From a promising interview process to a EGP 500,000 penalty clause The interview process consisted of three stages. First, I had an online technical interview, followed by an HR interview. Both stages were professional and efficient, and I was informed within a few days that I had successfully passed. The final stage was an in-person interview with the Chairman. The discussion focused heavily on salary expectations and my level of experience. During this meeting, I was informed that I would be required to sign a commitment to pay EGP 500,000 if I left the company within five years due to the company's expected training investment. However, the employment contract discussed was a standard one-year contract rather than a long-term employment agreement. The process started positively and appeared well organized, but the conditions presented during the final stage were unexpected and had not been communicated earlier in the recruitment process.