If you are seeking permanent placement, benefits packages will vary. This is an area we will help you explore with each client company to determine compatibility with your needs. When you become a MATRIX consultant, you are eligible for the entire MATRIX benefits package.

Our comprehensive PPO (Preferred Provider Plan) is administered through Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and includes Medical, Dental, Prescription, and Vision coverage. Short-term disability, long-term disability, long-term care, a dependent care spending account, and a 401(k) plan are also offered through this program. You never have to worry about yourself or your dependents.

There is no simple formula for establishing pay rates, but a number of factors are usually important: the skills required for the project, the duration of the assignment, the number of available candidates with the required skills, the difficulty of the assignment, and any past employment with the client.

Contract consultants are hired by companies, on an hourly basis, to use their skills on a specific project for a set period of time. After an assignment is completed, the consultant is released to begin another project. Contracting is a form of employment that has become very popular for IT professionals.

When working with our permanent placement division, MATRIX will help you become an employee of one of our client companies. When you work with our contract placement division, MATRIX will assist you in finding contract consulting assignments with our client companies. If you choose to come on board with MATRIX as a W-2 consultant, MATRIX would be your legal employer.

No. We work on a contingency basis, which means we represent several companies, not just one.

No. Our fees are fully paid by our client companies.

Yes, we have placed candidates from Seattle to Boston, and everywhere in between. With offices across the country, MATRIX has the capacity to serve our clients staffing needs on a nationwide basis.

Yes. A significant percentage of our candidates are relocating to other areas. We can work with you to develop a plan to conduct an out-of-town search with a minimum amount of inconvenience and wasted time.

Yes, MATRIX does sponsor H-1 candidates who are willing to relocate, accept competitive rates, and travel, as well as meet certain education and IT skills.

It varies. Some of our client companies allow MATRIX to sponsor, but not all. Please check with your MATRIX Associate.

It varies. If you have solid experience with a hard-to-find skill set, you could be presented with an offer in a matter of days. Most candidates can expect their job search to last from two to six weeks on average, but it could last longer. Also, higher-level, permanent positions often have longer hiring cycles of 12 weeks or more.

Each client has a different timetable, depending on their sense of urgency. Some clients need to replace an employee who has left or who is leaving and are willing to move very quickly to do this. Other clients may be hiring for a project that does not start for some time; they may take more time interviewing and screening potential candidates.

Once you begin the search process, you can expect to hear from your MATRIX Associate as opportunities become available. We also encourage you to review our Web site periodically and to call us if you see a position of interest.

We have found that most people prefer telephone correspondence. We realize that telephone conversations may be difficult for you at times, so each MATRIX Associate can also correspond with you via e-mail.

No. You are free to work with any firm you desire at any time.

MATRIX focuses exclusively on the IT profession, and we have hundreds of technical and functional positions at all levels. These positions can include PC Support, Network Administration, Network Architecture, Web/Internet related positions, Programmer Analyst, Software Engineer, Systems Analyst, Business Analyst, UNIX Systems Administrator, Database Administrator, Data Architect, Project Leader, Project Manager, IT Manager, Director, VP of Technology, and vendor-related positions.

Many firms choose not to advertise their open positions because of the time and expense involved with performing the search. Instead, they engage MATRIX to find qualified candidates for them. You get access to these positions. You leverage the deep relationships we have built with hiring managers over more than two decades.

Further, we provide information you cannot obtain from an Internet Career site. You can get a detailed perspective on company culture, the working environment, and the position itself prior to going on an interview. Our career help information on our Website can reduce the time you spend on interviews by ensuring you are presented with opportunities that fit your needs.

Finally, you will have a single point of contact at MATRIX (your MATRIX Associate) who will get to know you as an individual. Your job search becomes a team effort — not an individual one.

This varies with each client company. Typically, an offer will be presented to you verbally by your MATRIX Associate. Other times, the employer will desire to present the offer directly to you. For permanent positions, once you accept the verbal offer, a written offer letter is generally sent to you via mail.

Good question. As you might imagine, there is no simple answer to this question. Market value is largely determined by area of the country, years of experience, depth of experience, educational history, and often varies by company and industry. We generate our own IT Salary Survey for the cities where we have a local office: Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Jacksonville, Phoenix, Raleigh, San Francisco, and Seattle. This survey can provide you with a good understanding of the range of salaries in the marketplace.

Yes. However, this is not our primary area of focus. Most of our clients want employees with experience who can "hit the ground running" on the first day. If you have a Computer Science or MIS bachelor's degree and some solid project experience while in school, we may be able to help you. Also, any internship or solid work experience while in school is a plus. Please be sure to mention this experience to your MATRIX Associate.

It depends on your background, education, and flexibility. If you have a Computer Science, MIS, EE, or similar technical degree and relevant industry experience, we may be able to help you. You must be flexible on salary requirements when changing careers, but you can recover quickly once you learn new skills.