Most people sign employment contracts with varying degrees of attention. If you’re excited about the role, the salary is right, and the job title matches what you discussed — the document gets read at a pace that misses most of what’s actually in it. I know because I’ve been there. And then I learned the hard way that employment contracts contain details that can significantly affect your working life, your career options, and sometimes your finances. Here are 6 things I wish I’d looked for in my employment contract — so you don’t have to learn them the same way.
1. Notice Periods — Both Yours and Theirs
Many people check what notice period they need to give if they want to leave — but fewer check what notice period the company owes them if they want to let you go. These can be very different numbers. You might be required to give three months’ notice to leave, while the company can let you go with one week’s statutory notice. That asymmetry matters enormously when things go wrong.
Also check whether notice periods change during probation. Many contracts specify that either party can terminate with shorter notice (often one week) during the probationary period. Knowing this helps you understand how secure your position actually is during those crucial first months.
2. Non-Compete and Restraint of Trade Clauses
This is the clause that most people discover only when they’re trying to leave for a better opportunity. Non-compete clauses (also called restrictive covenants) can prevent you from working for a competitor, approaching clients, or even using certain skills in a new role for a specified period after leaving — sometimes six to twelve months, sometimes longer.
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The enforceability of these clauses varies by jurisdiction and is often more limited than employers imply. But an unenforceable clause can still cause trouble and legal expense if a former employer decides to challenge your move. Understanding the scope and duration of any non-compete clause before you sign — and taking legal advice if it seems unusually broad — is worth the time investment.
3. Intellectual Property Ownership
Standard employment contracts typically include a clause assigning intellectual property created during the course of employment to the employer. In most cases this is reasonable and expected. But the clause can sometimes be drawn so broadly that it captures creative or intellectual work you do entirely on your own time, with your own resources, outside of your job scope.
If you have a side project, a creative practice, a podcast, or anything you’re building outside of work, check whether the IP clause might reach into that territory. If there’s any ambiguity, raise it before you sign and get a clarifying addendum in writing. This is especially important if the company’s business overlaps at all with your personal projects.
4. What’s Actually Discretionary Versus Contractual
One of the most common sources of workplace disappointment is discovering that the benefits that made a job appealing — a generous bonus, a car allowance, flexible working arrangements, private medical cover, additional annual leave — are described as “discretionary” in the contract rather than guaranteed. Discretionary benefits can be reduced, withdrawn, or withheld without breaching the employment contract.
Read carefully for the language. “A bonus may be paid at the discretion of the company” is very different from “an annual bonus of X% of salary is payable upon achievement of the following targets.” If something was a major factor in accepting the role, you want it to be contractual, not discretionary. It’s entirely reasonable to ask for this to be amended before signing.
For more on navigating workplace dynamics with confidence, recognising the signs of a toxic workplace is valuable context for any new employee entering an unfamiliar environment.
5. Probationary Period Terms
Probationary periods exist for both parties — they’re supposed to be a time when you assess whether the role is right for you as much as they assess whether you’re right for the role. But many employees treat probation as something to survive rather than as an active evaluation period on their part.
Check the specific terms: How long is the period? What are the criteria for successful completion? Is there a formal review process? Can the period be extended, and if so, under what circumstances? Some contracts also specify reduced benefits during probation (less sick pay, no pension contributions, shorter notice periods). Knowing all of this sets accurate expectations for those first months rather than leaving you surprised by terms you agreed to but didn’t notice.
6. Flexibility and Location Terms
In the post-pandemic work landscape, working arrangements have become one of the most contentious areas of employment. Your contract may specify a primary work location, required days in the office, or a clause that allows the employer to change your place of work with reasonable notice. If you negotiated a hybrid arrangement verbally during the hiring process, check whether it’s reflected in the contract.
Verbal agreements made during recruitment are notoriously difficult to enforce if they’re not captured in writing. If you were promised two days a week from home, and the contract says your place of work is the office, you will have very limited recourse if the company later expects full-time attendance. Get verbal arrangements formalised before you sign.
Understanding your rights and what you’re agreeing to is part of entering any professional relationship with your eyes open. For perspective on building a career that genuinely supports your life, this piece on finding a career that loves you back is worth reading at any stage of your professional journey.
What to Do If You’ve Already Signed
If you’re reading this having already signed a contract that contains elements you wish you’d negotiated differently, all is not lost. Employment relationships are living things — terms can be renegotiated when circumstances change, when you’re promoted, or when you’re being recruited by another employer and have genuine leverage. Knowing what your contract actually says is the first step toward any renegotiation.
For significant concerns — a broadly drawn non-compete, an IP clause that seems to reach into your personal projects, or terms that seem legally questionable — a brief consultation with an employment solicitor (often available at low cost through legal advice services or unions) can be well worth the investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal to negotiate employment contract terms?
Yes, and more employers expect it than you might think — particularly for senior roles. The key is to be specific and reasonable in your requests, and to raise them professionally before you sign rather than after. “I noticed the bonus is described as discretionary — could we agree on defined targets that would make it contractual?” is a legitimate request that experienced hiring managers will take seriously. Negotiation doesn’t signal that you’re difficult; it signals that you’ve read the document and take the relationship seriously.
What should I do if something in my contract doesn’t match what I was told during the interview?
Raise it directly and promptly. The longer you wait after signing, the harder it becomes to argue that there was a discrepancy. Email is best — it creates a written record. Be specific: “During our conversation on [date], we discussed [specific arrangement]. I notice the contract reflects [different terms]. Could we clarify and, if appropriate, update the contract before I sign?” Most genuine discrepancies are accidental and will be addressed. A refusal to correct a material misrepresentation tells you something important about the employer’s good faith.
How long should I take to review a contract before signing?
Taking three to five business days to review an employment contract is entirely normal and professional. Reputable employers expect this and should not pressure you to sign on the spot. For senior or complex roles, a week is reasonable. If an employer insists you sign without any time to review the document, that is itself a concerning signal about how they operate. Any legitimate organisation will be comfortable with you taking time to read and understand what you’re agreeing to.
Sources & further reading: UK Government: Employment Contracts Guide | Harvard Business Review: Employment Best Practices | ACAS: Employment Contracts Explained.
Rubie Le’Faine is the founder of Rubie Rubie and a writer specialising in emotional well-being, self-identity, and the psychology of modern relationships. She holds a Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills and has spent over eight years studying attachment theory, cognitive behavioural principles, and human development — first through formal study, then through lived experience that no course can replicate. After navigating a significant relationship breakdown, an identity rebuild, and the complex terrain of rediscovering herself in her 30s, Rubie began writing to make sense of what she had learned and to offer honest, human guidance to others going through the same. She founded Rubie Rubie in 2022 as a space for women seeking real answers, not platitudes. Based in Surrey, UK, her writing is grounded in research, shaped by experience, and centred entirely on the reader’s genuine wellbeing.
