A few months back, I sat down with the CTO of a large IT services company. They had just landed a major digital transformation project that involved moving several enterprise applications to Azure. The CTO looked at me and said,
“We’re about to hire a team of Azure developers. Everyone we talk to says they know the cloud, but how do we know who’s actually good? What should we look for before hiring?”
It was a fair question. Over the years, I’ve been part of plenty of hiring discussions and reviewed the outcomes of those hires in real projects.
Certificates and big claims only go so far. What really matters is whether a developer can design, build, and maintain systems that run reliably in the cloud. So I told him,
“Let me share the ten skills that really separate a strong Azure developer from the rest.”
Top 10 Skills to Look for in an Azure Developer Before Hiring
Here's a detailed breakdown of the skills that you should look for before hiring an Azure Developer.
1. Understanding the fundamentals
So, I started with the basics. Azure is a big ecosystem. Developers need to know core services like virtual machines, networking, identity, and storage. Without this foundation, everything else will tumble down.
I remembered a client who brought in a developer who rushed into advanced features without understanding networking rules. It led to weeks of downtime before the team figured out what had gone wrong.
2. Building applications on Azure
Next, I explained that it’s not just about infrastructure. A good Azure developer should know how to build and run applications using App Services, Functions, or Logic Apps. And even more important is, they should know when to use which.
One of our clients saved a significant amount of money when a developer suggested serverless functions instead of running a full virtual machine setup.
3. Working with data
Every application deals with data, so I told the CTO to look for database knowledge, too. A developer should know how to handle Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, and storage accounts without running into performance issues or unnecessary costs.
I shared the story of a team that was spending almost double the expected amount on Cosmos DB because of poor indexing. This was later sorted out as we helped them hire Azure developers with the required expertise.
4. Automation and DevOps
“Cloud without automation is asking for trouble,”
I said. Developers should know how to set up CI/CD pipelines, either with Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions. This ensures quick, repeatable, and less stressful deployments.
I recalled one project where automated pipelines allowed daily releases with no downtime, while another company without automation still struggled with late-night weekend rollouts.
5. Security First Mindset
The CTO knows how much I emphasize security as a critical part of the process. I reminded him that good Azure developers think about it from day one. Role-based access control, key vaults for secrets, encryption, and compliance are not just some random add-ons; they are part of the build. A single mistake in security can undo months of good work.
6. Containers and Kubernetes
We then talked about experience and knowledge around containers. Today, most modern applications rely on them. Developers should understand how to use Azure Kubernetes Service, manage pods, scale workloads, and monitor clusters.
I mentioned a case where a team ran containers like virtual machines because they didn’t know Kubernetes properly, which defeated the entire purpose.
7. Monitoring and troubleshooting
“Don’t hire someone who just builds and walks away,”
I told him. A strong Azure developer knows how to monitor applications, set up alerts, and debug issues with Azure Monitor, Application Insights, or Log Analytics.
I once saw a team catch a scaling issue weeks before it could have turned into an outage, all thanks to proper monitoring.
8. Cost awareness
Azure can become expensive quickly. Developers need to be aware of the potential costs while designing solutions. Reserved instances, scaling strategies, and picking the right services all play a role.
We’ve seen companies save thousands every month because their developers built with cost optimization in mind.
9. Problem-solving attitude
At this point, the CTO asked, “So this is not just about technical skills, is it?” I told him no; it’s also about mindset. The best of the Azure developers don’t just take instructions; they look at the bigger picture. They ask questions, challenge assumptions, and come up with better ways to build.
I shared how one developer spotted a bottleneck the architects missed and boosted application performance by nearly 40 percent.
10. Communication and collaboration
Finally, as we proceeded to end the discussion, I said that soft skills matter too. The developer should be able to explain their work clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. They should work well with DevOps engineers, testers, and product teams. Without this, you get silos and misunderstandings.
The CTO leaned back and said,
_“That makes sense. We need people who understand the full picture, not just parts of it.” _
And that’s exactly the point.
Final Thoughts
Hiring Azure developers is not about chasing titles or certifications. It’s about finding people who combine technical knowledge with real-world problem solving, security awareness, cost sensitivity, and collaboration. If you can bring those skills into your team, your Azure projects won’t just run; they’ll deliver lasting value.
And, if you need help hiring the right talent, you can always take the help of an Azure consulting company. They can help you onboard the right pool of talent by understanding your requirements and business objectives.
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