DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been a nanny for the same family for about three years. I work for them mainly during the summers, as I am still a full-time college student. I am in my senior year and will be graduating this spring, and I have been searching and applying for full-time jobs upon my graduation.
Yesterday, the family I work for emailed me asking if I could travel with them for the month of July. I haven’t accepted the offer yet, and I am conflicted about whether I should go away with them. I’ve traveled with the family internationally before, and I love spending time with the kids, so the amount of time away is not the issue. They also pay me very well, which is great since I need to pay off my student loans. Is it the right move for me to take a month of the summer to nanny, or should I continue my job search? -- Summer Job Confusion, Washington, D.C.
DEAR SUMMER JOB CONFUSION: I say take the job, but let them know that you will have to check your email and sometimes have conference calls during that month away because you are in search of a full-time job. If they agree to your terms, the trip will be smart for you and your budget. The challenge for you will be to use every minute leading up to July to look for work and to be prepared to hit the ground running when you return. Thanks to the internet, you can look for jobs the whole time you are away. You will just have to delay any in-person interviews if they want you during those weeks.