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Comment by angdis | Hacker News Reader

It is _really_ hard for someone straight out of college (as Angela was) to say "no" to a pile of legal boilerplate that probably will never be enforced. Practically everyone does it. Not doing it "marks" one as somebody who might make trouble, even if the employer isn't mean/persnickety enough to ever try to enforce the non-compete.

At least the company doing the suing is getting some negative publicity for it. What a jerk.

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I disagree that it marks someone who might be trouble. If you are respectful and explain yourself the negotiating employment terms can be a very positive, but stressful, experience.

I agree it can be hard in the first job (I didn't do it then), but I don't think it gets you labeled as a trouble maker. It actually could get you labeled as a thoughtful and aggressive person. This can actually help quite a bit for your relationship with the new company.

Just be sure you are negotiating with your new boss and NOT HR. Make it light and playful if you can. Explain yourself as best you can. Read up on negotiation (there are a number of great books on it) so that you don't do it in a way that is bad for the relationship.

I don't think you realize that, at large companies, you don't necessarily _get_ to negotiate with your new boss. Large companies like standardization, and generally everything goes through HR, and everything is boilerplate. If a large company makes you an offer with a non-compete clause, your only remedy is typically to walk away.

It really depends on the situation. If all you can negotiate with is HR; talk to them. Learn how to do soft touch negotiation and get the HR person on your side if you can. Just assuming is non-negotiable is a way to lose your freedom before you even start.

Also employees of all stripes would do well to get over thinking that offers are take it or leave it. It is rarely the case. Most people talk themselves out of negotiating or never think its an option.

Hiring is really hard (IMHO) and when you find someone you want to hire you are going to want to make the deal happen.

Unfortunately, at many companies you won't even meet your boss until after signing the paperwork. This leaves you to try and explain it to someone who will see your hesitance to sign and take it to mean that you are either planning on leaving the job quickly or that you will not follow authority.

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