Non-compete clauses are a tricky legal situation. A number of states have made them illegal on the grounds of restricting personal freedoms. That being said most people who work in the United States will have to sign one. When you sign one it is important to keep the wording as tight as possible. If they are having you sign a non-compete that means you have an offer letter on the table and you are currently in the position of power. By focusing the language in to specific well defined areas then you can make the non-compete toothless. So whilst you will probably have to sign one it is important that you make sure that it is not going to be a detriment to your career when you sign one.