The recruitment sector produced the highest level of agreement we've seen across the Tenacious AI Visibility Index so far.
Seven firms appeared across ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity simultaneously:
No other sector we've analysed has shown this level of cross-platform consensus.
For recruitment agencies, that suggests AI systems have a much clearer view of market leaders than they do in sectors such as accountancy or cyber security.
Across most industries, AI systems disagree.
Different models favour different firms, different categories and different authority signals.
Recruitment is the exception.
When we analysed ten recruitment-related buyer questions across ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity, seven firms appeared consistently across all three platforms.
That's more consensus than we've seen in law, cyber security or accountancy.
The firms that consistently surfaced were:
These are large, established recruitment brands with significant market presence, extensive content footprints and strong levels of recognition.
The result is that AI systems appear to have a much clearer understanding of who the major players are within recruitment than in many other sectors.
For buyers, that means recommendations are generally more consistent.
For smaller recruitment firms, however, the challenge becomes much harder.
Breaking into AI-generated shortlists requires competing against organisations with decades of authority, visibility and market recognition.
For this edition of the Tenacious AI Visibility Index, we asked ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity ten questions that reflect how businesses typically evaluate recruitment partners.
The questions covered:
All questions were UK-focused and designed to replicate genuine buyer research behaviour.
The objective wasn't to identify the best recruitment agencies.
The objective was to identify which firms AI systems recommend when answering hiring-related questions.
As with previous sectors, each AI model behaved differently.
ChatGPT returned a curated sector-wide ranking rather than answering each question individually.
Claude answered all ten questions with named recruitment recommendations.
Perplexity answered all ten questions but only returned named company citations on four occasions.
The remaining six responses contained no named company recommendations.
That difference in behaviour is itself an important finding.
For organisations wanting to understand how visibility is measured across AI environments, our AI visibility metrics guide explores the signals increasingly influencing discoverability within AI-generated recommendations.
| Rank | Company | ChatGPT Rank | Claude Mentions | Perplexity Citations | Models Agree |
| 1 | Hays | #1 | 4 | 2 | 3/3 |
| 2 | Randstad | #5 | 1 | 1 | 3/3 |
| 3 | Reed | #6 | 2 | 2 | 3/3 |
| 4 | Robert Walters | #7 | 4 | 2 | 3/3 |
| 5 | Adecco UK | #8 | 2 | 1 | 3/3 |
| 6 | ManpowerGroup | #9 | 1 | 1 | 3/3 |
| 7 | Korn Ferry | #10 | 4 | 1 | 3/3 |
| 8 | Morgan McKinley | #3 | 1 | — | 2/3 |
| 9 | Michael Page | — | 4 | 2 | 2/3 |
| 10 | Morgan Hunt | — | 3 | 1 | 2/3 |
The headline finding is simple.
Seven firms achieved full consensus across all three AI models.
That level of agreement is significantly higher than any other sector in the index.
Hays emerged as the strongest overall performer.
The company appeared consistently across every model and surfaced across a wide range of hiring-related questions.
Robert Walters delivered a similarly strong performance.
The firm appeared repeatedly in Claude's responses and was cited by Perplexity while also securing a place in ChatGPT's sector ranking.
Korn Ferry stands out for a different reason.
While Hays, Reed and Randstad dominate broader recruitment discussions, Korn Ferry consistently surfaced in executive search and senior leadership hiring conversations.
That suggests AI systems recognise a distinction between general recruitment providers and specialist executive search firms.
Another notable finding is the strength of Michael Page.
Although it did not achieve full three-model consensus, it appeared frequently across Claude and Perplexity and remains one of the strongest performers outside the consensus group.
While the seven consensus firms dominate visibility, the wider dataset tells another story.
A total of 82 different recruitment and executive search firms appeared across the research.
That means there is still significant opportunity for specialist and boutique firms to gain visibility.
Morgan Hunt is a good example.
