Show Notes
What do you do when a brand-new employee gets a company credit card on his first day… disappears at lunch… and comes back with $4,000 worth of suits, ties, and shoes?
In Episode 46 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Emma, and Kylie break down another round of unbelievable workplace stories — from an employee with an impossible streak of family emergencies to a seven-figure executive who simply never showed up for his first day.
This episode proves bad hires can happen at every level.
You’ll hear: – A new manager hit with one unbelievable excuse after another – A recruiter’s experience inside an incredibly toxic staffing company – An employee who accidentally exposed confidential company work on social media – A new hire who spent $4,000 on clothes using his company card – A seven-figure executive who ghosted his own welcome event – An employee who went to lunch, went home, and casually returned days later – A publishing employee who stole more than 1,000 unpublished manuscripts – Two retail employees accused of stealing nearly $44,000 in merchandise – And an employee who paid to run a background check on his own manager
From ridiculous first-day decisions to sophisticated schemes that lasted years, these stories show just how unpredictable hiring can get.
💸 Think you’ve heard worse? Submit your story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000.
Key Takeaways: • A great interview doesn’t guarantee a great employee. • Clear policies mean nothing if employees choose to ignore them. • Bad hires can create security risks far beyond poor performance. • Senior-level hires can flame out just as spectacularly as entry-level ones. • Sometimes the biggest red flags appear immediately. ⸻
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
More from The Bad Hire Podcast
The company was growing fast. Startup to millions in revenue in about a year. So they hired a CFO who looked the part: glasses, résumé, all of it. One month in, the credit card bill showed $2,800 in auto repairs. New tires. His car. When they asked him about it, he wasn't sorry. He said he thought they'd want the points. In Episode 53 of The Bad Hire, Ken and Nathan are joined by special guest Allen Darby, founder and CEO of Alaris Acquisitions, for a round of unbelievable workplace stories involving a job seeker who screamed at recruiters before she ever applied, a receptionist with a company card and a ceramic cow collection, a CFO who mistook the company card for a rewards program, a new hire who made a pass at a visiting director, and a cashier whose whole identity was borrowed for exactly one shift. You'll hear: • A job seeker yells at recruiters for weeks without ever submitting an application • "Terry" the receptionist hides the AmEx bill and buys ceramic cows on the company card • Why her last employer never warned anyone, and what references really tell you • Allen's CFO story: $2,800 in tires and "I thought you'd want the points" • Why hiring is a skill, and why résumés predict only 10% of success • The paid, two-day working interview that sold both sides • A new hire turns every task into a grievance, then corners a married director at the coffee station • Allen on Alaris Acquisitions and leading M&A with compatibility instead of price • A cashier with a borrowed Social Security number walks out with $4,000 • Why "How much is your background check?" is the wrong question Key Takeaways: • Hiring is a skill. Liking someone isn't the same as them being right for the job. • Résumés are a weak predictor of success. Watch how people actually work. • Employment verification confirms dates, not character. • Fit first. When both sides want it, the outcome gets better. • Not all background checks are equal. Know what yours actually covers. 💸 Think you've heard worse? Submit your Bad Hire story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000. ⸻ 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
Four months of searching. Three prior CFO roles. References that held up. On his first day, he came in early, got his badge photo taken, and sat down with the quarterly numbers. Around 10 in the morning, four federal agents walked into the lobby and asked for him by name. He'd been in the chair for less than three hours. In Episode 52 of The Bad Hire, Ken, Nathan, and Kylie break down another round of unbelievable workplace stories involving a retirement question nobody saw coming, a cold call to the company's biggest client on day three, a résumé skill learned on YouTube, a self-review two weeks in, an eleven-minute trip to the parking lot, and a CFO who didn't make it to lunch. You'll hear: • A six-day employee asks the CEO when she's planning to retire • A new sales hire finds the client list and cold calls a top ten account on day three • Mackenzie, CEO of Sacramento Splash, on trusting your gut and hiring slow, firing fast • A new hire's CRM "proficiency" turns out to be six hours of YouTube • Ken on Good Job, BChex's behavioral assessment that finds the hidden gems • A two-week employee submits his own performance review and rates himself exceptional • A former manager calls HR after the hire is already made • A first-day hire walks $100,900 out to the parking lot • A fast food new hire gets sent home after three hours and takes it online • Four federal agents walk the brand-new CFO out of the building on day one Key Takeaways: • Every word you say to leadership carries an implication. • Moving fast is not a defense for accessing data you weren't given. • Résumés are a weak predictor of success. Behaviors are a strong one. • Trust your gut, hire slow, fire fast, and keep the documentation. • A standard background check doesn't include federal court records unless you ask. 💸 Think you've heard worse? Submit your Bad Hire story at TheBadHire.com for a chance to win $10,000. ⸻ 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
The job posting said Atlanta. The offer letter said Atlanta. The onboarding paperwork said Atlanta. The welcome email even included a parking map for the Atlanta office.
She worked a nine-hour first day for $28. Not $28 an hour. $28 for the whole day.
She interviewed well, got the job, showed up for her first day… and then asked one very important question: