The Bad Hire Podcast
The Bad Hire Podcast
Ken Monroe
The best stories about the worst employees. Hosted by Ken Monroe, CEO of Bchex, The Bad Hire Podcast unpacks the funniest, strangest, and most shocking hiring stories from offices, job sites, and teams everywhere. From outrageous résumé lies to first-day meltdowns, these tales will make you laugh, cringe, and say, 'there's no way that's true.' Not just for HR or recruiters — it's for anyone who's worked with that coworker or made a hire they'll never forget.
He Planted a Digital Bomb Before Getting Fired
What happens when a software developer spends years secretly building a “kill switch” designed to cripple the company the moment he’s fired?In Episode 44 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Morgan react to some of the most unbelievable hiring stories yet—from a programmer who sabotaged his employer with malicious code, to fake nurses who fooled healthcare systems, and a CEO who finally fired the most entitled employee he’d ever managed.These stories prove that hiring the wrong person can cost far more than just a paycheck.You’ll hear:A developer who planted malicious code that activated after he was terminatedA CEO’s most satisfying firing after years of entitlementA fake nurse who worked at more than 40 healthcare facilities using stolen credentialsAnother healthcare worker who used someone else’s license number to get hiredWhy proper background checks and credential verification matter more than everThese aren’t just crazy stories—they’re reminders that trust, verification, and accountability protect organizations from catastrophic mistakes.💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.Key Takeaways:Insider threats can be more dangerous than outside attacks.Great technical skills don’t replace integrity.Credential verification saves companies from massive liability.Hiring shortcuts can have life-changing consequences.Every organization needs strong hiring and background check processes.⸻Connect with Us:🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com📧 Email: [email protected]📱 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
Aug 12
23 min
She Stole for 10 Years Before Anyone Noticed
What do you do when your top employee disappears without a trace… only to discover weeks later that he was secretly in witness protection?In Episode 43 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Morgan react to some of the wildest workplace stories yet — from a trusted employee who quietly stole hundreds of thousands from a newspaper, to a disappearing salesman whose real identity shocked everyone, to multiple real business owners sharing the worst hires they’ve ever experienced.This episode is packed with fraud, unbelievable disappearances, hiring lessons, and behind-the-scenes stories from business leaders who’ve lived through it.You’ll hear:– A business manager who embezzled money for nearly a decade– A salesman who suddenly disappeared… because he was in witness protection– A law firm owner on learning to become a better manager– An employee secretly skimming affiliate commissions– A bookkeeper who stole $2.1 million using a church member’s identity– A communications executive caught stealing coworkers’ credit cards– A first-day employee who spent an hour on speakerphone during trainingThese aren’t just unbelievable stories—they’re reminders that trust must be earned, oversight matters, and sometimes the craziest hires aren’t who you expect.💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.Key Takeaways:• Trust should always be paired with accountability.• Internal controls can prevent devastating fraud.• Great résumés don’t guarantee great employees.• Leadership requires self-awareness and constant growth.• Sometimes the strangest stories are completely true.⸻Connect with Us:🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com📧 Email: [email protected]📱 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
Aug 5
41 min
She Used 20 Fake Names to Get Hired
How does someone use 20 aliases, seven Social Security numbers, and fake credentials to get hired over and over again?In Episode 42 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Emma react to some of the most unbelievable hiring failures yet—including a fake nurse who treated thousands of patients, a hospital employee who stole millions in medical supplies, and a school district that knowingly hired a teacher awaiting trial on multiple felony charges.From shocking fraud to failures in background screening, these stories reveal what can happen when hiring safeguards break down.You’ll hear:A fake nurse who used stolen identities to work across multiple statesA hospital employee who stole millions in medical suppliesA police department evidence manager stealing time from taxpayersA school district hiring someone awaiting felony chargesA security company sabotaged from the inside by its own schedulerWhy verification matters more than ever in today’s hiring environment💸 Have your own unbelievable hiring story? Submit it at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.Key Takeaways:Verify credentials—not just license numbers.Never skip your hiring process because you’re under pressure.Internal sabotage can be just as damaging as external fraud.Small hiring shortcuts can lead to massive consequences.Strong background screening protects employees, customers, and organizations.⸻Connect with Us:🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com📧 Email: [email protected]📱 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
Jul 22
41 min
