A Work From Home Proposal, Part 1

Do you want to work from home?  Do you have the kind of career that makes it possible to work from home?

Certainly some jobs lend themselves more readily to a telework arrangement, but nearly anything that involves being on the phone or the computer the majority of the day can qualify.

Before I became a full-time teleworker, I worked with people spread all over the United States, The Netherlands, and India.  I spent the vast majority of my day on the phone or corresponding through email.   My boss and I hadn't worked out of the same location for almost 10 years.

Here are some things to keep in mind when you're considering whether to approach your manager about teleworking:

• How many hours out of the day am I on the phone versus meeting with people face to face?
• How do the hours I intend to work match with the hours of the people I need to speak with?
• Is the work that I do highly independent from others?  Do I spend hours researching/writing/analyzing versus interacting?
• How long have I been at this job and what have my performance evaluations been like?
• Do I have someplace that I can work free from distractions?
• Does my company have a telework policy in place?

Then you need to ask yourself some questions about yourself:

• Am I okay being alone for most of the day – i.e. away from the "water cooler gossip"?
• Do I have a good support system for child care- or will I be busy chasing children and running errands?
• Will I be able to be flexible if something happens and I need to go to the office that day?
• Am I willing to be back "under the microscope" during an initial trial period if my manager feels the need to "check up on me"?

• Long-term career goals – will I become "out of sight, out of mind"?  It's more difficult to lobby for promotions and additional perks if you're not "visible"
• Am I able to focus on the task at hand, or do I get easily distracted (by laundry that needs to be done, by weeds in the flower bed)?

Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3 where we'll talk about what these questions mean and how to write a proposal that benefits you and the company you work for.

Ree's personal blog is "My Life as a Hotfessional".  If you'd like to hear about the rest of the craziness in her life, stop by anytime!  She's always "at home".

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