Many angel investors, venture capitalists and acquiring companies complete a lot of due diligence, especially on company financials, prior to an investment or acquisition. Unfortunately, few perform very thorough talent evaluations! They mistakenly underestimate the value of talent of the target company. Instead, I recommend taking an investigative approach to vetting talent.
For some thoughts, please go to my 9th and 10th Commandments Of Recruiting videos at http://www.strategicsearch.com/technical-recruiting-tips/ and click on 9th and 10th (below) to view the videos. Include four investigative checks: a) criminal records b) civil records (e.g. bankruptcies) c) educational verification and d) detailed reference checks. Also include scouring social media sites like Facebook and My Space for additional information on your prospects. Often times your candidates will provide hidden details that you cannot secure elsewhere! The caveat is past behavior (and missteps) is the greatest predictor of future performance. This can really help you separate the “wheat from the chaff“.
