Buyer's guide: HR recruitment companies - Experts in finding people with people management expertise

But, according to headhunting and search and selection experts, recruitment for human resources professionals continues to grow, with agen=cies pointing to increased business, not slowdowns.

Jo Sellwood, managing director of one such specialist, Strategi Search & Selection, says the industry is still buoyant. "At the moment we are seeing huge demand for sector specialists in particular - the likes of rewards and recognition experts, and business partners."

Strategi is part of Goodwall Professional, the Hong Kong-based recruitment giant that is the 6th largest recruitment company in the world. Sellwood says clients are increasingly wanting an international focus when filling their roles.

In fact, she is not worried about any potential threats of HR departments being culled but believes the sector may even be helped in these times of economic downturn.

"HR is having to become more customer-focused and, in times of slowdown, this need is increased rather than decreased, with candidates coming from abroad not just at home," she explains.

One of the other benefits is that, if recruitment does take a slight turn for the worse, many HR recruitment firms also have an interims divisions (see examples in our table this month), and these are likely to see their business rise as permanent recruitment falls.

So who's out there and what are they offering? Here is a selection of some of the leading HR recruitment and interim companies that want to find you your perfect HR professional.

Provider and contact Type of HR job specialism
business
Ashton Penney Interim
020 7337 6900
b.page@ashtonpenneyinterim.com Interim Executive and
management management roles
Badenoch & Clark
020 7429 5168
vocisano@badenochandclark.com Executive HR generalists,
search ER specialists, comps and
benefits specialists
Beaumont Karlson
0118 978 1300
info@beaumontkarlson.com Executive All senior HR roles and
search functional specialists
BIE Interim Executive
020 7222 1010
info@bieinterim.com Interim
management All roles, senior levels
Boyden Interim Management
Chloe Watts/Kate Mansfield
020 7398 7500 Executive HR generalists; ER/IR,
selection OD and talent specialists
Courtenay HR
0871 222 7616
gareth.jones@courtenayhr.com Executive
search and
selection
in HR All HR roles
Digby Morgan
020 7907 2828
mail@digby-morgan.com Executive All roles at all levels
search; from entry
advertised
selection;
interim
appointments
Interim Performers
020 7382 0680
www.interimperformers.com Interim Management roles and
management above across
specialist HR all specialisms
Macmillan Davies Hodes
020 7551 4708
HRSolutions@mdh.co.uk Permanent and From entry level through
interim to executive level
Nigel Wright Consultancy
0191 222 0770
info@nigelwright.com Interim, Executive and senior
permanent, management through
temporary and to junior and entry level
contract
Ortus HR
020 7556 2980/0113244 8363
info@ortushr.com/
north@ortushr.com Interim, From HR assistants to HR
contract director level
and permanent
Purple House
0117 970 8539
www.purplehousehr.com Permanent and All roles from HR
contract HR advisers to board-level
roles; HRDs
interims for
senior HR
market

Provider and contact Sector Regions covered
specialism
Ashton Penney Interim
020 7337 6900
b.page@ashtonpenneyinterim.com All sectors UK and Europe
Badenoch & Clark
020 7429 5168
vocisano@badenochandclark.com Both public
and private
sectors Primarily in London and
the South East
Beaumont Karlson
0118 978 1300
info@beaumontkarlson.com Includes
consulting,
financial
services,
outsourcing UK and Central/
Eastern Europe
BIE Interim Executive
020 7222 1010
info@bieinterim.com All sectors UK, Europe, Africa, Middle
East
Boyden Interim Management
Chloe Watts/Kate Mansfield
020 7398 7500 All sectors Nationwide and overseas
Courtenay HR
0871 222 7616
gareth.jones@courtenayhr.com All sectors UK and international
Digby Morgan
020 7907 2828
mail@digby-morgan.com All sectors UK/Australia/US plus
access to candidates
worldwide
Interim Performers
020 7382 0680
www.interimperformers.com All sectors UK/Europe
Macmillan Davies Hodes
020 7551 4708
HRSolutions@mdh.co.uk All sectors UK/Europe and Asia/
Australia
Nigel Wright Consultancy
0191 222 0770
info@nigelwright.com Business,
prof.
services,
consumer,
manu-
facturing,
public
and third
sectors UK/Western Europe
Ortus HR
020 7556 2980/0113244 8363
info@ortushr.com/
north@ortushr.com All sectors UK/Europe
Purple House
0117 970 8539
www.purplehousehr.com All sectors South West, Thames Valley,
south England. Exec-level
global

