As a designer or developer, or just all around entrepreneur, would you dare to sign a non-compete agreement with a local company, especially a family owned company?
I have a job interview with a great local company that is right up my alley. I find it hard to believe they are not going to have me sign a non-compete agreement. Being out of work for years I am desperate for employment. However, since I always wanted to try to start a company like they run, singing a non-compete agreement may not only hinder me from starting my own business, but who knows, even working for a competitor of theirs. And I do not have the money to have an attorney look over the non-compete contract.
You didn’t mention whether it is a generic web development company (Servicing for B2B customers) or product owning company.
Seeing along with Intellectual Property Rights, regardless of a company’s size, it’s a company’s right to protect their trade secrets and market products. A Non-Compete agreement is good when seen from a genuine company`s interest in hiring, training talents and sharing trade secrets with a designer or developer, especially when they are with market products. It should be true a genuine company invested in setting up the business, doing R&Ds, paying resources, grooming the products, etc.
But at the same time, a NCA should not affect an employee’s career and he/she should be allowed to enter a company of generic services later which is not directly competing with the said company’s products. Even if it is a product development company, a clear mentioning of Non-Compete period is mandatory (Say 1 to 2 years, etc). Keep in mind that there’s no geographic restrictions in this cloud world. (Am I overlooking this? )
Check if the company is genuinely stating its NCA and giving space for an employee’s career and if not and not to be played fair, just don’t join and look for an alternate place.
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