Technical Debt Considerations When Hiring Software Engineers

Technical debt is the hidden cost of taking shortcuts in software development. It can disrupt workflows, drain resources, and lead to higher turnover if not managed properly. When hiring software engineers, their ability to handle technical debt is critical to maintaining efficient, scalable systems. Here's what to focus on:

• Understand Technical Debt: It includes code issues (e.g., inefficient algorithms) and larger architectural flaws that slow progress and increase maintenance costs.
• Spot Key Skills in Resumes: Look for terms like "refactoring", "optimized code", or "increased test coverage", as well as quantifiable results like reduced latency or faster deployment times.
• Evaluate Portfolios: Check for clean, modular code, clear documentation, and evidence of thoughtful refactoring.
• Ask the Right Questions: During interviews, explore how candidates prioritize technical debt, balance trade-offs, and integrate long-term fixes into development cycles.
• Use Tools and Simulations: Platforms like SonarQube can measure code quality, while code review simulations reveal how candidates handle legacy code and prioritize fixes.

Hiring engineers skilled in managing technical debt can save time, reduce costs, and improve team productivity. These professionals ensure systems remain maintainable and scalable, helping your organization stay competitive.

What Technical Debt Means for Engineering Teams

::: @figure {The True Cost of Technical Debt: Impact on Engineering Teams and Business}

Defining Technical Debt

Technical debt happens when teams prioritize quick fixes over long-term, sustainable solutions, effectively trading short-term speed for future headaches and costs.

This debt can show up in two primary forms: code debt and architectural debt. Code debt refers to issues like flawed logic, inefficient algorithms, or poorly implemented patterns - think of it as a broken stair that’s easy to spot and repair. On the other hand, architectural debt is more systemic, akin to a poorly planned city road network that causes traffic jams everywhere. These structural flaws ripple through the system, making them harder to pinpoint and fix.

Why does this happen? Common culprits include tight deadlines that encourage cutting corners, insufficient testing to meet launch schedules, and gaps in expertise. Studies suggest technical debt could account for 20–40% of an organization's technology assets, and Gartner predicts that by 2026, 80% of this debt will stem from architectural issues.

Grasping these forms and their causes is crucial for understanding how technical debt disrupts engineering teams and projects.

How Technical Debt Impacts Teams and Projects

Technical debt doesn’t just sit in the background - it actively disrupts workflows and drains resources. Developers often find themselves stuck in a cycle of patching problems, losing an average of 13.5 hours every week to these recurring fixes. This adds up to an estimated $85 billion in lost productivity annually. Imagine what teams could achieve if that time were spent on building new features or improving existing systems.

Take Twitter’s early days as a prime example. Its initial Ruby on Rails architecture couldn’t handle the platform’s rapid growth, leading to frequent outages and the infamous "fail whale" error page. Eventually, the engineering team had to overhaul the system, migrating to Scala and introducing robust caching mechanisms - a monumental effort that could have been avoided with better planning upfront.

The financial toll doesn’t stop there. Hidden architectural issues can consume as much as 40% of digital transformation budgets. During cloud migrations, approximately 30% of applications often remain unmoved due to dependencies on outdated middleware, proprietary protocols, or undocumented components. Beyond the dollars and hours, technical debt also takes a human toll, wearing down morale and contributing to higher turnover rates among developers.

Spotting Technical Debt Experience in Resumes and Portfolios

Resume Keywords That Signal Technical Debt Experience

When scanning resumes for engineers experienced in managing technical debt, pay close attention to specific terms and phrases that highlight relevant skills.

Look for mentions of refactoring and optimization efforts, such as "refactored code", "optimized code", "eliminated duplication", or "updated frameworks." These phrases indicate hands-on experience in addressing technical debt. For example, a resume detailing a migration from a monolithic system to a microservices architecture - achieving results like a 70% reduction in deployment time using Docker and Kubernetes - shows familiarity with tackling large-scale architectural debt .

Additionally, language that underscores a focus on code quality is key. Phrases like "established coding standards", "implemented best practices", "participated in code reviews", or "introduced code quality gates" reflect a commitment to creating maintainable systems. Mentions of Test-Driven Development (TDD) or efforts to increase test coverage suggest a proactive approach to preventing technical debt from building up .

Quantifiable achievements stand out too. Statements like "optimized database queries using Redis, reducing query latency by 50%" provide clear evidence of effective technical debt management .

While resumes showcase these achievements on paper, portfolios provide a deeper look into actual coding practices.

Reviewing Portfolios and GitHub Repositories

Portfolios, especially GitHub repositories, offer valuable insights into real-world coding habits that resumes might not fully capture. For instance, projects like the OpenSSF Scorecard can demonstrate practical approaches to technical debt. Commit messages such as "upgrade osv-scanner to v2" reveal a focus on dependency management, addressing vulnerabilities, and using automated tools for branch protection and code review requirements .

