How to handle a noncompete in a job offer

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I just got a job offer and the company slipped in a noncompete clause at the last minute. My manager at my current job has already started acting weird because they know I’m interviewing, and now I feel stuck because this new role is a big step up for me. The clause says I can’t work for any competitor for 12 months after leaving, and that feels insane for the kind of work I do. I haven’t signed anything yet, but HR is pushing for a quick turnaround and acting like this is totally standard. How do I deal with this without blowing up the offer or making things awkward at work?

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Answer 1 · 2026-06-19T06:03:26+00:00

push back calmly and ask for the noncompete to be removed or narrowed in writing, since 12 months sounds like the kind of thing HR calls standard when they want you to stop asking questions. If they won’t budge, get a lawyer to read it before you sign, because awkward at work is annoying but handcuffing your next year is worse.

Keep your current job quiet as long as you can and don’t overshare with either side, because managers get weird fast once they smell a move. If the new compny treats this like a minor detail instead of a real risk, that tells you something about how they handle ppl when there’s friction