Most Florida residents probably know they should never sign a contract without reading all the fine print, but when you’re finally about to end a job hunt, it can be tempting to rush to sign an employment contract. After nailing your query letter format or sending in your CV for the 5th time or spending months looking for a job, you want to make it all feel worth it. But before you put your pen to paper, it’s a good idea to consider some important factors such as compensation, vacation, expense reimbursement, and educational opportunities. When you have all of that in mind you can then get started on your resume and put forward what you are looking for with assistance from companies like https://www.arcresumes.com/local/texas/ to make it appeal to the right people.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate for certain items in your contract. At the very least, you should read the entire contract and ask enough questions to ensure you understand the agreement.
One main area of concern is compensation. You might think that compensation is straight-forward, but many times, employees later learn that employers had a different take on compensation. Make sure you understand what and how the employer plans to pay you and make the contract language as specific and ironclad as possible. For legal jobs especially, you could try to contact people like Alex Gotch and similar recruiters, who have a ton of experience in the field. They could provide you with valuable insight into what kind of compensation you should ask for and what other considerations you can negotiate for in your employment contract.
Moving expenses are another area you might want to tackle, especially if you are transferring from another city to take the job. This is because moving houses and vehicles by reputed movers and top rated car transportation service providers generally require a significant amount of spending. Thus, remember that it’s not enough for the employer to mention moving expenses or verbally agree to reimburse you for expenses. Sometimes, it might not be enough for moving expenses to be agreed to in a contract. For the best protection, ensure that the contract is detailed on what the employer will and won’t cover.
Other things that you might want included in a contract are educational opportunities and time off. Companies have stated that vacation time is provided and then restated time off parameters in the past. You also want to know going into a job if education and other opportunities are available. Working with someone knowledgeable about contracts before you sign them can help you reduce stress and issues with contract disputes later.
Source: Forbes, “5 Things You Must Discuss with HR Before Accepting a New Job,” The Muse, accessed Oct. 16, 2015
