Your first full-time job will come with benefits

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You've heard it before—but it bears repeating—salary isn't the only thing you should consider when choosing among potential employers. Benefits are part of your salary.
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0 {/ Z# r) T) BBenefits Offered to New College Graduates
Medical insurance
Life insurance
5 _0 a# [$ T7 |. S4 UDental insurance
401(k) retirement plan
# \& x7 ]" T) M! S- a8 UAnnual salary increases
+ L5 M+ r" D  T0 YEmployee assistance/counseling program
; u, T2 r& A0 ^6 P$ U# [Tuition reimbursement
Casual dress policy
Planned social activities
" O8 Q2 W$ G0 RBonus/commission plans
5 x+ g% l& i4 N! Z( F. p$ jFlextime
Frequent performance reviews (more than one per year)
0 K. L" B7 z8 M8 p9 u$ P* aFamily-friendly benefits
6 |; e: T" |* `8 r& [5 \+ FPension plan
More than two weeks vacation
3 f3 K, P2 y, c; `On-site fitness center
. f' R5 G( ?0 [2 v+ g% NTelecommuting
% ?3 m8 P) v7 k2 ~/ a" c# }. I) [Stock options
# Y3 z/ \5 d# b) y- bDay care facilities
! F' Y5 ]8 _. l0 t# [2 C, vCompany car
8 m# y$ [6 T7 Q  x- T1 TPayback of existing student loans
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# k1 m: w/ N& a. l# M3 lEmployers seem to be right in line with what new graduates are looking for in benefits packages. Medical insurance is ranked as highly important by students responding to the NACE 2006 Graduating Student & Alumni Survey, and it's offered to new hires by all of the employers who responded to the job market survey. Most employers offer life and dental insurance, too, which rank among the top five benefits new graduates want the most.
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Employers reported a number of other perks offered, including vision insurance, special work schedules, and 10 or 11 holidays per year. Others said they offer health club memberships, health and wellness time "on the clock," and yoga classes. A few said they offer nontraditional benefits such as pet insurance, clothing allowances, cell phone plans, Friday lunches, and free coffee—and one employer said that the organization gives an iPod Nano to all new campus hires.

And keep an eye on the third most frequently desired (by new graduates) benefit—the 401k. This way of saving for retirement is offered by 97 percent of employers surveyed, and it may become increasingly important as fewer and fewer employers appear to offer a pension plan. This year, less than half of employers said they would offer pension plans to new college graduates—down from 70 percent who offered them in 2004.
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6 a" g( x4 C/ E" |% LHow will you invest in your future?
Like a lot of new grads, the idea of retirement savings may feel odd: Most new grads have more than a lifetime—40 years or more—in the workplace ahead. Yet, you'll want to take advantage of the savings advantages a 401k offers—and the "free money" you'll receive if your employer offers some kind of matching savings program.
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9 y& o% l6 L/ y; q% i4 @' pMany employers recognize that new graduates often don't have a background in personal finance, so they're offering entry-level employees a chance to meet with someone who can explain the 401k investment options. Employers who do not offer this opportunity often provide informational booklets, a phone number, or a web site where new hires can obtain information.