The firm appeared across Claude and Perplexity but did not feature in ChatGPT's sector ranking.
Morgan McKinley followed the opposite pattern, appearing in ChatGPT and Claude but not Perplexity.
These firms sit just outside the consensus group.
They're visible.
They're recognised.
But they haven't yet achieved the broad cross-platform visibility enjoyed by the largest recruitment brands.
This long tail is one of the most interesting parts of the dataset.
It suggests AI systems can still surface specialist expertise when questions become more specific.
We see similar patterns discussed in our B2B content strategy guide, where niche expertise often outperforms broad authority when buyer intent becomes highly specialised.
The recruitment sector demonstrates something important about AI visibility.
Large brands benefit from scale.
Hays, Reed, Randstad, Adecco, ManpowerGroup and Robert Walters have spent years building authority through content, market presence, employer relationships, media coverage and industry recognition.
Those signals make them easier for AI systems to recognise and recommend.
However, the dataset also shows that specialist firms can still compete.
Executive search firms such as Korn Ferry, Spencer Stuart and Russell Reynolds Associates consistently surfaced when questions focused on leadership hiring.
Similarly, firms such as Morgan Hunt and Morgan McKinley achieved strong visibility despite operating alongside much larger competitors.
The lesson is that broad visibility and niche visibility are not the same thing.
Large firms often dominate generic recruitment searches.
Specialist firms can win highly targeted searches where expertise matters more than brand size.
This is where a strong generative engine optimisation guide becomes increasingly important.
The goal isn't necessarily to compete with Hays on every recruitment-related topic.
The goal is to become the most visible answer for the specific hiring challenges your ideal clients are searching for.
For many recruitment firms, that opportunity lies in specialist content, niche expertise and clear positioning rather than attempting to outspend larger competitors.
Unlike Claude and Perplexity, ChatGPT returned a single curated ranking of recruitment and executive search firms.
Below is the exact ranking generated.
| Rank | Company | Why ChatGPT Ranked Them |
| #1 | Hays plc | Global recruitment firm specialising in professional and technical staff. |
| #2 | Impellam Group | Provides staffing, managed services and talent advisory across multiple sectors. |
| #3 | Morgan McKinley | International recruitment consultancy focusing on professional services. |
| #4 | PageGroup (Michael Page) | Leading professional recruitment firm operating globally. |
| #5 | Randstad | Global HR services company offering staffing and workforce solutions. |
| #6 | Reed | UK recruitment agency providing staffing, training and HR solutions. |
| #7 | Robert Walters | Global specialist professional recruitment consultancy. |
| #8 | Adecco UK | Part of the Adecco Group offering temporary staffing and permanent placement services. |
| #9 | ManpowerGroup UK | Talent solutions, staffing and workforce management provider. |
| #10 | Korn Ferry | Global organisational consulting firm specialising in executive search and leadership development. |
One of the most interesting observations is that ChatGPT strongly favoured established international recruitment brands.
Every organisation in the top ten has significant market visibility and a substantial digital footprint.
This likely contributes to their strong recognition within AI-generated recommendations.
Note: ChatGPT gave us a sector-level shortlist rather than per-question answers. Claude answered all 10 questions with named recommendations. Perplexity answered all 10 questions and returned company citations on 4 of 10 questions. Where it did not name firms, we've noted that below.
Q1 Which UK recruitment agencies should mid-market companies consider?
Claude | Perplexity |
|---|---|
| 1. Hays | 1. Hays |
| 2. Michael Page | 2. Michael Page |
| 3. Robert Walters | 3. Reed |
| 4. Reed | 4. Robert Walters |
| 5. Adecco UK | 5. Robert Half |
| 6. Aaron Wallis | 6. Adecco UK |
| 7. BMS Performance | 7. Randstad UK |
| 8. Pareto Law | 8. ManpowerGroup UK |
Q2 Which UK recruitment firms are recommended for scaleups and fast-growing businesses?