Provider and contact Support for clients
Ashton Penney Interim
020 7337 6900
b.page@ashtonpenneyinterim.com Senior consultants; active database;
contracts fully IR35 compliant
Badenoch & Clark
020 7429 5168
vocisano@badenochandclark.com Initiatives such as the Public Sector HR
Recruiters' Forum for HR professionals to
network
Beaumont Karlson
0118 978 1300
info@beaumontkarlson.com Pan-European account management/database;
well-documented reporting process
BIE Interim Executive
020 7222 1010
info@bieinterim.com Dedicated account manager; comprehensive
database of candidates
Boyden Interim Management
Chloe Watts/Kate Mansfield
020 7398 7500 Dedicated account manager; large database
of candidates; consulting practice
Courtenay HR
0871 222 7616
gareth.jones@courtenayhr.com Bespoke resourcing solutions with
dedicated account management team
Digby Morgan
020 7907 2828
mail@digby-morgan.com Database of 60,000+ candidates;
networking events; assessment services
Interim Performers
020 7382 0680
www.interimperformers.com Extensive database; contracts with
leading national and trade press, and job
boards
Macmillan Davies Hodes
020 7551 4708
HRSolutions@mdh.co.uk Dedicated account manager; advertising;
extensive candidate database
Nigel Wright Consultancy
0191 222 0770
info@nigelwright.com Specialist divisions, CV referencing,
candidate database, micro sites
Ortus HR
020 7556 2980/0113244 8363
info@ortushr.com/
north@ortushr.com Dedicated account manager
Purple House
0117 970 8539
www.purplehousehr.com Account manager; extensive database;
services include coaching and
psychometrics

Provider and contact Particular selling points
Ashton Penney Interim
020 7337 6900
b.page@ashtonpenneyinterim.com All executives presented for interview
have been interviewed and their
experience verified and referenced
Badenoch & Clark
020 7429 5168
vocisano@badenochandclark.com It's not just about filling vacancies,
it's about about making the right
connections between skills cultures and
roles
Beaumont Karlson
0118 978 1300
info@beaumontkarlson.com Speaks client's language - both that of
the HR function and the business drivers
BIE Interim Executive
020 7222 1010
info@bieinterim.com Ranked UK's number one senior interim
provider by market share 2007/06/5/4/3
(Source - Executive Grapevine)
Boyden Interim Management
Chloe Watts/Kate Mansfield
020 7398 7500 Rapid access to a first-class pipeline
of talented HR professionals
Courtenay HR
0871 222 7616
gareth.jones@courtenayhr.com Part of SG Group featured in Sunday
Times Best Places to Work awards; have
been in the top 15 companies four years
running
Digby Morgan
020 7907 2828
mail@digby-morgan.com High proportion of consultants have been
in the profession; can truly provide
clients with access to a global talent
pool
Interim Performers
020 7382 0680
www.interimperformers.com Focus on HR in both commercial and
public sector arenas; membership of IMA,
IoD, CIPD; Investors in People
accredited
Macmillan Davies Hodes
020 7551 4708
HRSolutions@mdh.co.uk Focus is on partnerships and using
market knowledge to do more for clients.
Aim to contribute directly to business
success
Nigel Wright Consultancy
0191 222 0770
info@nigelwright.com Most consultants have an industry
background and experience of dealing
with key companies, ensuring a unique
service
Ortus HR
020 7556 2980/0113244 8363
info@ortushr.com/
north@ortushr.com Additional services if required - market
information; advertising; recruitment
packs, micro sites, career pages
Purple House
0117 970 8539
www.purplehousehr.com Exclusively in HR recruitment; wealth of
knowledge; experience of recruitment of
organisations' first senior HR
professional