Financial services is one of the largest industry practices at MATRIX, and has been so for the past decade. We've placed more than 4,000 IT consultants in financial services and learned what it takes to find the talent and satisfy the stringent technology, compliance, and risk mitigation requirements demanded by that industry. As one hiring manager at one of our large bank accounts said, “You guys just get it. You work hard to understand our business.” What he meant was that unlike “transaction-oriented” IT staffing firms who are turning over recruiters and pushing resumes into a VMS as fast as they can, MATRIX applies a blend of experience, technical know-how and relationship building into thoughtfully finding just the right fit.
The results? 750+ positions filled in three years, average consultant tenure of 18 months.
Maintaining Complex Technology Across a Large Enterprise
With 750+ positions filled in the last three years and an average consultant tenure around 18 months, MATRIX has done well serving this client from local offices in San Francisco, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Chicago, Des Moines, Raleigh, and Charlotte. The client maintains a very complex technology system: mortgage and home, community bank, enterprise operations, shared services, and the list goes on -- each has their own technology and product groups.
Getting the Right Candidates On Board
Sorting out the complexity falls on the shoulders of the MATRIX Account Executives, who average more than a decade of experience each working with technical accounts. This experience translates to a better understanding of what clients are working on, and the ideal consultant profile needed to help. MATRIX Account Executives don’t waste the hiring managers’ time with a lot of basic questions.
Sherri Breault, MATRIX Account Executive in Charlotte, has worked with the client since 2000 and says: “often, when the bank sends out a job description, it is fairly generic with limited details. 95% of the time I can sit down with a recruiter and say ‘here is what they mean. Here is the technology expertise they are looking for’. Then the recruiters can zero in on a candidate that really fits those qualifications.”
Recruiters track and create lists of candidates with previous banking experience. Skills and experience are broken down very specifically, within the bank’s different Lines of Business and specific tool competencies.
Further refinement comes from technical questions that our recruiters use to qualify candidates for the positions. Both our recruiters and account executives put each candidate through a preparation coaching session before they interview.
“[My MATRIX Recruiters] were very hands on and supportive throughout the interview process, from grooming and refocusing my resume to prepping me for the interview. Then, they were there for any questions I might have during the first months on the job.”
Marian Wilde, MATRIX Consultant
Little Things Make a Big Difference
“Part of our best practices approach is to prep our candidates for the interviews,” said Breault. “We help them with insights into size and culture of their prospective teams, and what technology skills are best to focus on during the interview. We also provide guidance on communication skills such as how to stay on point during interviews. It’s those little things that make a big difference. It is definitely a differentiator.”
This TLC extends to consultant care during and after assignments. Frequent contact during assignments is the norm. And when they roll off assignments, many MATRIX consultants choose to take a hiatus, or accept other short-term jobs -- knowing when they return there will often be a good opportunity waiting for them, usually in a different department.
“About 75% of our consultants return to our client at some point through MATRIX. That means a lot. It shows our consultants like working with us, and that the bank appreciates the work they do."
Sherri Breault, Account Executive, MATRIX
Many of their skills are transferable and we look for multiple places to market them before they come back on the market. Most consultants find it attractive to build their skills by working in different departments, sometimes even remotely -- a perk typically not available to consultants for other companies.
Technology as a Competitive Tool
As all industries continue to be transformed by technological innovations such as cloud, mobility and big data, this client is well positioned to focus on innovation through their IT contractors. MATRIX shares the same philosophy, and will continue to invest heavily in the people, processes and technology to make it happen for our all our customers.