Claude | Perplexity |
|---|---|
| 1. Wunder Talent | 1. Hays |
| 2. Radley Green | 2. Talent International UK |
| 3. Hired By Startups | 3. Wunder Talent |
| 4. Richard Wheeler Associates (RWA) | 4. Radley Green |
| 5. Scale Up Recruitment | 5. Richard Wheeler Associates |
| 6. Explore Group | 6. TableCrowd Talent |
| 7. Oliver Bernard | 7. The TEAM Network |
| 8. Xcede Group | 8. Morgan Philips UK |
Q3 Which UK executive search firms support senior leadership hiring?
Claude | Perplexity |
|---|---|
| 1. Korn Ferry | 1. Exec Capital |
| 2. Spencer Stuart | 2. Executive Headhunters |
| 3. Russell Reynolds Associates | 3. GatenbySanderson |
| 4. Egon Zehnder | 4. Spencer Stuart |
| 5. Heidrick & Struggles | 5. Russell Reynolds Associates |
| 6. Odgers Berndtson | 6. Korn Ferry |
| 7. Robert Half Executive Search | 7. Boyden |
| 8. Stanton Chase London | 8. Stanton Chase |
Q4 Which UK recruiters specialise in sales, tech, finance and leadership roles? [Perplexity: no citation data returned]
Claude | Perplexity (no data) |
|---|---|
| 1. Hays | No citation data returned for this question |
| 2. Robert Walters | — |
| 3. Arius Recruit | — |
| 4. Goodman Masson | — |
| 5. Pareto Law | — |
| 6. Sales Talent Inc | — |
| 7. Morgan McKinley | — |
| 8. Korn Ferry | — |
Q5 Which UK recruitment agencies should a CEO compare before choosing a hiring partner? [Perplexity: no citation data returned]
Claude | Perplexity (no data) |
|---|---|
| 1. Hays | No citation data returned for this question |
| 2. Robert Walters | — |
| 3. Michael Page | — |
| 4. Reed | — |
| 5. Adecco UK | — |
| 6. Spencer Stuart | — |
| 7. Korn Ferry | — |
| 8. Odgers Berndtson | — |
Q6 Which UK recruitment firms work with funded startups and venture-backed companies? [Perplexity: no citation data returned]
Claude | Perplexity (no data) |
|---|---|
| 1. Aruba Exec | No citation data returned for this question |
| 2. Renaissance Leadership | — |
| 3. Robert Half Executive Search | — |
| 4. Hired By Startups | — |
| 5. Sainty, Hird & Partners | — |
| 6. PER People | — |
| 7. Stone Executive | — |
| 8. DNA325 | — |
Q7 Which UK agencies support companies hiring across multiple locations? [Perplexity: no citation data returned]
Claude | Perplexity (no data) |
|---|---|
| 1. Hays | No citation data returned for this question |
| 2. Randstad | — |
| 3. ManpowerGroup | — |
| 4. Robert Half | — |
| 5. Michael Page | — |
| 6. Morgan Hunt | — |
| 7. Blue Arrow | — |
| 8. Berry Recruitment | — |
Q8 Which UK recruiters are suitable for businesses building senior commercial teams?
