Fatal Attraction

The phenomenon of bad hires who keep failing upward is far more common and costly that CEOs and HR managers would care to admit. But it's an unhappy fact that while under great pressure to attract wealth-generating talent, executives who hire infrequently - and aren't skilled in the recruitment arts - find certain characters simply irresistible. Call then "fatal attraction" candidates. During interviews, they come off as an intellectual cross between George Will and Jon Stewart, and project the confidence of Clint Eastwood with a gun in his hand. Fall into bed with one, however, and you're likely to wake up to find your pet bunny boiling on the stovetop.