A strong showing in international markets helped recruitment firm Hays offset a loss in its UK division.
The company said there would be no let up in the tough market conditions going into 2013.
Net fees in the year to the end of June were up 9% to £734m.
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Profit before tax was up 11% to 122.4m but the company cuts its dividend by more than half to 2.5p.
The firm put the cut down to the increased global economic uncertainty impacting on the business, which slowed the pace of the profit growth.
The results showed the temporary job market was holding up but making permanent placements was becoming increasingly tough.
Net fees from temporary placements, which represent 56% of group fees, increased by 12%.
This comprised a volume increase of 4% and growth in the amount of hours worked of 9%, partially offset by underlying margins, which were slightly lower at 14.6%.
Net fees in the permanent placement business, representing 44% of group net fees, increased by 3%.
The company's global exposure was its saviour with the Continental Europe & Rest of World division delivered 23% net fee growth.
This compared with the UK, which became increasingly challenging as the year progressed, with net fees down 7%.
The UK division posted an operating loss of £6.5m as net fees fell by 8% in the permanent placement business and by 6% in the temporary placement business.
This means fees are now down 50% versus peak levels.
Chief Executive Alistair Cox said looking ahead to 2013 the firm expected the overall economic backdrop to remain difficult and markets to continue to be multi-speed.
"Several markets are likely to remain very challenging, but these will sit side-by-side with clear opportunities for growth," he said.
"Therefore we need to be both adaptable to the world as it changes and selective about areas for investment."
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