[calpaterson]

For many big companies it will prove very difficult to push back on any contract term. Contracts are normally standard across the whole organisation and and special casing, for example in an overly broad non-compete or a IP ownership term, will normally be a non-starter.

You might get a waiver for a specific pre-existing project but probably that is about it.

I live in the UK and in the past when I've asked experts about this stuff they say: "It's an Americanism - don't worry about it - if push comes to shove a judge will think it's too strict and throw the entire thing out". Apparently in the UK there is some kind of rule where if a contract is excessively one-sided or otherwise onerous it can be voided. YMMV!