Various folks have asked us about co-working, frequently asking us which spaces they should join, what it’s like, should they do it, etc.  We always come back with a “you should, but there’s no one right answer for every co-working.”

So, we’ve put this list together of questions you need to ask yourself before you choose a space:

• Are you looking for just one space to be at all the time, or do you want to work from different spaces?
• What’s your main motivation for joining a co-working space?
• What sort of people do you want to network with?  (age, industry, gender, types of clients they have, etc)
• What sort of facilities do you want? (Do you want your own desk? Are you ok with sharing a desk or big table? Do you need access to a conference room? Do you want a mailbox?)
• What sort of commute are you open to?
• How important are regular networking events?
• How often do you want to be in the space? (This will help determine if you should sign up for a monthly membership or a daily membership)
• Do you want access to training facilities?
• How do you feel about phone calls in a big room with other people around?
• How do you feel about being in an open space versus a private office?
• Do you want to chat all day or do you want a quiet workspace?

We are finding that these questions set the tone for selecting the type of co-working space a person will be most comfortable in.

Eventually, we’ll put some sort of a grid together laying this out for the NYC co-working spaces.  Alas, we’re not done reviewing them yet!  Next up: Loosecubes HQ!