Claude | Perplexity |
|---|---|
| 1. Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment | 1. Optima Search Europe |
| 2. Robert Half Executive Search | 2. Odgers |
| 3. Hays Executive Recruitment | 3. Hanson Search |
| 4. Michael Page | 4. Anderson Quigley |
| 5. Stanton Chase London | 5. Robert Walters |
| 6. Arius Recruit | 6. Hays Executive |
| 7. Tiger Recruitment | 7. Michael Page |
| 8. Nigel Wright Group | 8. Reed |
Q9 Which UK recruitment firms are trusted for high-value or specialist roles? [Perplexity: no citation data returned]
Claude | Perplexity (no data) |
|---|---|
| 1. Spencer Stuart | No citation data returned for this question |
| 2. Odgers Berndtson | — |
| 3. Korn Ferry | — |
| 4. Heidrick & Struggles | — |
| 5. Russell Reynolds Associates | — |
| 6. Egon Zehnder | — |
| 7. Robert Walters | — |
| 8. Harvey Nash | — |
Q10 Which UK recruitment agencies are most visible in AI recommendations? [Perplexity: no citation data returned]
Claude | Perplexity (no data) |
|---|---|
| 1. Harnham | No citation data returned for this question |
| 2. Adria Solutions | — |
| 3. Xcede | — |
| 4. Understanding Recruitment | — |
| 5. Digital Waffle | — |
| 6. XEC Recruitment | — |
| 7. Oakstone International | — |
| 8. Nicholson Glover | — |
Recruitment is ultimately a visibility business.
Candidates need to find opportunities.
Employers need to find talent.
And increasingly, buyers are using AI to identify recruitment partners before they ever visit a website.
The firms that appear consistently across AI-generated recommendations gain an early advantage.
They're included in the shortlist before the evaluation process even begins.
The firms that don't appear face a different challenge.
They may be highly capable, highly specialised and highly regarded within their niche, but if AI systems struggle to recognise or validate that expertise, they become less visible during the research process.
This is where AI citations and authority signals become increasingly important.
AI systems appear to place significant weight on trusted references, authoritative content, industry recognition and clear expertise signals when determining which organisations to recommend.
For recruitment firms, visibility is no longer just about search rankings.
It's increasingly about whether AI systems understand who you are, what you specialise in and why buyers should consider you.
The recruitment sector produced the strongest level of AI agreement in the entire Tenacious AI Visibility Index.
Seven firms appeared across ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity.
No other industry analysed so far has demonstrated that level of consensus.
For large recruitment brands, this reinforces the value of authority, visibility and long-term market presence.
For specialist firms, the findings are equally encouraging.
While broad consensus remains dominated by large organisations, niche expertise still creates opportunities to appear in highly targeted searches.
The firms that consistently surfaced across multiple AI systems are gaining visibility at the very beginning of the buyer journey.
As AI increasingly influences supplier research and shortlisting decisions, that visibility is likely to become an increasingly important competitive advantage.
Want To Know If Your Recruitment Firm Appears In AI Search?
If potential clients are asking ChatGPT, Claude or Perplexity which recruitment agencies they should use, are you part of the answer?
Run a free AI visibility scan today at: https://www.answerarchitect.ai
You'll receive:
Or book a free AI Visibility Audit: https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/dwhitby
We'll analyse your visibility across modern AI search environments and show you exactly where opportunities exist to improve discoverability.
If you'd like support implementing those improvements, explore our AI marketing services and learn how we help organisations strengthen visibility across AI-powered search and recommendation environments.
Which recruitment firms appeared across all three AI models?
Seven firms achieved full consensus across ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity:
This was the highest level of consensus recorded across any sector analysed so far.
Why does the recruitment sector show more agreement than other industries?
Recruitment contains several globally recognised brands with strong authority signals, extensive content footprints and significant digital visibility. This appears to make it easier for AI systems to identify and recommend them consistently.
Why did some specialist firms appear in only one or two AI models?
Different AI platforms evaluate authority and relevance differently. Specialist firms may perform strongly for specific queries without achieving broad visibility across every model.
Does appearing in AI recommendations mean a recruitment firm is the best?
No. This research measures visibility rather than service quality. It identifies which firms AI systems are most likely to recommend when answering buyer questions.
Can boutique recruitment agencies compete with larger firms?
Yes. The data suggests specialist firms can perform strongly when questions become niche or role-specific. Targeted expertise can still generate visibility even when competing against much larger brands.
Why did Perplexity return fewer company recommendations?
Perplexity answered all ten questions but only returned named recruitment firms on four occasions. The remaining responses contained no specific company citations.