Examine the structure and quality of the code itself. Strong portfolios feature code with low cyclomatic complexity, minimal duplication, and an absence of common issues like overly long methods or convoluted conditional logic . Developers skilled in managing technical debt often write modular, loosely coupled components. Their commit messages frequently highlight thoughtful refactoring efforts aimed at improving code organization and structure .

Finally, comprehensive documentation is a strong indicator of long-term sustainability. Look for detailed READMEs, clear architectural notes, and well-placed inline comments. Portfolios that include robust automated testing frameworks also stand out, as these catch potential issues early, preventing them from escalating into more significant problems.

Interview Questions for Technical Debt Management

Behavioral and Situational Questions

The interview process is a crucial opportunity to assess how candidates approach technical debt. Behavioral questions, which focus on past experiences, can provide valuable insights into their problem-solving skills and decision-making processes.

One effective question to ask is: "How do you prioritize technical debt against new feature development?" A strong candidate will describe a thoughtful approach - such as categorizing debt by its impact on system performance, scalability, or team productivity . They should explain how they measure the business value of addressing technical debt and how they integrate it into the development roadmap. Look for examples of iterative refactoring sessions that balance resolving debt with delivering new features . Bonus points if they share measurable results, like improved system performance or increased developer efficiency.

Another insightful question is: "Describe a situation where you introduced technical debt and the trade-offs considered." Companies like Robinhood use this to understand a candidate's awareness and decision-making under pressure . A strong response should include the context of the decision, the specific trade-offs made (e.g., meeting tight deadlines or fulfilling urgent business needs), the consequences of the debt, and why alternative options were not feasible. As finalroundai.com notes:

This question is trying to gauge your awareness about the concept of technical debt and your decision-making process in situations when you had to introduce it .

For senior candidates, consider asking: "How do you balance short-term deliverables with long-term technical strategy?" Look for answers that include creating a technical roadmap that incorporates time for addressing debt during sprint planning . Candidates should also demonstrate their ability to communicate the importance of long-term goals to stakeholders while managing immediate priorities . As Phil from 4 Day Week aptly puts it:

Technical debt is inevitable in software development, and its management is crucial .

While these discussions are valuable, practical exercises can provide even deeper insights into a candidate's skills.

Coding Exercises and Practical Assessments

After discussing past experiences, practical assessments allow candidates to showcase their technical debt management skills in action. Start with simple problems and gradually introduce complexity to evaluate their architectural thinking .

For example, you could ask candidates to design a service to handle user activity events. Then, introduce constraints like increased load, critical transaction requirements, and real-time analytics needs . Pay attention to how they adapt their design, address potential failures, and plan for recovery. Strong candidates will also ask thoughtful questions about latency, data retention, and consistency requirements.

Another useful exercise is a database evaluation scenario. Pose a question like: "How would you evaluate database options for a growing product?" Then add constraints such as high availability, large-scale data volumes, and compliance requirements . Look for candidates who discuss validating assumptions through proof-of-concepts, considering operational impact, planning migrations, and mitigating risks .

To assess refactoring skills, consider asking: "If you could rebuild your most complex system from scratch, what would you do differently?" or "Design a system that will still work well in five years." As Zhenya Kruglova, Head of Talent Acquisition at Lemon.io, explains:

The best candidates will build in the flexibility to handle tomorrow's unknowns. They'll show you how they've learned from past systems and how those lessons inform their future designs .

These exercises help distinguish candidates who merely point out past challenges from those who demonstrate a clear understanding of system evolution and a practical approach to continuous improvement.

Tools and Methods for Evaluating Technical Debt Skills

Code Quality Analysis Tools

Evaluating a candidate's ability to manage technical debt often starts with code quality analysis tools. Platforms like SonarQube can assess code submissions during technical evaluations by measuring key metrics such as cyclomatic complexity, cognitive complexity, code coverage, and maintainability ratings . These tools automatically flag issues like code smells, bugs, vulnerabilities, and duplicated code - all of which can indicate potential technical debt .

One useful metric is the Technical Debt Ratio (TDR), calculated as:

TDR = (Remediation Cost / Development Cost) × 100

This ratio highlights the effort required to fix issues compared to the time spent writing the code . Candidates producing code with consistently lower TDR values demonstrate a stronger awareness of technical debt. Additionally, AI-driven tools can go a step further by detecting, prioritizing, and even recommending refactoring changes, giving insight into how candidates approach managing debt .

For a more hands-on approach, code review simulations can provide a deeper understanding of a candidate's skills in identifying and prioritizing technical debt.

Code Review Simulations

Code review simulations are an excellent way to gauge how candidates handle technical debt in a practical setting . These simulations often involve presenting candidates with a realistic legacy codebase containing various forms of debt - such as code debt, architectural debt, documentation debt, and test debt .

