What is Right to Represent (RTR)?

Last updated 2026-10-22

Short answer

A right to represent is a candidate’s permission, often in writing, for a staffing firm to submit their resume for a specific requirement, preventing other firms from submitting the same person to it.

Right to Represent (RTR) is a term you will meet constantly in IT staffing. This page explains what it means, how it appears in postings and emails, how a staffing team uses it and the mistakes to avoid.

In practice

Staffing firms usually obtain an RTR before submitting a candidate so there is a record that the candidate agreed to be represented for that role and that firm.

The candidate usually confirms the role, the client or vendor, and the rate. Practices differ by firm, so follow the policy your company uses.

How it shows up

“Please confirm you authorize us to submit your profile for the Java Developer role in Dallas at $65/hr C2C.”

How a staffing team uses it

Collect the RTR before you submit, store it with the submission and use it to answer questions if two vendors send the same candidate.

Common mistakes

  • Submitting before the candidate has confirmed the role.
  • Using a general consent for every requirement.
  • Not storing the confirmation anywhere searchable.

Frequently asked questions

Is an RTR a legal contract?

It is usually an authorization record rather than a full contract. Ask your counsel about wording and retention.