Email template · Staffing agency (client and candidate)
Right to represent email
In short
A right to represent email asks a candidate to confirm, in writing, that your agency alone may submit them for a specific role at a specific client, at an agreed rate, for a set period. It protects the submission from duplicate claims by other vendors. Below are four RTR email templates, subject lines, an SMS and a checklist of what to include.
When to send it: Send it right after the candidate verbally agrees to be submitted and before their resume goes to the client or prime vendor. Ask for the confirmation within a few hours, since many vendor portals close submissions quickly.
Right to represent email: 4 versions
Standard RTR (W-2)
SubjectRight to represent: [Job Title] at [End Client], [Job ID]
Hi [First Name], Thanks for talking through the [Job Title] role today. Before I submit your profile, I need your written confirmation that [Agency Name] can represent you for this position. Role: [Job Title] End client: [End Client] Location: [Location / Remote / Hybrid] Job ID: [Job ID] Employment type: W-2 [contract / contract-to-hire] Pay rate: [Pay Rate] per hour Duration: [Duration] By replying, you confirm that: - You authorize [Agency Name] to submit you exclusively for this position for [RTR Period] from today - You have not been submitted for this position by another agency, and you haven't applied to it directly - The information on your resume is accurate Please reply with: "I confirm that [Agency Name] has the exclusive right to represent me for [Job Title], [Job ID], at [End Client]." [Your Name] [Title], [Agency Name] [Phone Number]
Corp-to-corp (C2C) via employer
SubjectRTR needed: [Job Title], [End Client] ([Job ID])
Hi [First Name], As discussed, we'd like to submit [Consultant Name] for the role below through [Your Company]. Please have [Consultant Name] review and sign the attached RTR, or reply from their own email with the confirmation line at the bottom. Role: [Job Title] End client: [End Client] (through [Prime Vendor or MSP]) Job ID: [Job ID] Location: [Location] Rate: [C2C Rate] per hour, all-inclusive, net [Payment Terms] Duration: [Duration] RTR valid for: [RTR Period] Confirmation line: "I, [Consultant Name], authorize [Agency Name] to represent me exclusively for [Job Title], [Job ID], at [End Client]. I have not been submitted for this role by any other vendor." Please also include the employer's name, contact and a current work authorization statement. [Your Name] [Title], [Agency Name] [Phone Number]
E-signature request
SubjectPlease sign: RTR for [Job Title] at [End Client]
Hi [First Name], Your right to represent form for the [Job Title] role at [End Client] is ready to sign: [Signature Link] It takes about a minute. It confirms the rate ([Pay Rate]), the role and that [Agency Name] will be the only firm submitting you for this position for [RTR Period]. The client's submission window closes at [Deadline], so please sign by then. Call me at [Phone Number] if anything looks wrong. [Your Name] [Title], [Agency Name]
Short reminder
SubjectRe: Right to represent: [Job Title] at [End Client]
Hi [First Name], Just need your confirmation on the RTR below to submit you for [Job Title] at [End Client]. The client closes submissions at [Deadline] today. A one-line reply works: "I confirm [Agency Name] can represent me for [Job ID]." Thanks, [Your Name] [Phone Number]
Subject line ideas
- Right to represent: [Job Title] at [End Client], [Job ID]
- RTR needed: [Job Title], [End Client] ([Job ID])
- Please sign: RTR for [Job Title] at [End Client]
- Your confirmation needed before I submit you
- Action needed today: RTR for [Job ID]
- Exclusive representation: [Job Title] role
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], [Your Name] at [Agency Name]. I emailed the RTR for [Job Title] at [End Client] ([Job ID]), rate [Pay Rate]. Please reply to the email to confirm so I can submit you before [Deadline].
