The Bad Hire Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

What do you do when a new hire shows up to orientation… drunk… at a substance abuse treatment center?
In Episode 28 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Emma react to some of the most ridiculous and unbelievable hiring stories yet — including a contractor who couldn’t make it through day one sober, a candidate who brought his mom to the interview (for a very specific reason), and a bookkeeper who secretly paid himself double for an entire year.
This episode is chaotic, hilarious, and a little bit painful.
You’ll hear:
– A contractor who showed up drunk to orientation… and kept drinking during it
– A candidate whose mom interrupted the interview to ask for money for her teeth
– A toxic high performer who crushed culture from the inside
– A company leader unknowingly creating a negative workplace
– A bookkeeper who paid himself TWO checks every week for a year
These stories aren’t just wild — they’re reminders of how easily trust can be broken and how important it is to hire with both skill and character in mind.
💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
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Key Takeaways:
• Just because something “should be obvious” doesn’t mean it is.
• High performance doesn’t excuse toxic behavior.
• Leadership attitude directly shapes company culture.
• Trust without verification can be extremely costly.
• The wrong hire can hurt more than just productivity.
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Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com

What do you do when a candidate shows up to a job interview… completely naked?

In Episode 27 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Emma are back reacting to some of the most unbelievable hiring stories yet — including a Zoom interview that instantly went off the rails, a toxic employee who thought he was above everyone, and a hire who couldn’t complete the most basic part of their job.

This episode is chaotic, hilarious, and painfully real.

You’ll hear:

– A candidate who stayed naked during a Zoom interview… even after being told

– A junior employee who tried to go behind his boss’s back and take his job

– An admin who couldn’t even write down a phone number

– A referral hire who completely self-destructed in the interview

– And a toxic employee whose ego eventually caused a major company issue

These stories aren’t just ridiculous — they’re reminders of how attitude, awareness, and accountability matter just as much as skill.

💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.

⸻

Key Takeaways:

• Confidence without competence is dangerous.

• Ego can destroy team culture fast.

• Basic responsibilities matter more than you think.

• Interviews reveal more than résumés ever will.

• The smallest red flags often lead to the biggest problems.

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Connect with Us:

🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com

📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com

📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod

📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod

🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire

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Sponsored by BChex:

Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.

www.bchex.io

—

🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com

How far would someone go to get a raise? In Episode 18 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Emma react to one of the wildest stories yet—about a guy who edited his $60K offer letter… and turned it into $1 million.

Plus: a top-secret “government project” excuse, gambling theft, and a hiring manager who refuses to work with anyone wearing the color orange (seriously).

You’ll hear:

– Why people lie their way into roles they can’t handle

– What to do when an employee confesses to a crime

– The psychological chaos of firing a “friend”

– What a True Colors personality test has to do with oranges

– And the worst fake excuse for skipping work—maybe ever

💸 Want to win $10,000? Submit your bad hire story now at TheBadHire.com

Key Takeaways:

• People don’t always lie for the job—they lie to keep it.

• HR isn’t just about rules—it’s about reading people.

• Don’t ignore red flags just because they’re “nice.”

• If your hiring manager won’t work with someone over a color… fix that.

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Connect with Us:

🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com

📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com

📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod

📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod

🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire

—

Sponsored by BChex:

Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.

www.bchex.io

—

🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com

What happens when a seemingly perfect candidate walks in on day one… and immediately proves she’s not the same person you hired?
In Episode 17 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Emma are back to break down some of the wildest real hiring stories submitted by listeners—including a literacy tutor who showed up drunk, a boyfriend who caused total chaos in the lobby, and a moonlighting CTO making $360K… while working full-time for Goldman Sachs.
You’ll hear:
– A sweet volunteer who brought tea… that wasn’t tea
– A boyfriend who peed in the hedges during her interview
– A candidate who completely changed personas after getting hired
– A CTO hired by investor demand… who never showed up again
– And a candidate who tried to get the recruiter fired—for a calendar error
💸 Want to win $10,000? Submit your bad hire story now at TheBadHire.com
Key Takeaways:
• Sometimes the first day is all the red flag you need
• Good interview ≠ good employee
• External behavior reflects internal dysfunction
• Startups need boundaries—especially with investors
• “Bad hire” stories are therapy for hiring managers
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Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com

Follow Laura at www.EastSideStaffing.com and ⁨‪@learnwithlaurahr‬ on all platforms!In Episode 16 of The Bad Hire, Ken (CEO of ‪@bchexscreens‬ ) and Nathan are joined by guest Laura Mazzullo (‪@learnwithlaurahr‬ founder of East Side Staffing) for a raw, funny, and practical breakdown of how hiring actually works—and why most teams get it so wrong.

From passive-aggressive HR execs to the emotional toll of bad hires, this episode unpacks real lessons from two decades of experience in the hiring world. It’s not just for HR professionals—anyone building a team or running a company needs to hear this.

