HR Recruitment
Struggling to Fill Senior HR Roles or No Time to Hire?
With over 20 years’ experience headhunting Human Resources roles, Talent Seeker is a leading HR recruitment agency that combines executive search expertise with a personal, in-house-style approach and is trusted by growing businesses who don’t have time to get hiring wrong.
A HR Recruitment Agency That Feels Like Part of Your Team
We don’t flood your inbox with CVs. We headhunt exceptional HR professionals, act as a true extension of your people function and make hiring feel effortless, even in today’s tough market.
Led by former in-house HR and recruitment professional Matthew Edge-Wilkins, Talent Seeker was founded to bridge the gap between executive search firms and transactional agencies. That means higher-quality candidates, better communication and a HR recruiter who genuinely understands how your business works.
Headhunting First, Job Boards Never
We don’t post your vacancy on Indeed or other job search boards, you can do that. Instead, we put your brand in front of senior, passive candidates you wouldn’t reach otherwise.
In-House Recruitment Mindset
We treat your business as if we’re part of it and act as part of your HR function. From job descriptions to offer negotiation, we’ll take the whole hiring process off your plate to give you time to focus on other business needs.
Affordable, Transparent Fees
Unlike most headhunting firms and HR agencies, we don’t charge inflated retainers. Our fee is between 15–20%, with fixed rates available for exclusivity, so you always know where you stand.
Backed by a Network That Delivers
With 20+ years of specialist HR recruitment experience and a huge database of qualified professionals, we move fast without compromising quality.
How We Help You Hire Smarter, Not Harder
We specialise in finding high-performing HR professionals for growing businesses, all without the hassle of sifting CVs, posting job ads, or wasting time on candidates that just aren’t the right fit. From hands-on HR support to senior strategic hires, we headhunt professionals who not only fit your culture but bring immediate value and long-term impact. Whether you’re growing your Human Resources department or replacing a key employee, we’ll find the right person – quickly and with minimal disruption.
Common HR Jobs and Roles We Place
- HR Advisors & HR Officers
- HR Business Partners (HRBPs)
- People & Culture Managers
- Talent Acquisition Managers & In-House Recruiters
- Learning & Development (L&D) Specialists
- Internal Communications Leads
- Heads of HR & HR Directors
- Chief People Officers & People Directors
- Permanent Hires
- Contract & Interim Support
- Remote Working
Partnering with HR Consultants.
The best work comes from bringing together leading experts in their field and we’re no different. We’re a people centric recruitment company with a ‘human’ first approach and we’re proud to partner with some of the South’s leading HR Consultants to create win-win partnerships.
These valuable collaborations mean our clients get to benefit from top tier HR expertise when needed, and we can support them when their clients have hiring needs. Here you can find out more about our HR partners and the added value they bring.
Click the logos to find out more about our HR consultancy partners.
HR Recruiters You Can Trust
When it comes to hiring HR talent, getting it wrong can be costly in time, money and team morale. That’s why over 90% of our clients choose to work with us again – they know we deliver results quickly, without the noise, stress or guesswork.
Holly Roberts
HR Manager - AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth have worked with Talent Seeker on a number of roles over the last three years, successfully placing key positions to the business. Matt is friendly, knowledgeable and has gone above and beyond to help us in a very difficult and challenging recruitment climate. Talent Seeker provide high quality candidates that fit the brief and they’re very communicative and helpful throughout the recruitment process.
Karen Pearce
HR Director - Winchester College
I wanted to thank you again for all your support in helping me build my HR team. I would not have got this far with the quality of team members without you.
Zaneta Kowalczyk
HR Manager - The Doctors Clinic Group
I could not recommend Matt enough from both candidate and the employer perspective. He has helped me to find my next role and he continues to support my current organisation with fulfilling our recruitment needs. He is friendly, professional, knowledgeable and has great communication skills. I am glad I can continue my working relationship with Matt and if you haven’t worked with him yet – do not wait as you are missing out!
Alix Passey-Brown
HR Consultant & Founder of Twyford HR
Talent Seeker are our preferred supplier of recruitment services and the only talent supplier we endorse. Matt Edge-Wilkins has recruited to a number of senior and high profile posts for our clients, including recent placements at a leading independent school and a national sight loss charity. Whether technically complicated or within high competition talent market places, Matt’s success rate for our clients is 100%.
Anna Steed
Head of Planning & Performance - RNIB
Matt @ talent seeker was great to work with he brings a refreshing perspective to the recruitment experience. Very efficient and professional from both the candidate and employer perspective, he has placed multiple people at my current organisation. Highly recommended.
Luke Dunton
Candidate
Matt at Talent Seeker was beyond professional, patient and supportive throughout the whole recruitment process! He was very informative about the job role in question and helped build a bridge between myself and my new job.
