How can you disclose to the "private industry" what you did before then?
One has a bunch of certifications, a TS/SCI with polygraph, a list of skills/technologies that overlap strongly with the ones you are interested in, work experience with your biggest customers (responsible for 85% of revenue), but only has very vague information about what he has done specifically. Everything looks like a good fit, but it is hard to tell for sure because of the vagueness.
The other has an excellent, detailed, resume listing several jobs in the purely private sector. Even though he has worked in large enterprises, they weren't DoD and so the technology overlap isn't quite as good. But by and large you think he'd be an excellent fit based on the projects he has undertaken so far.
It will cost you six figures and take at least many months to get the second candidate security cleared, which will be necessary before he can start working on the project you have in mind. He might fail to get cleared in which case you will have to start all over.
Who do you interview first?
Contrary to the prevailing popular opinion that defense is run by complete idiots, a lot of programs are run by extremely intelligent people... that have a litany of pressures that are completely contradictory that results in completely insane outcomes.
I'd say walking away from that job might be the best option. You're not part of the mil/industry complex any longer, you sleep better after the next drone bombing of civilians, based on intel received from RQ-170 or similar.
Folks from LM should all walk away.
Thank you.