What is Right to Represent (RTR) in recruiting?
A Right to Represent (RTR) is a candidate’s written permission for one staffing agency to submit them for a specific job at a specific employer. Exact requirements depend on your client agreements.
In IMC, the candidate confirms your Right to Represent at the end of the interview. The confirmation is date and time stamped and shown on the Submission Card, so your client can see which agency the candidate authorized.
By IMC Workforce Solutions · Published
Why Right to Represent matters
What information should a Right to Represent include?
How IMC captures Right to Represent
- The candidate completes the interview. Live or self-guided, on any device.
- The candidate confirms your Right to Represent. At the end of the interview, the candidate is asked to authorize your agency and must answer before finishing.
- The confirmation is date and time stamped. IMC records exactly when the candidate gave permission.
- It travels with the Submission Card. Your client sees the authorization next to the interview, résumé and candidate details, so they know which agency the candidate chose.
The candidate authorized your agency, with the date and time of that confirmation, right alongside the interview, résumé, transcript and identity verified badge. No separate email, no attachment to track down.
Email RTR versus IMC
| Email Right to Represent | IMC Right to Represent | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | In a recruiter’s inbox | On the Submission Card |
| Date and time | Buried in email headers | Date and time stamped on the card |
| Client visibility | Forwarded separately, if at all | Visible to the client with the submission |
| Tied to the interview | No | Yes, captured at the end of the interview |
| Easy to find in a dispute | Requires searching email | One link, with everything together |
Free Right to Represent email template
Not using IMC yet? Use this template to collect a Right to Represent by email.
Subject: Right to Represent for [Job title] at [Client company] Hi [Candidate name], Please reply "I confirm" to give [Agency name] the exclusive right to represent you for the [Job title] role at [Client company], at [rate or salary]. By confirming, you also agree that no other agency has submitted you to [Client company] for this role in the last [time period]. Thank you, [Recruiter name], [Agency name]
This template is general information, not legal advice. Review your client agreements and adapt the wording to your process.
Right to Represent FAQs
What does RTR stand for in recruiting?
Right to Represent. It is the candidate’s permission for one staffing agency to submit them for a specific job at a specific employer.
Can two agencies hold an RTR for the same job?
No. Preventing that conflict is the point of the RTR. The first agency the candidate authorizes for that role usually has the stronger claim, depending on your client agreements.
What happens in a double submission?
Many clients reject the candidate entirely or decide based on which agency has the earliest documented Right to Represent. A date and time stamped RTR gives you a clear record to show.
Can my client see the Right to Represent?
Yes. In IMC the authorization appears on the Submission Card, so your client can see that the candidate authorized your agency and when.
Is an RTR legally binding?
It depends on the wording and your client agreements. IMC gives you a clear, dated record, but it does not decide contractual ownership between agencies.
Do I need an RTR if I use IMC?
IMC captures it for you at the end of every interview, so you do not need a separate email. Some clients may still ask for their own form, so follow your client agreements.
Does a candidate need an RTR for Interview Yourself?
No. When candidates send their own interview link, no agency is involved, so there is no agency to authorize.