Have you ever wondered if telecommuting is for you? There are a lot of reasons why people choose to telecommute and chit chat at the water cooler is not one of them.
Seriously, not many people can do it. I know of a lot of people who claim they would rather stay home and work but then find that they need the communication and attention from others. Personally, I enjoy working alone as I get more done, yet others seem to have that social need.
I also find that I end up working more and putting more effort into my work when telecommuting. I no longer have people asking me questions about work or their computers which makes me more productive. I prefer it that way. Some people don't. I'm sure that my middle child will be one of those types if he isn't a rock star first. He needs and craves the attention. Are you an attention craver? Then telecommuting is not going to work for you.
I am not saying an attention craver is not a good worker. Quite the contrary! Getting the attention they need helps them do better at their jobs. It's a personality trait.
So, before applying for the work at home job think really hard about it. Are you ready for the seclusion of no one else around? Are you going to need to talk with people and seek them out while you're working? At least at an office job they are always there bugging you, but in the telecommuting world you might end up trying to find ways to get people's attention and therefore wasting your time while working and once you don't find it then you'll be miserable.
