The above was coined by Benjamin Franklin in 1736.

His point?

It's better to stop something bad from happening than it is to deal with it after it has happened.

Take DISEASE...It's better to invest an ounce of effort in preventing disease (diet/exercise, regular check-ups) than a pound of cure later dealing with the consequences of disease.

Take WAR...It's better to invest an ounce of effort into preventing war (diplomacy, etc.) than a pound of cure later dealing with the consequences of war. 

The same is true in HIRING... 

What are the consequences of bad hiring?

-Turnover
-Poor performance
-Bad culture
-Employee conflict / disengagement
-Bad Glassdoor reviews
-Frivolous lawsuits
-Etc.

Some companies invest only in trying to reverse the consequences of bad hires:

-Huge training budgets
-Endless employee engagement initiatives
-Etc.

But it's better to invest an ounce of effort in preventing bad hires than a pound of cure later dealing with the consequences of bad hires.

Don't make the mistake of having to learn this lesson for yourself.

Forgive our boldness, but as the saying goes: "Experience is a dear teacher, but a fool will learn no other way."