[matterhorn]

"...don't focus on those with big-business credentials who may be accustomed to having a lot of rules to follow."

This is EXACTLY the kind of rule that a big business uses. It involves no judgement, no thinking, no consideration of the individual situation being addressed.

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." - H.L. Mencken

Freelancers are a good bet for small companies and also for side-projects. All Hail the Freelancers. But that rule about candidates who worked at a large business is not reasonable.