We are delighted to announce that we have secured a place in Recruiter's prestigious HOT 100 Companies list for 2024, ranking 90th among the UK's most efficient and productive recruitment firms!
A Journey of Growth and Excellence
Since our founding in 2009, we've grown from a small team of passionate recruiters with a vision to become the trusted recruitment partner we are today. What began as small agency above a shop in Leicester has evolved into a dynamic organisation accross 3 locations with deep expertise across multiple sectors, all while maintaining our core values of integrity, excellence, and personalised service.
Over the past 15 years, we've weathered economic fluctuations, adapted to technological revolutions, and continuously refined our approach to talent acquisition. We've invested in developing our consultants, enhancing our technological capabilities, and deepening our understanding of the industries we serve. Through economic downturns and periods of growth alike, we've remained steadfast in our commitment to connecting exceptional talent with opportunities where they can thrive.
Our journey hasn't been without challenges, but it's precisely these challenges that have shaped us into the resilient and innovative firm we are today. We've built our reputation on understanding not just the technical requirements of a role, but the cultural fit and long-term potential of every placement we make. This holistic approach has enabled us to build enduring relationships with both clients and candidates, some of whom have been with us since our earliest days.
This recognition in the HOT 100 list is a wonderful validation of our approach and the values we've championed throughout our journey. It reflects not just our commercial success, but the positive impact we've had on the careers and businesses we've helped to build.
Understanding the HOT 100 Recognition
The 2024 Recruiter HOT 100 list showcases companies that have demonstrated remarkable resilience amid a challenging year for the UK recruitment sector. According to the report released on March 4th, 2025, despite uncertainties surrounding the UK election, changes to hiring policies, and persistent skills shortages across key sectors, the featured companies have maintained strong fee-earner efficiency and continued to grow.
The companies on this year's list exhibited impressive metrics:
A year-on-year revenue growth of 8.8%
Total revenues reaching £6.6 billion
Expanded headcount to 11,483 employees, up 4.5% from 2023
This year's list featured 22 new entrants, significantly fewer than the 2023 list, which saw 72 new entrants. This indicates the increasing difficulty in breaking into this elite group and makes our achievement even more significant.
Sector Trends and Market Insights
Technology and IT recruiters dominated this year's list, with 34 technology-focused firms featured, reinforcing the sector's importance amid the global adoption of AI, automation, and innovative technologies. As the report notes, "As technology and IT infrastructures become increasingly intertwined across the economy and acute skill shortages in the sector persist, large corporates continue to pay premium placement fees to attract top talent."
Other prominent sectors in the HOT 100 include energy and health & social care, which have demonstrated resilience to wider market cyclicality, driving consistent hiring appetite and continued competition for talent.
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An interesting finding from this year's report is that "bigger isn't always better." Medium-sized companies generating revenues close to the median of the entire HOT 100 list outperformed their larger peers in terms of gross profit per employee. The most successful companies operated at an optimum scale, achieving efficiency through increased agility, focused optimisation of internal KPIs, and stronger marketing capabilities.
This aligns perfectly with our own business philosophy, where we've prioritised sustainable growth and operational excellence over rapid expansion.
Private Equity Backing on the Rise
One notable trend in this year's list is the increasing presence of private equity-backed recruitment firms. The list featured 23 PE-backed companies compared to 14 in 2023, a 64.3% increase. According to the report, the benefits of PE activity in the sector can be attributed to:
Access to funding for acquisitions, geographical expansion, and technological integration
Increased emphasis on enhancing efficiency and key performance indicators
Access to specialised expertise and strategic inputs, driving a competitive edge
Dynamic synergies made possible via partnerships with a PE firm's other portfolio companies
Changing Patterns in Recruitment
The report also highlights how the recruitment landscape is evolving. In response to economic uncertainties, the list exhibits a larger proportion of recruiters specialising in temporary staffing, with an average 64%/36% temp/perm split as corporations continued to delay permanent hiring strategies.
Additionally, the ongoing adoption of flexible working patterns continues to evolve recruitment practices, widening talent pools and necessitating changes in candidate engagement and company culture.
Looking Ahead
The outlook for the recruitment sector in 2025 is optimistic, driven by a focus on agility and talent acquisition. The Bank of England's anticipated interest rate cuts are expected to increase stability, boost confidence, and drive investment and hiring, particularly across high-growth critical sectors.
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According to the report, recruiters that can successfully navigate market challenges while maintaining large, active candidate pools in high-growth, candidate-short sub-sectors will continue to lead the way in growth and efficiency throughout 2025.
Our Commitment Moving Forward
As we celebrate this achievement, we remain committed to our core values and forward-thinking approach. We're continuing to invest in our team, enhance our technological capabilities, and deepen our sector expertise to ensure we remain at the forefront of the industry.
We recognise that this recognition comes with responsibility – to continue delivering exceptional service to our clients and candidates, to adapt to evolving market conditions, and to uphold the standards that have earned us a place among the UK's elite recruitment firms.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated team whose passion and expertise drive our success every day. Equally important are our valued clients who have trusted us with their talent acquisition needs and the exceptional candidates who have allowed us to play a role in their career journeys.
More Insights to Come
This is just a glimpse into the valuable insights provided by the Recruiter's HOT 100 report. Next week, we'll be sharing a more in-depth analysis of the findings, exploring what they mean for the recruitment industry and how they align with our own experiences and observations.
Stay tuned for that deeper dive, and in the meantime, we extend our congratulations to all the firms that made this year's list. Here's to continued success and growth in 2025 and beyond!
Read full list and report here: Recruiter's HOT 100 companies 2024 | Recruiter
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