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Job Title], [End Client], [Job ID], [Location], [Pay Rate], [C2C Rate], [Payment Terms], [Duration], [RTR Period], [Prime Vendor or MSP], [Consultant Name], [Your Company], [Signature Link], [Deadline], [Your Name], [Title], [Agency Name], [Phone Number]
Why RTR emails exist
In US IT and professional staffing, the same requirement often reaches a dozen vendors within minutes through a managed service provider or a prime vendor. Candidates get calls from several of them. If two vendors submit the same person, most clients and MSPs either reject the candidate outright or accept only the first submission with a valid authorization. A written right to represent is how a vendor proves it had the candidate's permission first.
The RTR also protects the candidate. It records the pay rate and role they agreed to, so a recruiter can't quietly submit them at a lower rate or for a different job.
What to include in an RTR email
A usable RTR answers every question a vendor manager or client might ask if there's a dispute:
- The role: title, end client, location or remote status, and the client or MSP job ID.
- The chain: if you're submitting through a prime vendor, name it. Candidates should know who sits between them and the client.
- Rate and terms: hourly pay rate on W-2, or an all-inclusive C2C rate and payment terms if they're on a corp-to-corp arrangement.
- Exclusivity and period: the candidate authorizes only your firm, for that job ID, for a stated time. Thirty to 90 days is common; some firms tie it to the life of the requisition.
- Statements: no prior submission by another vendor and no direct application.
- A confirmation line the candidate can paste back word for word.
Teams that send many RTRs a day keep a standard version in their document templates so recruiters only fill in the role details. If you want a formal signed document rather than an email confirmation, use our right to represent form template.
Email reply or e-signature
Most vendor portals accept an email reply from the candidate's own address, attached to the submission as a PDF or a forwarded thread. Some MSPs and end clients now require a signed RTR form with a date and time stamp. Sending through e-signatures gives you an audit trail with exactly when the candidate signed, which settles most duplicate-submission disputes quickly: the earlier timestamp wins.
For C2C consultants, get the confirmation from the consultant personally, not just from their employer's bench sales team. Clients increasingly reject RTRs signed only by a third party.
Timing and where it fits
The order matters. Screen the candidate, agree the rate, send the RTR, receive confirmation, then submit. Submitting first and asking for the RTR afterwards is the most common source of disputes. Once the RTR is back, the candidate submittal email to the client or vendor can reference it directly.
For candidates new to your firm, the RTR often arrives alongside the candidate registration confirmation email. Keep them separate. A registration covers your general relationship; an RTR is specific to one job ID.
Fairness and legal notes
An RTR is a consent and exclusivity record for one submission. It is not an employment contract, and it shouldn't be used to stop a candidate taking other jobs or working with other agencies on different roles. Wording that restricts a candidate broadly may not be enforceable and damages trust. Pay rates in the RTR should match what you'll actually pay, and in states and cities with pay transparency laws, the range you discussed should be consistent with any posted range. Rules vary by state, so have your template reviewed if you hire in several jurisdictions.
Mistakes to avoid
- Leaving out the job ID. Without it, the RTR can't be matched to a requisition.
- Vague rate language such as “competitive.” Disputes over pay start here.
- Reusing one RTR for several roles at the same client.
- Accepting a confirmation from the wrong email address. It should come from the candidate.
- Pressuring a candidate who wants time. If they hesitate, ask whether another firm has already submitted them.
Frequently asked questions
What is a right to represent email?
It is an email asking a candidate to confirm that one staffing firm has the exclusive right to submit them for a specific job at a specific client, at an agreed rate, for a stated period.
What should an RTR email template include?
Job title, end client, job ID, location, pay or C2C rate, contract type and duration, the exclusivity period, statements that no other vendor has submitted the candidate, and a confirmation line to reply with.
How long is a right to represent valid?
There is no standard length. Thirty to 90 days is common, and some firms tie it to the life of the requisition. State the period in the email so there is no doubt.
Is an email reply enough to confirm a right to represent?
Often, yes, if it comes from the candidate's own email and uses clear confirmation wording. Some MSPs and clients require a signed form with a timestamp, so check the program's rules.
What happens if two agencies submit the same candidate?
Most clients either reject the candidate or accept only the first submission backed by a valid RTR. That is why the RTR must be confirmed before submission.