What do you look for when hiring software engineers? https://builtin.com/software-engineering-perspectives/what-look-when-hiring-software-engineers

Curiosity, honesty, an ability to take direction, an ability to argue a point without getting evangelical about it, and a team player (eg: no rockstars, thanks).

Experience over certifications. Anyone can be certified but that doesn’t mean they know how to actually function and do the work. I also look to see based off their interviews and references if they will be a good fit for my team and a team player.