During Probezeit, either side can usually end the employment with a short notice period. That affects how hard you push on day one versus after confirmation.
If you are still employed elsewhere, your own notice period shapes when you can start — and whether a signing bonus or bridging payment is worth requesting.
After the probation ends, ordinary notice periods under the BGB or your contract lengthen. Employers know this; candidates who negotiate only after signing often find the moment has passed.
When preparing a counter-offer, align the ask with your risk. A higher base with a standard probation is often cleaner than a complex bonus structure you cannot verify in the first six months.
Bring your current contract’s notice clause to any negotiation session. It is one of the few hard constraints that both sides respect without debate.