That is actually a really hazardous approach, almost every job I've had as a software developer have introduced me to a new language and as someone who's been writing code for 10+ years there's hardly a large struggle to learn a new language or framework, especially if it's just another c-like imperative language.
I heard this so many times before about just another language... learning language itself? yes, can be done damn fast, plus everybody had some java-like language in their studies. Knowing this means almost nothing, we're talking about very junior-level resource.
You know gazillions of frameworks to achieve everything these days, their integration tricks, various app servers, CI toolsets and so on and on?
I mean, if you are senior in something, are you senior also in XXX language, meaning I give you spec, we talk and you deliver proper maintenable solution, leading dev team, managing all issues and bumps along the road? If no, and you just come as described junior, nobody has time to babysit you for weeks/months, and you are not willing to take junior salary. but that's what you are to the company.
I'm sorry. No actual senior person who is senior at java or c# takes months of babysitting to switch to the other. The beauty of a senior person over someone who is junior and knows only js, is that the senior person should have used many languages over their careers. Picking up a new language and/or framework is what senior people should be doing best. Most of the factors that go into a proper maintainable solution are all language agnostic. Good design, DI, IoC, all of the 12 factor app suggestions are all language independent.
Even when I was back in college many years ago, only the first class taught a language. From that point forward the teacher of each class said we're using language X and suggested a book if you needed help learning.
I'm not the person you're replying to, but can you really argue that someone senior who doesn't know a language and its associated frameworks is equivalent to someone who does know those things or deserves to be paid the same?
Sure, it's true that many things about good design are language agnostic. On the other hand, frameworks and languages can actually limit or enable what you can do, and that lack of familiarity with them has the potential to lead to mistakes.
If everything else is equal, then obviously knowing the current language I need will push that person ahead. IME, the language(s) a senior person knows is the least important part whether they are a good hire though.
My reasoning for this is that we are always learning new languages and using new frameworks. Why would I let a better person go when the language is probably going to change, or worst case they pick it up in a couple weeks just by looking at the existing code base? One case where I would deviate a bit is if I was hiring for a functional programming position. In that case I would prefer experience with some functional language, but that is not much different than wanting OO experience for a Java/C# position.
If the more senior program is of the same calibre and lacks skill in a language, then 100% yes. The idea of discounting proper experience is a clear example of the Dunning Kruger effect.
