My New Job Offer Comes With a Catch I’ve Never Seen Before. Is This Normal?

Good Job Maybe this is just how the corporate world works. Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Rani Nurlaela Desandi/Getty Images Plus. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Good Job is Slate’s advice column on work. Have a workplace problem big or small? Send it to Laura Helmuth and Doree Shafrir here. (It’s anonymous!) Dear Good Job, How common is it to have a “probation” period when you’ve started a new job? I just got offered a new job, and they have this as a procedure, which I’ve never had to do before. Basically, you’re on probation for the first two months, where they can presumably fire you easily if you don’t meet their standards. The job looks great otherwise, but I’m not sure I should move to a new state for a job that could be taken away within two months of making that move. Am I overthinking this? Is this totally normal in the corporate world? —No Surprises Please Dear No Surprises Please, It’s pretty standard. Sometimes hiring managers don’t do their due diligence and a creep sneaks through, or a candidate misrepresents their experience and that becomes obvious only after they start the job. In union shops, a new employee typically isn’t covered by the union contract until after the probationary period, and some workplaces might delay benefits until the probation is over. But generally, a probationary period is just a formality. When you start the new job, ask for clear objectives and give your manager regular updates on your progress (that includes asking for help if you need it). Workplaces want a new hire to succeed. It would be inefficient and costly for them to run the hiring process, interview multiple candidates, make an offer, train a new employee, and then let them go within a month or two. If you’re thinking about moving, though, don’t do it just for a job. Would you enjoy the new location’s culture, parks, and climate? How does the cost of living compare to where you are now? Do you know anyone nearby, and if not, do you have a plan for making friends? If this job poofs away, are there other employers in the region you’d like to work for? Don’t let the probationary period scare you off of this new job, but also don’t move to a new state unless you feel good about your future there. —Laura More Advice From Slate My partner and I are set to make a cross-country move from the East Coast to the West Coast this year, looking at a big cost-of-living jump (although our job offers compensate for this). We both make six figures, but he makes four times my salary. He is also considerably older than I am and, as a result, most of our savings are comprised of investments and money decisions he made before our relationship. I have always considered myself good with money, saving, and contributing to my 401(k) and an IRA, etc., but I feel uneasy laying any claim to his and have been unsure how to navigate the way it contributes to a power imbalance in our relationship. Advice Workplace Jobs