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You've been offered a job: 10 things worth checking before you say yes

Ubuntu Canarias · 7 min read

When you've been job hunting for a while, having someone call or message you to say they're counting on you can feel like a relief. Even more so if you need the income now, or simply want to start a new chapter.

For that very reason, sometimes it gets accepted quickly. Too quickly.

“You start tomorrow, and we'll sort out the contract later.”
“Come in for a few days first, so we can see how you work.”
“The pay is around 1,200, give or take.”
“No need to read anything, we'll explain it all later.”

Behind an offer there can simply be an ordinary job. But there can also be conditions that don't match what was said at the start, a role different from the one advertised, or things worth clarifying before you begin. This isn't about distrusting companies as a rule. It's about knowing what you're agreeing to.

Before saying yes, there are a few things worth looking at.

That the job is the one you were offered

It sounds obvious, but it doesn't always hold true.

If you're hired as a kitchen assistant, a completely different role shouldn't turn up later without anyone explaining why. The same goes for your duties, the workplace, or the schedule.

It's one thing for a company to have some flexibility, and another for you to end up doing a job that isn't the one you agreed to. Ask what you'll actually be doing, and where. If the position covers several locations, it's better to know that beforehand.

How much you'll actually be paid, and how that's worked out

“It's 1,300 euros” doesn't always mean the same thing.

It's worth knowing whether that's gross or net, whether the extra payments (pagas extra) are included or paid separately, and what working hours that figure corresponds to. Also when and how you'll be paid.

Salary shouldn't be left as a number mentioned in passing. It's part of the employment relationship, and it needs to be verifiable.

What hours you'll actually be working

An offer can say “full-time” and then turn out to involve a schedule quite different from what you'd imagined.

It's worth asking about the hours, the days, the shifts, whether weekends or public holidays are involved, and whether that schedule might change later on. If the contract is part-time, the number of hours and how they're distributed have to be set out in writing; Spain's employment service, the SEPE, notes that failing to meet these formal requirements can have consequences for how the working relationship is classified.

There's no need to be afraid of asking about the schedule before accepting. It's better to clarify it then than to find out afterwards.

What type of contract you'll be signing

Permanent, temporary, intermittent-permanent, training-based. Not all of these mean the same thing, and it's worth knowing which one you're entering into.

Ask what type of contract it is and, if it's temporary, how long it lasts. Ask for a copy so you can read it calmly before signing, not on the spot.

The SEPE explains that a contract can be formalised in writing or, in some cases, verbally, although there are situations where it must be in writing, and that workers have the right to know the essential terms of their employment relationship. If something isn't clear, ask. Signing something you haven't read, out of fear of losing the position, doesn't protect anyone.

That the right collective agreement (convenio colectivo) applies

This is the part that almost always goes unnoticed, and yet it can matter.

Many conditions aren't set out only in the contract: salary, working hours, holidays, job categories... often also depend on the collective agreement that applies. The contract should state which one it is. If it doesn't, you can ask the company directly; Spain's National Advisory Commission on Collective Agreements notes that this information can also be checked through Import@ss when the agreement has been declared by the company to Social Security.

There's no need to become an expert in collective agreements. But it's worth knowing which one applies to you.

That the company will actually register you with Social Security

This is something that worries people looking for their first job in Spain in particular: whether they'll really be working under a contract with Social Security registration (alta), or whether that gets left “for later.”

The answer shouldn't be “start now and we'll sort it out.” Registration with Social Security is a core part of the employment relationship, and the SEPE sets out the consequences that not being registered can have in certain cases. If you're told to start without a contract or without registration, that's the moment to stop and ask for information before going any further.

What happens during the trial period

Some people hear “you're on a trial period” and assume those days don't count, that no rights apply. That isn't the case.

If there is a trial period, it has to be set out in line with the regulations and with what the contract and collective agreement provide for. The fact that the company needs to see whether you fit the role — and that you need to see whether the role suits you — doesn't turn those days into unpaid work.

What you're being asked for before you're hired

This is where you really need to pay attention.

If, to get the job, you're asked for money upfront — to “reserve the position,” for a compulsory training course that wasn't mentioned in the ad, or to process a supposed contract — stop and check the situation before paying anything. The same applies if the offer comes from an unknown number, a personal account or social media, and whoever is in touch avoids giving concrete details about the company.

Not every offer that arrives by WhatsApp is a scam — far from it; plenty of companies get in touch that way nowadays. The question that matters is a different one: can you check who's actually behind the offer, and what its real conditions are?

If you're a foreign national, that the job is compatible with your immigration status

For a foreign national there's one more layer to check: it isn't enough for a company to want to hire you. Your immigration status and your permit need to allow you to work under those specific conditions.

This matters especially if you're in a regularisation process, hold a stay permit, a residence permit with particular conditions, or are in the middle of an immigration procedure. Phrases like “it'll be fine,” “the company will sort out your papers,” or “start now and we'll deal with it later” aren't a good basis for making this decision. If you have doubts about your specific case, it's better to seek specialised guidance before starting.

Keep a record of what you were offered

This last point might seem minor, but it can be very useful later on.

Keep the job ad, the messages, the email, the company's name and address, the conditions you were given, and any documents you received. If you're eventually hired, keep your contract and your employment paperwork too. This isn't about filing away every conversation in your life: it's about keeping what shows what was offered and what was agreed. And if you ever need to check the details of a contract reported to the SEPE, there's a service that lets workers consult and print them.

Job hunting is stressful, and when, after weeks or months, someone finally says “we want to hire you,” asking too many questions can feel frightening. The thought is: if I ask, they'll choose someone else.

But knowing a job's conditions isn't asking for too much. It's knowing where you'll be working, what you'll be doing, how much you'll be paid, what hours you'll have, and what kind of employment relationship you'll have with that company. This applies to anyone looking for work, and probably applies a little more to someone who has come from another country and is still learning how the labour market works here.

You don't need to know all of labour law to protect yourself a little. It's enough to ask, read and check before signing or starting work. And if something important changes from what you were told at the start, it's not worth letting it slide just because you need the job.

A job can be a good opportunity. But to know whether it really is one, you first need to know its conditions.