US headhunter Heidrick & Struggles has posted profits for the first quarter of the year, after enduring a difficult 2003.

The company had posted a $6.7m (£3.7m) loss in the same period in the previous year, so the news it had generated a net income of $4.2m (£2.3m) will be a relief.

The gain of 22 cents per share beat the company’s own predictions, which had estimated a gain of between five and 15 cents per share.

But another US recruitment firm, Spherion, plunged further into the red after posting a first quarter loss of $8.1m (£4.5m).

The Florida-based company, a generalist recruitment firm, blamed restructuring charges, higher tax expenses and pricing pressures for the poor results.