Did you know some hires don’t even make it to lunch on their first day? One threatened a coworker with a box cutter on a smoke break. Another proudly claimed the “Employee of the Month” parking spot, only to end up in a fistfight. And then there was Tom, the retail worker who built a secret “cubby cave” with stolen merchandise and was caught napping instead of stocking shelves.
In this episode of The Bad Hire, Ken, Emma, Nathan, and Morgan unpack some of the wildest, weirdest, and downright unbelievable hiring fails yet. You’ll hear about a librarian who spent 90 days doing absolutely nothing, a security guard who quit because he was afraid of the dark, and a bank robber who signed his real name before pulling the job. And just when you think it couldn’t get worse, we meet a line cook whose collapse on the grill led to one of the most surprising redemption stories ever shared on the podcast.
These stories will make you laugh, cringe, and wonder how some people even made it past the interview. More than anything, they’re proof that background checks, culture fit, and gut instinct can save you from your next bad hire.
And don’t forget: submitting your own bad hire story could win you $10,000 in The Bad Hire contest.
Key Takeaways
Background checks that take six months are basically useless.
Sometimes coworkers notice the “bad hire” long before management does.
Red flags can be obvious like clipping nails with scissors at your desk.
Even the worst bad hire stories can have a redemption arc.
Share your bad hire story for a chance to win $10,000.
In This Episode
[00:00] Introduction
[01:15] Reddit stories & call for submissions
[03:52] First day disaster: special needs job
[05:29] The 90-day do-nothing librarian
[07:54] Parking lot fistfight: interview gone wrong
[09:49] Manager fired for job hunting on LinkedIn
[11:22] Apartment complex employee punches resident
[12:08] Temp employee clips nails with scissors
[14:55] Security guard afraid of the dark
[15:50] Tom and the secret cubby
[18:08] Line cook’s drug use and redemption
[22:19] Six-month background check delay
[24:34] Employee adds urine to ramen
[26:11] Interviewing for a girlfriend
[28:43] Podcast wrap-up and sponsor message
Notable Quotes
[02:05] "Think about the teammate you hired that looked perfect on paper but turned out to be a walking disaster." – Ken Monroe
[07:47] "I had a candidate running late for an interview, parked in the employee of the month parking space. As the employee was returning to lunch, she ended up in a fist fight in the parking lot." – Ken Monroe
[08:51] "I watched someone get hired for back room, come to orientation, go outside on a smoke break, and immediately threaten someone with their new box cutter." – Ken Monroe
[14:59] "I had an employee quit because he was afraid of the dark. But what's funny is that his job was… He was a security guard on the night shift." – Emma
[24:39] "A current employee added urine to their ramen in the break room at lunch." – Morgan
Our Host
Ken Monroe is the founder of The Bad Hire, a show built from the trenches of business leadership and team building. After making a disastrous hire that cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars, Ken shifted his focus to helping businesses avoid similar mistakes. Today, he runs companies that have screened over 40 million candidates, helping organizations make smarter, safer hiring decisions.
Resources and Links
Submit your story – thebadhire.com
Website – thebadhire.com
Email – ken@thebadhire.com
LinkedIn – Ken Monroe
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