Ask HN: Starting a new job on Monday, still haven't seen the contract | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Starting a new job on Monday, still haven't seen the contract

2 pointsSevrene5 comments

I'm a little worried about this new job because although it looks like a great opportunity, there's been a few warning flags.

1) It was roughly 24 hours between submitting my resume, interviewing, and being told I had landed the job and they want me to start straight away.

2) The job listing specified 'flexible hours' and 'contract', but they keep asking me if I can go full time and they are quite insistent. Even going so far as asking if I can do my other work during my weekends.

3) They want me to start Monday, and they haven't even sent a contract or anything for me to look at. I don't want to arrive at a new job with out reading the contract, which I presume they will get me to sign before starting.

Is this as unusual as I suspect it is, or am I just anxious?

Thanks!

From the other side of the internet, I see two likely causes:

1. A company that is highly disorganized.

2. A company that is shady.

Roughly, I would associate the first with newness or recent high growth. I would associate the second with an established ongoing concern. Neither inspires full confidence in regard to getting paid fully and on time.

That said, it's really more of a spectrum. There are established slow growing companies that are highly disorganized. There are new fast growing companies that are shady. Pre-recession I worked for a Fortune 100 corporation expanding in pace with the housing bubble. The hiring process was more chaotic than it might have been in other economic times.

Having interviewed with and researched the company, there should be some basis for evaluating where on the spectrum it falls. My advice is to go with your gut and I suggest that continuing to explore other employment options is worth consideration even if the contract is acceptable and you go to work there.

Good luck.

Thanks for the input brudgers, I think you're spot on. After a few days there, it seems they are definitely in the first category.

You should make acceptance of a contract conditional on actually reading the contract.

I know is sounds obvious but I took lots of jobs over the years before I actually read the contract. Live and learn. :-)

Not seeing the contract so close to the start date is extremely unusual.

Thanks, thought so.

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