[bubbleRefuge]

Think it has to do with trust. If a hiring manager, for example, has a contributor who is good and recommends a former colleague, that resume can get to the front of the line. There are plenty of engineers who are interview/leet code ninja's or have fluffy resumes. Getting someone to vouch for work ethic, skills, etc of a candidate carries allot of weight. Thats just the reality. Its less risk of a bad hire if you have first hand knowledge of a candidate.