You’ll hear:
– Why hiring is a skill that most people never learn
– What HR pros get wrong (and how CEOs often make it worse)
– The #1 trait every successful hire has in common
– How internal recruiters are often set up to fail
– The difference between being strategic and being compliant
– Why curiosity and humility beat culture fit every time
💸 Want to win $10,000? Submit your bad hire story now at TheBadHire.com
Key Takeaways:
• Hiring isn’t common sense—it’s a developed skill.
• You can teach skill. You can’t fake character.
• Internal recruiters need more support—not more pressure.
• A bad process creates bad hires, not bad people.
• Hiring is the front line of culture—and the first place companies fail.
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Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com

What happens when you blow a $500,000 client shoot… and your boss still takes you to dinner? In Episode 15 of The Bad Hire, Ken and Nathan sit down with guest Hudson, founder of Unify Visual Marketing, to unpack what excellence looks like, even when things fall apart.
They talk:
– The pressure of hiring in small creative teams
– When friends make bad hires
– The difference between talent and trust
– Why every leader should know their “bad hire” moment
And yes—Hudson tells the story of how he nearly ruined a half-million dollar client shoot… and came out the other side better for it.
💸 Submit your own bad hire story to win $10,000: TheBadHire.com
Key Takeaways:
• Hiring friends? Always get proof of concept.
• Being a great hang doesn’t make someone a great hire.
• When things go south, how leaders respond makes all the difference.
• Culture fit can matter more than technical skill.
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Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com

What do you do when your brand-new attorney is found high in a bathroom stall—just four days into the job? Or when a retail worker starts running a full-blown refund scam out of the store’s register?
In Episode 14 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Emma unpack the most chaotic employee stories yet. From double-dipping tech bros and weapon-hoarding receptionists to a Zoom meeting disaster that’ll make you rethink remote work policies—this one has it all.
You’ll hear:
– A lawyer who celebrated passing the bar a little too hard
– A refund scheme that flew under the radar for weeks
– An employee who stockpiled scissors and staplers like it was The Purge
– A guy secretly working two full-time jobs—until his cover was blown
– A shirtless Zoom caller cuddling a cat from bed
💸 Want to win $10,000? Submit your bad hire story now at TheBadHire.com
Key Takeaways:
• Being qualified on paper doesn’t mean they’re stable in person.
• Theft doesn’t always look like stolen merchandise—sometimes it’s refunds.
• Always read the room (and dress appropriately) before a Zoom call.
• The person you interview may not be the person you hire.
• Red flags don’t wait for performance reviews—they show up on day one.
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Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com

What happens when your marketing director gets arrested for a DUI… in the company car… then uses his PTO to cover the week he was in jail?
In Episode 13 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Emma, and Morgan break down the most jaw-dropping HR horror stories yet. From stolen credit cards and faked IDs to addiction-fueled meltdowns and escort-fueled disasters, this episode proves that some hires bring chaos in ways you just can’t make up.
You’ll hear:
– A candidate who photoshopped his license… and a fake government receipt
– A marketing director who treated jail time like paid vacation
– An employee who had a brand-new illness every time she got caught
– A night-shift gas station worker who lost it all to Clash of Clans
– A receptionist with a stapler territory issue
– And a five-star gala gone wrong involving escorts and a stolen TV
💸 Want to win $10,000? Submit your bad hire story now at TheBadHire.com
Key Takeaways:
• Just because someone can Photoshop doesn’t mean they should.
• Some people treat employment like a con artist pipeline.
• Addiction can derail good employees if left unchecked.
• PTO is not meant to cover jail time.
• Always double-check conference conduct—some reps go rogue.
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Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com

What happens when a “perfect hire” walks out for a smoke break… and is later found drunk in the street insisting they didn’t even work that day? Or when a rookie news anchor forgets the one rule of live television—and says the quiet part out loud to an entire state?
In Episode 12 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Emma unpack a mix of heartbreaking, shocking, and downright unbelievable workplace stories that prove how fast things can spiral when the wrong hire—or the wrong decision—slips through the cracks.
You’ll hear:
– A promising employee who vanished mid-shift and unraveled completely
– A live TV debut ruined by a hot mic heard across North Dakota
– An airport security supervisor fired after emailing the wrong attachment
– An HR department ignored until everything went sideways
– A compulsive liar claiming CIA immunity and Playboy Mansion weekends
– A workplace confrontation so intense it led to lockdowns and legal action
Some of these stories are outrageous. Others are sobering. All of them are cautionary tales for leaders, managers, and anyone responsible for building a team.
💸 Want to win $10,000? Submit your bad hire story now at TheBadHire.com
Key Takeaways:
• Early red flags matter—pay attention when behavior changes.
• Email attachments and live microphones are never as private as you think.
• Ignoring HR processes doesn’t save time—it creates bigger problems.
• Compassion and accountability must exist together.
• Once something goes public, there’s no undo button.
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Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com
📧 Email: team@thebadhire.com
📱 Instagram: @thebadhirepod
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thebadhirepod
🎵 TikTok: @thebadhirepod
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thebadhire
—
Sponsored by BChex:
Need better background checks? BChex makes hiring safer, faster, and simpler. From visitor management to employee monitoring—BChex has you covered.
www.bchex.io
—
🎙️ Submit your own bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000 at TheBadHire.com

What do you do when a new hire claims he got into MIT… two years in advance? Or when military police walk into your office to arrest your newest employee?

In Episode 11 of The Bad Hire, Ken Monroe and returning guest Emma Morgan dive into real stories of outrageous lies, awkward bathroom moments, and one guy who tried to earn sympathy (and pizza) with a totally fake acceptance letter.

You’ll hear:

– An employee who lied about MIT and got busted with Google

– A guy arrested mid-shift by military police

– A compulsive liar who left toothbrushes on his desk to fake all-nighters

– A 50-year-old feud involving headlights and petty parking wars

– A woman who relieved herself next to her car… and claimed it wasn’t her

– A receptionist fired on day one for yelling at the CEO over a stapler

These stories aren’t just shocking—they’re reminders that the red flags don’t disappear after the interview.

💸 Want to win $10,000? Submit your bad hire story now at TheBadHire.com

Key Takeaways:

• If they say “I got into MIT… in two years” — check the calendar.

• Red flags don’t vanish with a uniform and a smile.

• Never underestimate petty workplace wars (or parking lot poop).

• Trust your gut—and your background checks.