DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a college student and a part-time personal assistant for a couple. The couple I work for have offered me a full-time position as their personal assistant upon graduation. I enjoy working for them and the money is great, but I don’t see this as a career; it's more of a temporary job.
I graduate in May and need some help deciding what the next step should be. Do I continue working with the couple and earn enough money to support myself, or branch out with my college degree? -- Personal Assistant Looking to Leave, Chicago
DEAR PERSONAL ASSISTANT LOOKING TO LEAVE: Take some time to think about what you want to do in your career. Plot out a course with a timeline. Look for job opportunities in your area of interest, and interview for as many of them as you can. This is how you will know if you can find a job right away in your field. If you cannot find exactly what you want, consider volunteering part-time at a company that does what you are interested in. You can then ask your current employers if they would be willing to keep you on as a part-time employee. Explain that you enjoy working for them, but you need to stay true to your long-term dreams. Your solution enables you to keep working with them and cultivate your career goals.