Five things to check before you accept a job offer

Wondering whether to accept a job offer? Even if you’ve given a verbal “yes”, it’s important you know how to check your employment contract before you formally accept the role.

Receiving the contract for your new job is often the moment it starts to feel real. All your hard work during the application process has paid off and you're about to begin a new chapter in your career. It’s exciting! But before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you know what you’re getting into. Take the time to read through your contract. You need to be clear on what's expected of you and what you can expect of your new employer. Now’s the time to question any curveballs.

We’ll explain why you need to check the following things in your contract:

1. Job title
2. Salary and benefits
3. Working hours (and location)
4. Holiday allowance
5. Notice period

First things first, is the contract definitely for the role you applied for? Many companies call the same job different things internally and externally. If the title is different, ensure the job description is familiar. You don’t want to sign up for the wrong job!

If your title’s changed, ask your new employer to explain why. It’s OK to ask if they can change your title if you’re unhappy. There’s no guarantee that the company will agree, but it’s worth asking. Even if your employer wants you to stick with the new title, they should be willing to explain why. Knowing the reasons behind the change will help you understand their rationale.

Remember that your title should reflect the role you’re taking on. So, if anything’s vague, ask your employer to clarify your responsibilities. If you see 'Manager' and were expecting 'Assistant', you might initially be flattered by the inflated title. However, you don’t want to take on a much bigger role than expected – at least not without the appropriate salary to go with it. So, always check if anything’s changed. Equally, you don’t want to take on a smaller position than you imagined.

Your contract will detail your salary. Does it match what you agreed to during your interviews?

Many companies also provide benefits packages for their employees. Some firms will include benefits in contracts, but others will put them in a separate remuneration package. If it isn’t in your contract, ask for written confirmation of any discussed benefits like enhanced pension contributions, private healthcare, cycle-to-work schemes, interest-free travel loans and discounted gym memberships. Remember that anything outside of your contract can change without notice. However, it’s still worth knowing what exactly you’ll get when you join.

If you’re eligible for a bonus as part of your new role, ask your employer how it's calculated. Is it based on your performance or the company’s? What targets do you need to work towards? Get all the facts before you sign the contract.

Your contract will also lay out overtime compensation. It's normal to take on a few extra hours at your discretion but, overall, you shouldn't be working much more than what your contracts states. And if you do, you need to know if your employer will compensate you.

So, you’ve agreed to an offer of full-time work, but do you know how many hours are involved? Is it 35 hours a week or 40 (or more)? The number of hours will alter your work-life balance and hourly pay.

It’s also worth checking your contract to see if there are set daily start and end times, or if your employer welcomes flexible working patterns. All employees have a legal right to request flexible working. However, employers can refuse requests if they’ve got a good business reason for doing so. Because of this, you need to check that you can work at the times set out in your contract before you sign. If there’s anything that doesn’t sit right with you, raise it now. If your employer has told you that you can work flexibly but the contract states specific hours, ask for the promised flexibility to be written into the contract. That gives you more protection than asking for flexible working after signing.

It's also a good opportunity to negotiate how often you can work from home or your preferred office location (if your company has multiple). Make sure you’re clear on the number of hours you’re expected to work each day and week – and where you’ll do this work. If it’s only realistic for you to commute three days a week, it’s risky to sign a contract that says in-office attendance is mandatory every day. If an interviewer told you that hybrid working was part of the job, check that it’s reflected in your contract.

As with studying, it's important to take regular breaks once you start your new job. Before you go booking your next trip, check how many days or hours of holiday you’re entitled to. Look out for any restrictions on usage such as times of the year you can't take time off or limitations on the length of your holidays. With some jobs, you’ll have to use some of your annual leave at certain times (ie. if your workplace closes over Christmas), so keep this in mind when calculating how much leave you’ll need.

Most companies ask that you use up your allowance by a certain date. Read through your contract to see if there's the option to roll over holiday or buy or sell days.

As always, check everything in your contract matches with what you’ve been told during the recruitment process.

When you’re excited about starting a new job, you probably don’t want to think about what will happen once you leave. However, it’s still worth checking your notice period (ie. the length of time you’ll have to work after handing your notice in).

An exceptionally long notice period can be troublesome if you’re leaving and your new employer wants you to start quickly. However, notice periods work both ways so it isn’t always a bad thing. For instance, if an employer lets you go, they’ll also serve you your notice period. So, in those scenarios, a longer notice period will give you more time to find another job.

Generally, your notice period will be shorter during your probationary period (which is usually your first few months in a role). Typically, the more senior your job is, the longer your normal notice period will be. If your contract details a long notice period for a junior role, feel free to question it. Sometimes, it might be a standard length in all the company’s contracts. Although you can’t rely on contracts being overturned, your employer might be happy for you to give shorter notice if you’ve got another job to go to.

It’s also worth checking if your contract contains any limitations known as restrictive covenants. Usually, restrictive covenants prevent you from working with the company’s clients or using their information after you leave for a set period. Sometimes, they’ll stop you from taking a job with a competitor. Check that you’re comfortable with everything you’re signing and ask for clarification on anything you’re unsure of.

When you’re offered a job, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and not think about the nitty gritty of the formal agreement. However, it’s important that you check your new contract thoroughly before you sign it. You can only make an informed decision about whether to accept a job offer if you’re sure about what your job title will be, how much you’ll earn, how many hours you’ll work (and where), your holiday entitlement and your notice period.

If you’ve got any questions about your contract, always ask your prospective employer. They’ll explain anything you're unclear on.

It's also worth showing your contract to someone in your support network, ie. a family member, mentor or a friend with legal nous. They’ll point out any anomalies.

Some career advisers will be willing to check an employment contract with you too. Plus, if you’re wondering “Should I take the job offer?”, they’ll guide you through your decision from a neutral perspective.

If you accept the job, we wish you the best of luck in your new role. If you decline the offer, we hope you find the perfect fit soon.