You are hard at work one day when you get a LinkedIn message from a recruiter. They have a job opportunity that might be a fit for you. You write back. You and the recruiter get on the phone. I might make a move, you say, but what if I take this job and the job goes away?
The recruiter reached out to you. Their client loves and wants you. That’s when you ask for a contract. If I leave a secure job, you say, I need some protection in case I take this job and you folks change your mind. The employer signs the agreement because they want you on board
They know that in the unlikely event they lay you off or dismiss you without cause during the next year (or whatever term the contract specifies) they’ll be willing to pay you whatever the contract stipulates. It’s a cost of doing business. The risk is well worth the reward.
Folks in the US think it’s normal to take a job with no assurance that the job will persist for a year, a quarter or even a week. This is not normal. It’s amazing that employers have got so many people to believe they should give heart and soul to what is essentially a temp job
I have created and administered dozens of employment contracts. I have never seen a contract with a penalty for an employee who leaves early (and many contracts are open ended). There might be a bonus that you forgo by leaving before a certain date, but that’s your decision
I worked at one place where one day out of the blue, they sent around noncompete/nondisclosure agreements for everyone to sign. No one signed them and there was not another word about it. The company overplayed its hand. They realized it and retreated.
We have more power than we think. The tide is turning. Working people are standing up for themselves. You may not feel all of your power at this moment but you may feel a little more of it every day.
Notice how you feel at work. Notice the times when you feel most powerful. Wait for a power surge and ride it like a wave. Use that energy to speak up, to take a step or take a risk.
The only way our muscles grow is when we use them
The only way our muscles grow is when we use them
