Should a former employer really have the right to say where an employee is allowed to work after them?

A big part of successfully doing business is having a unique selling point, and it is kind of understandable that companies are a little wary of those who used to work with them sharing their all-important trade secrets. Still, most people need to make a living, and they should be able to use the previous experience they have to the best of their ability. Job loyalty isn’t what it was, and most employees will move on eventually.

Signing a non-compete is one of those fairly routine things about working in certain industries that can turn out to be a real headache for those who agree to the paperwork without thinking about the future consequences. It often seems kind of ridiculous that an ex-employer would try to penalize you for continuing to work in the same industry. Nonetheless, that is exactly what can happen, and it pays to be ready to defend yourself against this inconvenience. A single person’s livelihood should not be able to have that big an effect on a whole business, no matter what the small print tries to say.