A very genuine, polite and insightful Individual who helped me focus on the target at hand. I would recommend Matt at Talent seeker if you are looking for a new job!
Working Together.
We pride ourselves on our level of professionalism and dedication to headhunting only the very best talent for your business. We are extremely thorough, considered and tenacious and leave no stone unturned in our quest to deliver our 5 pillar promises.
Whilst we can’t give away all our ‘trade secrets’ as to how we’re able to reach talent other recruitment companies can’t find, we have set out below our 4 stage search and engagement strategy. This outlines the process we follow and the ways in which we can add value to your talent acquisition strategy and process, should you choose to work with us.
Fact Find - Your Company
Get to know your business on a deeper level than what’s on the company website.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Company history
- Company culture
- Company structure
- Team structure
- Team dynamics
- Employee value proposition (EVP)
- What do the staff particularly like about working there
- Staff work patterns e.g. office based, hybrid or work from home
- Future company plans – short, medium and long-term
Fact Find - Your Vacancy
Get to know your vacancy and ideal candidate profile.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Reason for the vacancy – e.g. replacement, new role etc.
- Role details – salary range, working hours, bonus or commission etc.
- How does the vacancy sit within the existing team and company structure
- Essential candidate requirements in terms of skills and experience
- Preferential skills and experience
- Ideal personality type for the role and your existing team dynamics
Developing Your Talent Pool of Suitable Candidates
Once we have gained a deep understanding of your company and vacancy, we spend time putting together a robust headhunting strategy to create the strongest possible talent pool of potential candidates.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Research similar job titles
- Research relevant qualifications and membership bodies
- Research key words from the job description/person specification
- Build the most effective and relevant Boolean search strings based on the above information
- Assess the best social media platforms and CV databases to utilise
- Apply additional search filters, including industries worked in, companies worked for, number of years’ relevant experience, location, key skills, career achievements, time
Once we have created our talent pool, we will make initial approaches to each candidate with the aim of sparking an initial interest/excitement about your opportunity and company.
Shortlist & First Stage interview
We believe in quality over quantity when it comes to sending you suitable candidates.
- After reviewing the responses to our initial approaches, we will shortlist the best candidates and book in first stage interviews that we will conduct ourselves.
- These will either be done in person, or by video or telephone call to reduce the shortlist down even further.
- You will then be sent only the very best suited candidates to interview yourself.
- We will only send you candidates if we believe they have a strong chance of being offered the job.
- Once you have chosen the candidate you would like to recruit, we will work closely with you on the salary negotiations to reach a conclusion that all parties are happy with.
In summary, we will do everything we can to provide you with the very best candidates and recruitment support, whilst saving you time and money in your recruitment process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are your fees?
Our fees range between 15%–20% of the role’s salary depending on seniority and complexity. We’re happy to fix a rate for exclusivity, and unlike many headhunters, we keep things clear, simple and cost-effective with no hidden fees.
We keep getting swamped with irrelevant CVs, how do you help avoid this?
We don’t advertise HR roles on job boards, you can do that yourself. Instead, we headhunt experienced, culturally aligned professionals who aren’t actively applying elsewhere, so you only meet qualified candidates who genuinely fit the brief.
How do you manage ghosting and counter-offers?
We build strong relationships with every candidate we represent. That means consistent communication, expectation management and careful handling of offer-stage risks (including counter-offers), to protect your time and hiring outcome.
Do you only recruit in the South of England?
While we’re based in Hampshire and work closely with local companies across the South, particularly within Hampshire and Dorset, we also regularly recruit HR roles nationally. If we understand your brief, we can deliver wherever you are.
We don’t have time to manage a hiring process, can you really take it off our hands?
Absolutely, from briefing through to offer stage, we manage everything including sourcing, screening, communication, interview coordination and offer negotiation.
How do you handle rising salary and flexibility expectations from candidates?
We speak to HR candidates every day, so we know what they’re expecting and more importantly, what they’ll accept. We advise on salary benchmarking and flexibility up front, so you can shape the role to match the market and avoid offer-stage surprises.
Hiring Insights
We’ve picked a few of our blogs that our clients have gained most value from, so please check them out if you have time.
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AI Can Screen CVs, But It Can’t Spot Potential: Why Human Recruitment Matters More Than Ever
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How to Prepare for an Interview: Before, During & After Tips for a Positive Experience
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The Marketing Skills Gap: Where Demand Is Outpacing Supply
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Hiring Senior Talent in 2026: Beyond Experience
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Why Human-Centred Headhunting Still Matters in an AI-Driven World
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January Was Long But Progress Was Still Made
Let’s have a Chat.
