

Ask HN: What do you make of an NDA for a job interview with a startup? - vain

I went for a job interview on friday with a startup that sounded impressive. About 5 minutes into the interview a VP rushed in with a two way NDA for me to sign. I immediately knew that this was not a company I wanted to work with. My impression was, too many processes too soon. I did sign. The rest of the interview, I had lost my will to join. Am I right in making my judgement call? Or is this NDA practice quite widespread?
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blakdawg
I don't think it's a good sign for several reasons:

1\. It's impolite to just drop a document on someone and say "sign this now."
If they're serious about this, they should have given it to you in advance of
the meeting so you could have your attorney review it and could propose
changes to the terms, etc.

2\. It's stupid to use a 2-way NDA in this circumstance - now they're opening
themselves up to claims from disappointed applicants that the applicants
disclosed some magnificent secret which was misappropriated by the company, so
the disappointed applicant ought to get $/equity from the company, even though
they were never hired.

3\. It's stupid to figure out that they want/need an NDA after you've already
started the meeting.

From what you've described, I would pass on interacting with this organization
in the future. However, I say that with the understanding that I've done, and
companies I've worked for/with, have done stupid things, and it can be a
mistake to judge an opportunity on the basis of a single brain fart. Maybe the
VP was having a bad day, or totally misunderstood the situation.

~~~
pasbesoin
I have to agree with the surprise and dropping it on you after the meeting had
started. At a minimum, that rather puts one "on the spot".

As for the interview / candidate position itself: Is that what working for
them is going to be like?

------
huhtenberg
> _Am I right in making my judgement call? Or is this NDA practice quite
> widespread?_

It is not widespread, but it is very much possible that the NDA was in fact
required if you were discussing certain sensitive subjects that were vital to
their business plan / product development / marketing / etc. It is also quite
possible that they do discuss such subjects with other interviewees, and the
VP didn't really know if you'd be included or not, so he made you sign it as a
precaution. Just imagine yourself in VP's shoes.

In any case, it's not a big deal assuming the NDA was reasonable, and you are
likely off in your negativity.

------
wtvanhest
Why did you sign it?

~~~
vain
I did it because I was unsure and had no idea how to react. I am asking HN so
I know better for the future.

