One in 10 of The Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies for 2009 is a recruiter, the new list has revealed.

Leading the way in second place was property and infrastructure recruiter Cobalt Recruitment, up from third place last year, followed by multi-sector Jenrick Recruitment Group in sixth place, who was seventh last year.

The other recruiter in the top 20 was new entrant finance and HR recruiter Macildowie Associates in 19th.
 

Commercial recruiter Tate was 34th, up from 97th in 2008. Financial staffing firm Pure Recruitment Group was 57th, commercial recruitment firm Jobwise placed 60th, while new entrant ICT recruiter Penta Consulting was 70th.

Media staffing firm pfj was 79th, legal recruitment firm Chadwick Nott was 80th and financial recruiter Hewitson Walker was 87th.

John Convery, director at Macildowie Associates, says: “A top 20 position in The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For demonstrates that Macildowie Associates is a business built on people, where the extraordinary quality of client and candidate experience starts from within. I congratulate our staff on this well-deserved recognition.”

Tim Rowe, co-founder at Cobalt Recruitment, told Recruiter: “It is a result of what we have been doing in spite of the market. It has been a challenging time.

“We have introduced flexible working time. We had a company holiday. We have a Wii machine so staff can vent their frustration, and we get together with staff and share ideas.”

Philip Fanthom, director at Jenrick Recruitment, says: “It’s all about employee engagement and allowing people to shape the company’s ethos.

“We have taken a long-term view. Recruitment has a reputation for taking a short- term view but we have high levels of staff retention which allows clients to build relationships.

“We have the least stressful workplace in the list and create an environment to encourage creativity and innovation.”