Candidates are tasked with identifying the technical debt within the codebase and, more importantly, explaining how they would prioritize addressing it . The strongest candidates won't just list every issue they find; instead, they'll categorize problems based on severity and business impact. They should demonstrate a clear understanding of trade-offs, identifying which issues demand immediate action and which can be resolved over time. This exercise not only evaluates their ability to spot problems but also highlights their decision-making and judgment skills - qualities that are critical for managing technical debt in real-world scenarios .

Using daily.dev Recruiter to Find Engineers Who Handle Technical Debt

When it comes to managing technical debt, having the right engineers on your team is a game changer. That’s where daily.dev Recruiter comes in. This platform simplifies the hiring process by connecting you with engineers who are already skilled in handling technical debt. With over 1,000,000 developers actively engaging daily with technical content, it offers a fresh alternative to traditional recruiting methods. Instead of sifting through endless resumes, you’ll connect directly with active, pre-qualified candidates who are open to exploring new opportunities.

Finding Pre-Qualified Candidates

daily.dev Recruiter uses a warm, double opt-in system to match you with developers who showcase technical expertise in their profiles. This makes it easier to pinpoint candidates who are well-suited for tackling today’s software challenges. Plus, the platform taps into a network of engaged professionals who may not be actively job hunting but are excelling in their current roles. Many of these developers have hands-on experience in refactoring and optimizing code - exactly the kind of expertise you need for managing technical debt effectively.

Custom Screening and ATS Integration

To make the hiring process even smoother, daily.dev Recruiter allows you to set custom screening criteria tailored to the skills you’re looking for. It also integrates seamlessly with your ATS and sourcing tools, helping you manage and track candidates with ease. With transparent pricing and impressive reply rates from qualified talent, this platform turns hiring into a more focused and efficient process.

Conclusion

Bringing engineers on board who can effectively manage technical debt is an investment in your company’s future. Consider this: a company carrying a 40% technical debt burden could lose up to $600,000 annually - an amount equivalent to the salaries of four senior engineers. On top of that, developers often spend 33% of their time on maintenance tasks instead of focusing on innovation.

These numbers highlight the real impact technical debt has on your team’s efficiency and your organization’s bottom line. Hiring engineers skilled in managing technical debt can transform your operations. They help address issues before they escalate, cutting operational costs and freeing up resources for innovation. Plus, they can play a critical role in improving morale. After all, 78% of developers report feeling stuck working with outdated systems, and companies with high technical debt face a turnover rate that’s 2.5 times higher than their peers.

Prioritizing candidates who understand code quality, refactoring, and long-term maintainability doesn’t just improve your team’s workflow - it accelerates progress. These engineers can enhance feature delivery, security, and scalability, while enabling your team to deliver services up to 50% faster. They aren’t just writing code; they’re building systems designed to grow with your business and adapt to cutting-edge technologies like AI.

FAQs

How does hiring engineers skilled in managing technical debt benefit team productivity?

Hiring engineers skilled in handling technical debt can significantly boost a team’s efficiency by keeping codebases clean, easy to maintain, and adaptable for future needs. These professionals excel at spotting and tackling critical technical challenges, helping to avoid long-term issues like unstable systems or rising maintenance expenses.

By prioritizing the reduction of technical debt, teams can simplify workflows, foster better collaboration, and speed up development processes. This not only enables quicker release cycles but also lays the foundation for the organization’s sustained growth and stability.

What keywords should I look for on resumes to find engineers skilled in managing technical debt?

When evaluating resumes, focus on keywords that reflect familiarity with technical debt and related areas. Look for terms like refactoring, code quality, legacy systems, system design, code maintainability, and architecture decisions. These can signal a candidate's understanding of maintaining and improving code over time.

Skills such as automated testing, performance optimization, modular design, and problem-solving are also valuable indicators of someone capable of tackling technical debt. Additionally, keep an eye out for mentions of code reviews, documentation, security best practices, and scalability. These suggest a candidate who prioritizes the long-term stability and efficiency of a codebase.

For a deeper insight, look for concrete examples like modernizing outdated systems or enhancing system performance. These specifics can help identify engineers who not only understand technical debt but also know how to manage and reduce it effectively.

How does technical debt impact the scalability of software systems over time?

Technical debt can be a major roadblock when it comes to scaling a system. It adds layers of complexity to the codebase, making maintenance a challenge. As this debt builds up, systems often become fragile, struggling to adapt to growth or evolving requirements. The ripple effects? Slower performance, increased development costs, and a tougher time rolling out new features or managing heavier workloads.

Taking a proactive approach to technical debt helps teams keep their systems efficient, adaptable, and ready to handle future demands with ease.