The Worst Fake Résumé We’ve Ever Seen
What happens when a “perfect” candidate can’t even flip a piece of toast?In Episode 41 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Emma react to another round of unbelievable listener-submitted hiring disasters—from fake résumés and sleeping employees to toxic managers and candidates who lie about where they’re from.This episode is packed with stories that prove a polished résumé means nothing if the skills—and character—aren’t real.You’ll hear:A chef whose entire résumé was fabricatedAn employee who literally slept under her deskA manager who promoted himself while the real boss was awayA fake local who got caught in seconds during an interviewAn employee who disappeared after inventing excuse after excuseA culture-killing salesperson everyone was warned not to hireEvery story comes with practical lessons about hiring, leadership, and why skipping your hiring process almost always comes back to bite you.💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.Key Takeaways:Skills should always be verified—not assumed.Great résumés don’t replace real assessments.Character issues reveal themselves quickly.Following your hiring process protects everyone.One bad hire can impact an entire team.⸻Connect with Us:🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com📧 Email: [email protected]📱 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
Jul 15
42 min
She Stole $40 Million Without Anyone Noticing
How does someone steal $38.7 million from a company… without anyone noticing for years?In Episode 40 of The Bad Hire, Ken and the team react to unbelievable hiring disasters and workplace scandals—including one of the largest employee theft stories you’ll ever hear.From massive embezzlement to fake résumés, dangerous workplace mistakes, and employees who simply disappear, this episode proves that one bad hire can cost far more than anyone expects.You’ll hear:– The employee who stole $38.7 million before anyone caught on– A new hire whose lies unraveled almost immediately– A workplace mistake that could have ended in disaster– Employees who disappeared without warning– The costly consequences of ignoring red flags– Leadership lessons from real hiring failuresThese stories aren’t just unbelievable—they reveal the warning signs every leader, recruiter, and hiring manager should know.💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.Key Takeaways:• Trust should always be backed by verification.• Small red flags often become massive problems.• Internal controls protect companies from costly fraud.• Great hiring requires more than a great résumé.• One bad hire can impact an entire organization.⸻Connect with Us:🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com📧 Email: [email protected]📱 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
Jul 8
38 min
He Stole $200,000 on His First Day
What happens when an armored truck employee steals $200,000 on his very first shift?In Episode 39 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Emma react to another collection of unbelievable hiring disasters—from massive payroll fraud and fake résumés to executives who should’ve never passed a background check.This episode proves that one bad hire can cost a company hundreds of thousands of dollars… sometimes before their first week is over.You’ll hear:A 19-year-old who stole $200,000 on his first day driving an armored truckA payroll employee who forged 281 fake paychecks totaling over $205,000A maintenance supervisor fired after one week for harassment and inappropriate contentA candidate who blamed his criminal history on his “twin brother”An HR employee secretly working six full-time jobs at onceA hospital executive whose federal fraud conviction slipped through the hiring processA recruiter whose candidate disappeared during lunch… and started another jobA fake Buckingham Palace chef who fooled an entire restaurantA candidate who claimed their college had “closed down” to avoid an education verificationThese stories aren’t just entertaining—they reveal why hiring, screening, and trusting the wrong person can become incredibly expensive.💸 Have your own hiring horror story? Submit it at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.Key Takeaways:One bad hire can create massive financial losses.Background checks only work if you’re running the right searches.Confidence on paper doesn’t always translate to integrity.Employment verification matters more than most companies realize.Honesty is always easier than trying to cover a lie.⸻Connect with Us:🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com📧 Email: [email protected]📱 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
Jul 1
39 min
He Faked His Mom’s Death to Get Out of Work
What happens when an employee claims his brother died, his mom passed away, his car was stolen, and he got COVID multiple times… only for everyone to discover it was all a lie?In Episode 38 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Emma react to listener-submitted stories involving fake credentials, viral firings, toxic high performers, and one employee whose excuses became more unbelievable with every passing week.This episode also features leadership expert Robert “Ducey” Staub, who shares a cautionary tale about bypassing the hiring process and bringing in a toxic employee who nearly turned an entire team against him.You’ll hear:– The student newspaper that exposed a principal’s fake degrees– A viral Cloudflare termination that sparked internet outrage– Why diploma mills continue fooling employers– A leadership expert’s biggest hiring mistake– The dangers of hiring based on instinct alone– An employee whose lies spiraled completely out of controlThese stories aren’t just entertaining—they’re lessons in accountability, integrity, and why hiring shortcuts rarely end well.💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.Key Takeaways:• Character issues eventually reveal themselves.• Verification matters more than assumptions.• Toxic high performers can damage entire teams.• Hiring shortcuts often create expensive problems.• The more lies someone tells, the harder they are to maintain.⸻Connect with Us:🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com📧 Email: [email protected]📱 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
