Sparse or not TG the advantage on projects here, is if you do good you shine if you do bad (pardon the pun) it can stay buried
A good past record can count for a lot but here you can cut your teeth on a project and add it to your portfolio for the future. Enthusiasm and dedication count and unless you choose to reveal it there's no race, religion, gender or age bias and your as good as your last revealed record.
Did I ever say I was a runner up for a Nobel Prize. I was only beaten by about 2 million other candidates.