Business Segments (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fee revenue	$ 251,188	$ 228,437
Total revenue	260,325	237,587
Net income	14,533	11,417
Other income, net	(2,177)	(2,267)
Interest expense, net	794	591
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated subsidiaries, net	(466)	(465)
Income tax provision	5,909	7,385
Operating income	18,593	16,661
Depreciation and amortization	6,770	5,944
Other income (loss), net	2,177	2,267
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated subsidiaries, net	466	465
EBITDA	28,006	25,337
Restructuring charges, net	9,886	3,682
Separation costs		2,500
Integration costs		394
Adjusted EBITDA	37,892	31,913
Operating Segments | Executive Recruitment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fee revenue	148,415	136,655
Total revenue	154,189	142,531
Operating income	24,236	28,280
Depreciation and amortization	1,772	1,778
Other income (loss), net	317	381
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated subsidiaries, net	68	102
EBITDA	26,393	30,541
Restructuring charges, net	5,532	1,336
Adjusted EBITDA	31,925	31,877
Operating Segments | Executive Recruitment | North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fee revenue	82,300	74,147
Total revenue	86,082	78,111
Operating income	18,998	16,324
Depreciation and amortization	904	963
Other income (loss), net	129	127
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated subsidiaries, net	68	102
EBITDA	20,099	17,516
Restructuring charges, net	1,151	816
Adjusted EBITDA	21,250	18,332
Operating Segments | Executive Recruitment | EMEA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fee revenue	40,297	34,377
Total revenue	41,429	35,457
Operating income	2,643	5,960
Depreciation and amortization	489	435
Other income (loss), net	46	234
EBITDA	3,178	6,629
Restructuring charges, net	3,987	460
Adjusted EBITDA	7,165	7,089
Operating Segments | Executive Recruitment | Asia Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fee revenue	19,534	21,128
Total revenue	20,369	21,927
Operating income	2,522	4,500
Depreciation and amortization	294	306
Other income (loss), net	109	17
EBITDA	2,925	4,823
Restructuring charges, net	17	60
Adjusted EBITDA	2,942	4,883
Operating Segments | Executive Recruitment | South America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fee revenue	6,284	7,003
Total revenue	6,309	7,036
Operating income	73	1,496
Depreciation and amortization	85	74
Other income (loss), net	33	3
EBITDA	191	1,573
Restructuring charges, net	377
Adjusted EBITDA	568	1,573
Operating Segments | LTC
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fee revenue	63,548	60,062
Total revenue	65,420	62,082
Operating income	3,460	4,335
Depreciation and amortization	3,252	2,897
Other income (loss), net	217	8
EBITDA	6,929	7,240
Restructuring charges, net	2,758	1,149
Adjusted EBITDA	9,687	8,389
Operating Segments | Futurestep
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Fee revenue	39,225	31,720
Total revenue	40,716	32,974
Operating income	3,457	2,545
Depreciation and amortization	446	408
Other income (loss), net	(2)	565
EBITDA	3,901	3,518
Restructuring charges, net	1,424	1,134
Adjusted EBITDA	5,325	4,652
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	(12,560)	(18,499)
Depreciation and amortization	1,300	861
Other income (loss), net	1,645	1,313
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated subsidiaries, net	398	363
EBITDA	(9,217)	(15,962)
Restructuring charges, net	172	63
Separation costs		2,500
Integration costs		394
Adjusted EBITDA	$ (9,045)	$ (13,005)