[mkoryak]

There are questions in a form that I'd fill out like: how well I know this person, how well I know their work, etc.

For you, I would need to answer "don't know" for all of these.

Having a strong github would go a long way in making it possible to answer one of those with with something other than don't know.

Basically you need something more tangible than a resume for a stranger to go out on a limb for you.