Pet projects and hiring decisions

Want an easy way to identify people with that passion? Are you willing to pay a bit more?

Most people that start out as developers don't last - they either switch careers or go into management. So when you come across someone who's been in the workforce longer than that but is doing their daily work using a current/bleeding edge technology, you'll know you're looking at someone with the a passion for programming.

Bonus points if the candidate went into management and switched back to coding.

Note that I realize there's a hybrid ... managers that code. They may not be as dedicated to the craft as someone who's switched back to being a full-time programmer but they are fun to work for.