> Not really - in software people leave a bigger and more easily trackable track record than any other engineering field. From previous work projects/experience

> Not really - in software people leave a bigger and more easily trackable track record than any other engineering field. From previous work projects/experience to open source projects/experience, from personal projects to the communities a person belongs to. That only apply to software people who either (a) are getting paid to work on open source or (b) have enough spare time to work on open source as a hobby after hours. Option (b), in particular, usually implies having no children or other familial responsibilities.