Jun 25
30 min
A Fake Degree Cost Him a Fortune
What happens when a CFO lies about a Stanford MBA for years… and nobody notices until an anonymous tip exposes everything?In Episode 37 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Morgan, and Emma dive into a series of unbelievable stories involving fake degrees, résumé fraud, hiring shortcuts, and the career-ending consequences that follow.From a receptionist who quit after three hours on the job to executives who built entire careers on credentials they never earned, this episode explores how one small lie can snowball into a massive problem years later.You’ll hear:– The front desk hire who lasted only three hours– A CFO whose fake Stanford MBA caused a public company crisis– A Walmart executive derailed by missing college credits– A Notre Dame football coach who lost the job after five days– Why résumé lies almost always catch up to you– How hiring shortcuts create expensive mistakesThese stories aren’t just entertaining—they’re reminders that integrity matters long after the interview is over.💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.Key Takeaways:• Hiring shortcuts often become expensive lessons.• Small résumé lies can create massive consequences years later.• Verification matters at every level of hiring.• Character issues rarely stay hidden forever.• The higher you climb, the harder the fall.⸻Connect with Us:🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com📧 Email: [email protected]📱 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
Jun 17
24 min
He Took a Phone Call During His Job Interview
What do you do when a candidate shows up nearly an hour late to an interview… then answers personal phone calls in the middle of it?In Episode 36 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Emma react to a fresh batch of listener-submitted hiring disasters, including interview train wrecks, fake remote workers, workplace meltdowns, and employees who spent more effort avoiding work than actually doing it.  From a supervisor candidate who believed the rules didn’t apply to him, to a software engineer who wasn’t even the same person that interviewed for the job, this episode is packed with stories that will leave you shaking your head.You’ll hear:– The candidate who arrived 50 minutes late and demanded answers after being rejected– A performance review that escalated into threats and property damage– A remote software engineer caught impersonating another candidate– A growing hiring scam involving interview stand-ins– Wealth management employees fired for using mouse jigglers to fake productivity– Why remote work succeeds for some employees and completely fails for othersThese stories are funny, unbelievable, and packed with lessons for anyone responsible for hiring.💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.Key Takeaways:• Interviews reveal far more than résumés ever will.• Entitlement is one of the easiest red flags to spot.• Hiring shortcuts often create bigger problems later.• Remote work requires accountability and trust.• Character issues eventually expose themselves.⸻Connect with Us:🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com📧 Email: [email protected]📱 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
Jun 10
35 min
The Employee Who Disappeared Without a Trace
A receptionist starts calling clients “Sparkles Chompers.”A salesman disappears without a trace.And a remote engineer gets caught using a fake video feed during Zoom meetings.In Episode 35 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Morgan react to some of the most bizarre hiring stories yet — including workplace boundary disasters, employees who completely disappear, and remote work scams that sound too ridiculous to be real.This episode proves that sometimes the craziest stories aren’t about bad performance — they’re about behavior nobody could have predicted.You’ll hear:– A receptionist whose over-the-top friendliness got her fired– The employee who disappeared and left his wife to discover the truth– A remote engineer secretly outsourcing his entire job– A six-figure employee working two full-time jobs at once– The Zoom call that exposed a fake webcam scamSome of these stories are hilarious.Some are shocking.And some make you wonder how people thought they’d ever get away with it.💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.Key Takeaways:• Professional boundaries matter.• Remote work requires trust—but verification matters too.• Character issues eventually reveal themselves.• Being honest late is not the same as being honest.• Sometimes the biggest red flags don’t appear until after hiring.⸻Connect with Us:🌐 Website: TheBadHire.com📧 Email: [email protected]📱 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
Jun 3
24 min
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