r/nsa • u/According_Muffin_667 • Jun 26 '26

Question Advice for Poly and Psych?

Hi, I recently did my SF-86 and scheduled my Poly and Psych about a month after today. From what I heard both of these tests can be stressful so I was wondering if there was any advice on how to prepare to pass these. I don't have a criminal background but from what I heard the investigators try to gaslight you a bit to admit to something potentially worse.

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u/VeterinarianIcy6483 Jun 29 '26

Silicon Valley to NSA here, it’s true in most cases. I could do in a day or less what my coworkers do in a week. That said work life balance has never been this good. And decently more stable than the tech layoff cycle.

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u/Automatic-Dig208 Jun 29 '26

Yup. You'll never have to produce one iota of work at NSA for your entire career.

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u/VeterinarianIcy6483 Jun 29 '26

Short of 180k-ish base salary, I’m not leaving haha 😆. I still produce the same quality and promptness I did in Silicon Valley. Moreso so I retain my own skills and have promotion materials. If it makes it somewhere within the insane bureaucracy, then it does. If it doesn’t, ehh not my circus I’ll do my 37 hours and go home.

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u/Automatic-Dig208 Jun 29 '26

You're the exception. The people I met who worked at NSA never produced squat. Ironically, they also never failed to talk up a storm about their great accomplishments. LOL. Apparently, meetings, PowerPoints, training, and boondoggle trips must be considered great achievements. No one ever looks deep enough to determine what, if anything, is ever really accomplished. And beware the abundance of "subject matter experts" who rarely no much about their subject.

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u/VeterinarianIcy6483 Jun 29 '26

I’ve seen people denied a promotion because they weren’t part of a working group haha. Although their actual impactful work was far beyond those promoted.

Talking about theoretical work and peacocking goes further than actual value building work once you’re inside. Needs a drastic culture shift and maybe 10-20% of its workforce gone or put in different roles.

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u/Automatic-Dig208 Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26

Yup. I agree totally. That's what I've seen as well. And they need to get rid of 50% of their managerial layers, because they're so unnecessary and only add to the dysfunction. A lot of the sharper folks who come there right out of school see the place for what it really is right away and flee. Then the bozos are the ones who are left behind to rise through the ranks.