Comment by harrisosserman

I think that even in areas where a list of projects, references, and skills are required, it is still the one who has great personal contacts who often succeeds. For example, the great accountants get many of their new clients from other clients who think they do great work. Or the great bioengineers get connections to people in industry from professors who think highly of them. An introduction from someone who thinks very highly of you is often much more powerful than a list of projects.