Oh, I was definitely open about it. Usually I'd be signing in person, so I'd just say, "hey, I can't agree to this, and here's why," and then we'd mark up the c

Oh, I was definitely open about it. Usually I'd be signing in person, so I'd just say, "hey, I can't agree to this, and here's why," and then we'd mark up the contract together. I think I once sent an email with my objections, then edited the contract before I printed and signed it. The actual mechanics aren't that important, though. The point is to actively negotiate the agreement. Usually, employment agreements are cooked up by lawyers that do everything they can think of to protect the interests of their clients. That doesn't mean that they're sacrosanct. If the company is putting a contract in front of you, they've already decided to hire you. They've already put a lot of effort into the hiring process and they won't want to throw that away over a few clauses that they may not be able to enforce anyway. So read the contract, and if there's something you don't like, say so. Get it removed. It's usually that easy.