If your efforts at job searching, resume sending and rehearsing for interviews have paid off in the form of a new job offer then congratulations! But unless you sign the job contract you are still in the unemployment zone. You need to be very careful about signing a job contract as it will bind you to the job for a long time. Here are a few things to know before signing a new job contract.
Nature Of Job
Although you may be familiar with the nature of the job since you applied for it, but it is still better if you discuss your responsibilities and roles with your employer in detail. Better yet, get the nature of your job documented in the contract; this way you cannot be forced to do something that you haven’t signed up for!
Salary
This is one thing that you should certainly know before signing a new job contract! If you are not satisfied with your salary package, then you can negotiate it. In addition to the original offer of the salary you should know other details too like bonuses, appraisals and base pay. All this information should be included in the contract. Have a look at this great post on how to negotiate your salary.
Probation Duration
The terms and conditions of the probation period are often quite different from the regular service time. If your job has a probation period then make sure that you are aware of the rules and regulations of that period.
Performance Evaluation
Every organization has a different criterion for evaluating the performance of their employees, so one more thing to know before signing a new job contract is how your potential organization evaluates the performance. Performance reviews can have a huge impact on your overall salary and bonuses, so find out how often they are conducted and how.
Job Benefits
A lot of organizations offer certain benefits to their employees in addition to the basic salary. These benefits are usually part of the salary package deal and are mentioned in the contract. So, go through the contract and make sure that all these details are entailed in your contract. If they are not, then ask the employer to include them. Check also this article on the benefits of contracting jobs using an umbrella company
Non-Compete Clause
Some employers include this clause in their job contracts that prevents the employee for working for their competitors for a certain period of time if they decide to leave the job before the expiration date of the contract. Make sure that your job contract does not have this clause. If it contains a non-compete clause, then try to come out of it. If you can’t do that, then at least make sure that it is a reasonable clause and will not keep you bound for a long time period.
Future Goals
A job that does not offer growth is not worth having, unless you are in financial crisis or something! Make sure that your future goals will not be obstructed if you sign that contract.
Last but not the least, you should have no confusions regarding the job you want take; so make your decisions wisely!
