Robert Half
Robert Half is an American human resource consulting firm based in Menlo Park, California. It is a member of the S&P 500, credited as being the world's first and largest accounting and finance staffing firm, with over 400 locations worldwide. In 2012, the company was ranked first in its industry (temporary help) on Fortune magazine's list of World's Most Admired Companies and 9th by staffing revenue. The company was founded as the Robert Half Personnel Agency in March 1948 in New York City. Founder Robert Half had previously managed the hiring of accounting staff for a sizeable textile manufacturing concern and saw an opportunity as no placement firm was focusing on this sector of the market. In the mid-1980s, RH led the broader staffing field in moving from its prior focus on undifferentiated temporary staff for clerical and unskilled labor needs to targeting more specialized roles requiring specific training for particular industries. Having grown to over 150 locations in the United States and launched an aggressive campaign to re-purchase many of the separate franchises, the firm went public in 1987, then expanded its operations into Europe in 1993. In addition to their Accountemps brand, the firm expanded to include specialty groups focusing on technology, legal and creative services personnel. Inroads into the legal sector began with the company's 1991 acquisition of The Affiliates, a Southern California-based staffing company that focused on paralegals and other law firm support needs. Robert Half has established itself as a key information provider for government agencies and others seeking statistics and trends regarding employment, with its market-specific salary guides being used as a resource by the U.S Department of Labor in the preparation of their own forecasts. Founder Robert Half's tradition of authoring respected books on the industry (such as Making It Big in Data Processing and How to Get a Better Job in This Crazy World) has also been continued by current CEO 'Max' Messmer in the form of works like Job Hunting for Dummies. In 2003, the company was finally able to buy back the last of the few remaining independent franchise operations. In addition to their main staffing line of business, RH also provides independent risk consulting, internal audit and information technology consulting services via its Protiviti subsidiary, which was founded in 2002 with the acquisition of former employees of Arthur Andersen. Since then, the group has grown from 700 to over 2,500 staff and continues to be led by Andersen alumni.