You have placed the ad, interviewed the candidates, selected your favorite, made the offer and they accepted. Done...right? Not so fast. The most commonly under-utilized step is the reference check. Keep in mind that studies show that up to 25% of information on a candidate's resume is false. The most commonly bogus section? Education.

Educational references are the easiest to verify. Most institutions only require a social security number and name and respond within 24 hours. Begin your reference checking with this because it will save you the most time.