[scarface74]

I very much care that they know the tools and are not just a good developer. I need someone who can hit the ground running using our choice of language. Learning a language is easy. Learning to use the tooling efficiently and learning the ecosystem takes time. I'm not hiring developers to write algorithms. I'm hiring developers who know whatever language we are working in. I'm not going to hire a PHP developer no matter how good they are if I'm running a C# shop. Why would I? I can easily find C# developers.

If they struggle writing code and don't know the syntax when given an IDE, why would I hire them?

[hvidgaard]

I'd rather have a developer with a solid understanding of FP, CI, integration testing, good programming practices, structure, refactoring ect., than one that knows the tools and tooling inside out. Ideally I want both, but if I have to choose it's the former. We have other developers that can get them up to speed relatively quickly, and they'll start with established projects anyway.

[scarface74]

So now you’re wasting money on not only the new hire, but also taking time away from your existing employees.

Besides refactoring is a lot different and the tooling better for statically type languages. Good programming practices is also about idiomatic programming that comes with experience in the chosen language.

[hvidgaard]

If I had to choose, the former is more important to me, and it works for us, I've not had a bad hire yet in a market where getting new developers is difficult.

Refactoring with or without tooling in static or dynamic languages, is about recognizing a piece of the code base that should be refactored and what the goal is. Tool and language can make this easier or harder, but that is again, something you can train them in and all new developers get a mentor for as long as they need, even senior developers.