You did it. You got your college degree in hand and are on your way towards your future. So now what do you do? Sure, your degree will give you a great foundation to start your new life, but you also need to decide on the most important things first. So let’s get started and discuss the five major decisions you have to make after finishing college and how you can make the best choices.

Major Decision #1: Deciding On Different Insurance Options

Being on your own now requires you to decide on what type of insurance will suit you the best. When it comes to insurance, you have so many options available. You just need to make sure that you wisely choose the best one for you.

Many companies today provide their employees with health and insurance benefits as long as they are full-time. This is great because the savings you receive as a group will allow you to afford medical supplies that may not be covered.

Major Decision #2: Handling Difficulties And Accomplishments

Now it’s time to talk about the career choice you made. Besides your first impression as you interviewed, the second most important aspect of a career is the first day that you officially set foot inside as an employee yourself. This first day will be critical in building your reputation with other staff and the boss. This means you need to be able to handle office gossip and politics and know how to handle different bosses or supervisors.

If you see yourself struggling, then you should consider receiving some mentoring in order to familiarize yourself with the process of how the office functions and what is expected on a daily level. You may find this option available through your job, so taking advantage of a mentor will help you look better in front of others.

Major Decision #3: Making Financial Investments

Many begin to make financial investments late in their career and life. They don’t realize that the sooner you start investing and saving, then you will have a nice nest egg waiting for you when retirement comes around.

It’s not just retirement either. You need to be able to save so you can also invest in significant items that you will enjoy as you start a family, like a home or automobiles. Depending on the employer, you may be able to enroll in the company retirement fund or 401k. You can even make private investments and purchase stocks.

After setting aside some cash, spend some too. Take vacations with family and friends and enjoy your time away because you earned it after all. Plus, it can be a great way to reward you for making smart decisions.

Major Decision #4: To Continue Or Not To Continue With Graduate Studies

Depending on the position that you apply for, it may have specific education requirements. If you see a career in your degree, but it calls for graduate-level studies, then you should look into furthering your education in order to meet the requirement. Regardless of what you do, having more education will make a huge difference in pay and responsibilities.

If graduate school is not for you, then going directly into the workforce will be best. If you do though, make sure to have a strategy for your job search. You’ll have a better chance of landing a good career without having to just send out resumes to every available position you come across.

Major Decision #5: Picking Your Career

Making the transition into the workforce is a major step for many college graduates. You may also find it difficult to begin, let alone know how to start. Keep in mind that you may change your mind and how you feel towards a job so you need to remain flexible when it comes to your options.

How to begin? First, you need to discover what you are passionate about. Once you find it, you will then be able to realize what your true values are.

You can also utilize career resources from your college. This is a great advantage because it is their job to assist graduates with landing internships or suggesting the right path to take so that an employer can be more interested in you.