Exclusivity Letters really work?

How many times have you presented a candidate to a client and 1) he already has been submitted there by a competitor or 2 ) he already submitted himself directly through the web site?  You may have already waisted a bunch of time in screening time or rewriting a terrible resume.  That's money down the drain.  Is the answer having every candidate sign a Exclusivity Letter?

I'm not a big fan of ever adding more paperwork in the recruiting cycle, but having this extra step does cause more discussions that will force candidates to give you more information that could help you decide which candidates to submit to which clients.

Remember, just because you tell a candidate about a position and a company, doesn't mean he doesn't already know about it.  Common sense says he should tell you at that point what he's already done, BUT, don't assume anything!

Ask: 

1) Have you ever submitted a resume at this client?

2) Has any other firm ever submitted you or discussed this client with you?

3) Do you have any friends or know anyone that works there?

This is a good line of questioning that usually come out if you can meet candidates face to face.  Phone screens are usually pretty rushed.