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What not to write on your security clearance form (1988)

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Re: What not to write on your security clearance form (1988)

#361

Post by kadoban »

NikolaNovak wrote: post #149

When I moved to Canada, at age 16-17 I initially failed a lot of job applications at places like Staples, Future Shop, Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc. For some reason, many of them had a type of "Corporate Personality Test" on their application, and asked the same "Have you ever considered stealing from your employer?" to which I would cheerfully answer "Yes". Apparently this was an automatic deal-breaker; there was no f…

> how do you block & limit your mind? What mental fences do you have that you have never "considered" such an obvious course of action in the likely billion of seconds of thinking?).

I don't think people block their minds. I think they just lie on forms more. I also sometimes struggle with which lies are expected.

Re: What not to write on your security clearance form (1988)

#362

Post by Cyberdog »

favorited wrote: post #327
anthomtb wrote: post #249

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My first clearance interview, about 10 years ago, it was all going along just fine. I had the standard litany of "bad" things any early 20-something American guy gets into - a few mushroom trips, an alcohol ticket, friends from foreign countries. No deal-breakers so long as you are honest and I answered honestly. The only stumbling block came when the interviewer asked "have you smoked marijuana?". I truthfully answe…

Not related to a security clearance, but a coworker at a summer job in high school was applying to be a police officer. He was told to answer "yes" when they asked if he had ever smoked pot, because anyone answering "no" was presumed to be dishonest.

Interesting, but not at all surprising, to learn how early cops are trained to lie for the "greater good."

Re: What not to write on your security clearance form (1988)

#363

Post by bityard »

Atheros wrote: post #306
kibwen wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It boils down to a semantic argument. People have differing definitions of what it means to "think about committing suicide". If you're up on top of a tall object and happen to imagine yourself plummeting over the edge even without any intention to do so, some people will consider that "thinking about it", and some people won't. The useful interpretation is to exercise empathy and put yourself in the mind of the pers…

It's impractical for everyone and impossible for some people to interpret every question through the lens of the person asking the question. The use of American euphemisms is constantly changing and it is unreasonable to expect non-native English speakers or neurodivergent people to keep up. Practice empathy. Guess at others' intent in order to do your best to give others the information that they want. But then insi…

> if you speak directly, what will be heard by your listeners is whatever your statements are presumed to imply, not what is actually stated—regardless of whether or not those implications are intended or not.

This pretty well sums up my experience of the HN comments section.

Re: What not to write on your security clearance form (1988)

#364

Post by Vrondi »

adrianmonk wrote: post #335
olsgaarddk wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Last time I was at the doctor, I answered “not that I know of” when asked if I had any allergies. Afterwards at the pharmacy, it turns out my prescription included a box of antihistamine.

I'm not sure how to interpret this. Were the antihistamines in case you had a drug allergy? Or were they for the other kind of allergy (pollen, pet danger, dust, etc.)?

Antihistamines are for any kind of allergy. They don't care if it's from breathing in something, touching something, or eating something. Allergy is an allergy.

Re: What not to write on your security clearance form (1988)

#365

Post by sleton38234234 »

NikolaNovak wrote: post #149

When I moved to Canada, at age 16-17 I initially failed a lot of job applications at places like Staples, Future Shop, Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc. For some reason, many of them had a type of "Corporate Personality Test" on their application, and asked the same "Have you ever considered stealing from your employer?" to which I would cheerfully answer "Yes". Apparently this was an automatic deal-breaker; there was no f…

just be very careful with how you respond to questions from a therapist. they're "legally" required to report certain things. You have to know, what you're allowed to say and what you're not, if you don't want govt institutions getting involved.

Re: What not to write on your security clearance form (1988)

#366

Post by jemmyw »

NikolaNovak wrote: post #149

When I moved to Canada, at age 16-17 I initially failed a lot of job applications at places like Staples, Future Shop, Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc. For some reason, many of them had a type of "Corporate Personality Test" on their application, and asked the same "Have you ever considered stealing from your employer?" to which I would cheerfully answer "Yes". Apparently this was an automatic deal-breaker; there was no f…

There's a difference between thinking about something and seriously entertaining it. Like you, I think about a lot of things, but I'd take "considering" to mean more than that. I've thought about all kinds of ways to commit fraud, but I'd never consider doing it. I think you've misunderstood the word in context.

Re: What not to write on your security clearance form (1988)

#367

Post by Cyberdog »

rospaya wrote: post #158
rwky wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The UK visa application has the same questions pretty much identical. Also made me laugh!

The UK also had a question about communist party membership on their visa application. Funny thing is that the UK also has a communist party.

The US has this question as well, but I've heard that it didn't eliminate people from China who were able to make a "I had to join the party to get a certain job" argument. I presume that as long as you don't voice actual support for the revolutionary aspects of the ideology, the migra won't care.

Re: What not to write on your security clearance form (1988)

#368

Post by Cyberdog »

JamesSwift wrote: post #245
sizzzzlerz wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Over my years working for defense contractors, I've held clearences from multiple agencies and have gone through 5 or so polygraph tests. In everyone of them, the examiners were professional in every sense of the word. They clearly explained the procedure, went over what questions were to be asked, and ran the tests calmly and fairly. I never had a reason to complain about any one of them. Now, I didn't like to be te…

Thats.... the exact opposite of my experience lol. I was at a 3 letter agency for ~5 years and close to everyone I knew failed the first poly of every round. IMO its a ploy to raise the stakes and get you on edge.

Did they fail the polygraph? Or were they told they failed a sham polygraph in the hopes that they would confess their crimes afterwards? The police do this tactic often; if you are suspected of a crime, never consent to a polygraph not done by a neutral party no matter how not guilty you are, or you will probably "fail."

(Polygraphs are pseudoscientific BS in the first place, but I know there are some cases where you must undergo them for whatever reason.)

Re: What not to write on your security clearance form (1988)

#370

Post by entropicdrifter »

alasdair_ wrote: post #334
NavinF wrote: post #323

Earlier quoted context omitted.

*kool-aid https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_the_Kool-Aid

*Flavor Aid They didn't actually use Kool-aid in the Jonestown massacre, people just think they did.

Just because the saying is apocryphal doesn't mean the spelling "cool-aid" was correct. The saying is "drinking the Kool-Aid" regardless
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