Behind every bad hire, there’s a story worth telling (and a lesson worth learning). In this very first episode of The Bad Hire, host Ken Monroe introduces the show, explains why bad hiring stories are more common than you think, and reveals how you can be part of the show plus, how your story could win you $10,000.

From hilarious interview fails to tragic workplace disasters, Ken shares why these stories matter, how recruiters and hiring leaders bond over them, and what we can all learn from hiring gone wrong.

Whether you’re an HR leader, recruiter, or just someone who’s witnessed a hiring horror show, this episode sets the stage for a season packed with insights, cautionary tales, and practical takeaways.

Key Takeaways

• The Bad Hire is a podcast built on real stories of hiring gone wrong.

• Behind every hire that fails, there’s humor, pain, or sometimes tragedy but always a lesson.

• Listeners are invited to submit their own stories for a chance to be featured on the show.

• At the end of the season, the best story wins $10,000.

• Submissions can cover bad hires, bad interviews, or even candidates who never made it past the first meeting.

In This Episode

• [00:03 ] Introduction – why bad hires make great stories

• [00:46 ] What the show is about and who it’s for

• [01:12 ] How The Bad Hire was born out of recruiter storytelling sessions

• [02:13 ] The funny, sad, and even tragic side of hiring gone wrong

• [03:00 ] How to submit your own story for the podcast

• [03:49 ] Details of the $10,000 contest

• [04:05 ] Wrap-up and call to action

Notable Quotes

• [00:03 ] “Ever made a bad hire? Had an interview spiral into chaos? You’re not alone.” – Ken Monroe

• [01:50 ] “The bad hire is really about humanizing the recruiter’s world—because even the best hiring pros get it wrong sometimes.” – Ken Monroe

• [03:00 ] “At the end of the season, the best story of all wins $10,000.” – Ken Monroe

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.

• Submit your story – thebadhire.com

• Website – thebadhire.com

• Email – ken@thebadhire.com

• LinkedIn – Ken Monroe

• Podcast Platforms – Available on Apple, Spotify, and all major podcast apps