test; that isn’t wise. Prepare for it as if you will be talking to a private investigator friend, as if you will be asked questions on your field of expertise. When you prepare your mind, you tend to feel more comfortable and less nervous when the test starts.
Questions
Please, do not spend your time and energy searching your life for some questions that could possibly be asked. Just as when you want to take an examination, cramming answers will only put you at the mercy of the questions if different questions are asked. So always being relaxed during a test will help you listen and answer each question correctly.
Duration
You never know how long the test may take, just prepare your mind that whenever you are through—then you are through. Never arrive late for a scheduled test, it will leave you enough time to relax and cool your nerves.
Act Normal
Prior to the day of your test, get a good night sleep, eat your normal foods and fruits, and maintain your normal routine. Nervousness makes us unable to eat sometimes, so you should live your normal life, and that will keep you mentally fit for any test you will be facing.
Examination
You should feel free to talk to the examiner before the test, let him know of any concerns and ask any question. That will assure that your examiner is a person like you, helping you see the test more as an interaction than a polygraph test.
When preparing for a test, it will be helpful for you to remember that you can decide not to take a test. Just as a private investigator doesn’t force you to give information, a polygraph test is another means of willingly giving out information, so you shouldn’t see it as a big problem, you can walk out if you don’t want to continue, and your rights will be protected.
Most questions in a polygraph test demands answers that are either yes or no, if you feel uncomfortable explaining an answer, a Yes or No is all that is required. Never attempt to cheat a polygraph testing machine, it’s a machine, and as the saying goes “it costs more to lie than to tell the truth”. When you attempt getting a way around this machine your pulses may spike and that may mean a fail. So prepare your mind and heart, eat well, sleep well, exercise as usual, kill nervousness and look straight into the eyes of your examiner—these are the best preparation tips for a polygraph test.