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If I join this company right after graduation I would have to sign a bond and pay a fixed amount to be deposited as security measure in case I leave the company before 2 years!

They say they will be providing training and investing time and effort hence these measures. I am not sure how much training I will actually be receiving, however money is not the issue - time is.

I am thinking of going for Post Graduation courses in about a year, which may or may not impact my ability to continue at this company. However, HR is telling me that it would be "suicidal" for anyone's career if they broke this bond.

I have another offer from a company which also requires I sign/pay a bond, but for a period of only 6 months. Unfortunately I am not particularly interested in working for this company.

As of now I want to sign with the former company as they are offering good experience and a better salary than the latter. However I would like to leave the company if I get admitted for a PG Course within a year.

Would breaking the bond truly have disastrous consequences for my career?

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closed as primarily opinion-based by Jim G., gnat, Dawny33, Masked Man, paparazzo Mar 5 '16 at 15:50

Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

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    Any reason why you can't study part time, or wait another year? – Jane S♦ Mar 5 '16 at 4:22
  • I think the program I will join is very rigorous and obviously will be away from where I work. Waiting another year will be a bad decision since it will be late and I may not get the right college . – Prison Mike Mar 5 '16 at 4:25
  • @PhilipKendall How is it pushing this question into off topic territory ? I just want to consider the factor of signing a bond as a fresher is it worth ? – Prison Mike Mar 5 '16 at 8:10
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    Why would you want to enter into an agreement that you intend to break? Not a very nice attitude to life. Does your partner know you have this behaviour? – Ed Heal Mar 5 '16 at 13:38
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    @emory - I was trying to suggest that it is not a good idea to enter into a contract that you intend to break. Especially when your career is involved. – Ed Heal Mar 5 '16 at 13:43
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I'm no lawyer, and can't advise you from a legal point of view. From a professional POV, however, I can tell you that your reputation goes a long way.

If this company is going to keep track of the fact that you jumped ship, and broke your bond, then they might share that information later with potential employers calling for a reference - and since this is your first job, and your only industry experience, future employers will definitely want a reference.

Furthermore, if you sign that you'll be leaving in 2 years, and other companies in the area are aware of this policy, but see on your resume that you left after one they might jump to their own conclusions regarding how reliable you are.

At the end of the day, however, this is your decision to make. I can guarantee you that somewhere, somehow, you will get another job in the industry. In future interviews you can simply say that you had pressing family matters which cause you to have to break your bond, etc.

In other words, their threats might work if they are asked for a reference, and they themselves might never hire you again, however once you gain more experience you'll be fine.

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However, HR is telling me that it would be "suicidal" for anyone's career if they broke this bond.

I wouldn't expect HR to say anything else. They don't want people entering the bond lightly.

Two years is a long time and many things can happen in the meantime. The bond is a financial incentive for you not to leave the job. They put the training in, they expect to get X number of years out of you. Besides that, the standard advice for job hopping applies.

I don't look kindly upon such schemes unless the training provided is niche and world-renowned, and therefore worth the two-year commitment, because employers are expected to train their employees. Then again I see where they're coming from.

No, it won't be suicidal, but it's a bad move regardless. It'll be something you'll have to explain to future interviews, something AndreiROM explores nicely in his answer. It will also leave you with some financial burden, which can affect your next job search indirectly (cutting down how many months you can live off of your savings, going to an interview somewhere far away, being unable to buy a new suit, etc). Those are the concerns of the pennyless jobseeker, but your mileage will of course vary.

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