HUDSON HIGHLAND GROUP, INC. STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

EXHIBIT 4.3

HUDSON HIGHLAND GROUP, INC.

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) made as of the [DAY]th day of [MONTH], [YEAR] (the “Grant Date”), by and between HUDSON HIGHLAND GROUP, INC. , a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and [FIRST NAME LAST NAME] (the “Optionee”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS , pursuant to the Hudson Highland Group, Inc. 2009 Incentive Stock and Awards Plan (the “Plan”), the Company desires to grant to the Optionee and the Optionee desires to accept an option to purchase shares of common stock, $.001 par value, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE , the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. Grant . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company hereby grants to the Optionee an option to purchase up to [OPTIONS] shares of Common Stock at a purchase price per share of $[PRICE]. This option is intended to be treated as an option that does not qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

2. Vesting . As of the date of this Agreement, 40% of the option will be vested and exercisable. Except as specifically provided otherwise herein, the remainder of the option will vest and become exercisable, if at all, in accordance with the following schedule based upon the number of full years of the Optionee’s continuous service with the Company or an Affiliate (as defined in the Plan) of the Company following the Grant Date.

If any fractional shares would result from the strict application of the incremental percentages set forth above, then the actual number of shares vesting on any specific date will cover only the full number of shares determined by rounding the number of shares to be issued from the strict application of the incremental percentages set forth above to the nearest whole number. Unless sooner terminated, the option will expire on the tenth anniversary of the Grant Date.

3. Exercise . Any portion of the option which has vested and is exercisable may be exercised in whole or in part by delivering to the Executive Vice President, Human Resources of the Company (or such other executive officer of the Company performing a similar function) at its corporate headquarters in New York, New York (a) a written notice specifying (1) the number of shares to be purchased, (2) the Grant Date and the specific number of shares referred to in Section 1 of this Agreement, (3) the Optionee’s home address and, if the Optionee has one, the Optionee’s social security or U.S. taxpayer identification number and (4) delivery instructions with respect to the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise, and (b) cash payment in full of the exercise price, together with the amount, if any, deemed necessary by the Company to enable it to satisfy any federal, foreign or other tax withholding obligations with respect to the exercise (unless other arrangements acceptable to the Company in its sole discretion have been made). The Company may from time to time change (or provide alternatives to) the method of exercise of the option granted hereunder by notice to the Optionee, it being understood that from and after such notice the Optionee will be bound by the method (or alternatives) specified in any such notice. The Company (in its sole and absolute discretion) may permit all or part of the exercise price to be paid with shares of Common Stock owned by the Optionee, or in installments (together with interest) evidenced by the Optionee’s secured promissory note.

4. Issuance of Shares . No shares of Common Stock shall be delivered hereunder until full payment for such shares and all related withholding taxes has been made. The Optionee shall have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares covered by the option until a stock certificate for such shares is issued to the Optionee. Except as otherwise provided herein, no adjustment shall be made for dividends or distributions of other rights for which the record date is prior to the date such stock certificate is issued.

5. No Assignment of Option . This option is not assignable or transferable except upon the Optionee’s death to a beneficiary designated by the Optionee in a written beneficiary designation filed with the Company or, if no duly designated beneficiary shall survive the Optionee, pursuant to the Optionee’s will and/or by the laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during the Optionee’s lifetime only by the Optionee or the Optionee’s guardian or legal representative. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this option may be transferred to (a) the spouse, children or grandchildren (the “Immediate Family Members”) of the Optionee, (b) a trust established for the principal benefit of the Optionee’s Immediate Family Members, or (c) a partnership in which the Optionee’s Immediate Family Members are the only partners. The Optionee may not receive consideration for such transfer. The Optionee must notify the Company of any transfers and any subsequent transfers must be approved by the Company. Following transfer, this option shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable immediately before the transfer, except that the transferee shall have the right to exercise the option upon the terms and conditions described herein.

6. Termination of Service . If the Optionee’s service as a director of the Company ceases for any reason other than death, then, unless sooner terminated, that portion of the option which is exercisable on the date the Optionee ceases service will remain exercisable for a period of two years after such date but in no event after the expiration of the option in accordance with Section 2, and the remaining portion of the option will automatically expire on such date. If the Optionee’s service cease