They’re the four little words you’ve been dying to hear: “You got the job!” If this is the first face-to-face interview you’ve had in months (or years), the question of whether or not you’re going to take the job might seem ridiculous at best. As much as you need a new gig, though, it’s still a good idea to step back and evaluate the job offer itself before you jump in headfirst. Pay attention to these employment package items in particular:

The Fine Print
Your potential employer should let you know a lot more about the job than just your title and start date. After all, titles like “account specialist” and “marketing associate” don’t tell you much about what you’re actually going to do on a day-to-day basis. The job offer should include a complete job description. Don’t skim this – review each item carefully, and make sure the duties fit within your understanding of the scope of the position. Anything that makes you feel uneasy should be addressed now – before you take the job.

Money, Money, Money, Money … Money
Let’s face it – the salary offer is one of the biggest things that can sway you to either take the job or to shove it. Beyond base pay, you also need to get details on any kind of overtime or bonuses for which you’re eligible. Ask questions if the job offer’s dollar signs don’t add up. Are bonuses guaranteed at certain times of the year? Are these incentives based on your performance or on how well the company is doing overall? How are bonuses calculated? And don’t forget to find out about salary reviews – an important but often-overlooked part of the employment package. Annual reviews are good, but six-month reviews are even better.

Goodies and Freebies
If you’re not covered under a parent or a partner’s plan, health insurance is a critical consideration in the job offer. But if you’re already covered and you don’t need to enroll in the company plan, you might be able to negotiate higher base pay as compensation. Other benefits like pension plans, retirement plans, life insurance, travel insurance, and stock options are great potential additions to the total employment package. Also, be sure to find out how many vacation, sick, and personal days for which you’re eligible, and when your eligibility will begin. And if you’re really lucky, your employment package might even include a transportation stipend, health club membership, child care, or other extra-special goodies.

Learning and Earning
Education incentives can be a good indication of how much the employer values its employees and is willing to invest time and money in them. Some companies regularly send employees to training sessions off-site; others conduct training programs in-house. Find out if these kinds of perks are available to every employee at your company, or if you have to reach a certain level before you become eligible for free training. And if you can get some higher education classes subsidized by the company’s tuition assistance/reimbursement program, that can be a huge incentive to push the job offer into the “yes” pile.

No job is going to be perfect – but if the job offer is one you can’t refuse, take it!

–Robyn Tellefsen

A student I know who is applying for summer internships recently mentioned that she is writing a variety of cover letters to send to potential employers. I was so proud that she recognized a cover letter is essential when introducing yourself to prospective employers and that she needed to send more than a quick e-mail to the companies.

The cover letter is one of the three important letters you need to know how to write for career success. The others are the thank you note and the rejection follow-up letter. Here are some key things to know…

Cover letter

Use a brief but interesting cover letter to sell yourself as a valuable asset to the company.

You don’t want to regurgitate your resume; the cover letter should serve as an introduction to your resume.

Let the employer know what type of job you are interested in, and why you think you would be their best hire. You’ll also want your cover letter also to reflect your personality and work ethic.

Check out Virginia Tech’s Career Services’ division for sample cover letters and other tips. There’s also a paragraph-by-paragraph synopsis of what you need to include in a cover letter on the state of Michigan’s website.

But remember – you have to be accurate. You must spell the company’s name right and the contact’s name correctly. Any spelling errors or poor grammar will reflect poorly on you and impact your ability to land the job.

Thank you letter

Getting a job is all about relationships, and the thank you letter helps show your continued interest in the job and move forward your relationship with a potential employer.

A survey by Northwestern University notes that less than 15 percent of job seekers follow up with thank you letters. So taking the time to write these notes could really help you stand out! Northwestern’s tips include:

• Send the letter within 24 hours

• Mention something discussed during the interview (it helps remind the person who you are, especially in the case of open positions with multiple candidates)

• Briefly reiterate qualifications and skills that could be vital to the position

• Use e-mail to send the letter, but pop a hardcopy in the mail, too

Rejection follow-up letter

If you get rejected for a job, the last thing you want to do is to keep in touch with that company. But if you put aside your pride and write a follow-up letter – not to vent, but to thank them for considering you for the job – it could make a lasting impression that could lead to a job in the future.

One example of a rejection follow-up letter does a perfect job of not seeming bitter about losing out on the job, but keeping the door open to apply for other openings. Monster.com says that “following up can send a powerful message about your resiliency as a professional and your heartfelt interest in the company.”

These three letters are essential to launching a successful job search now and in the future. So start writing!

-Lori Johnston

If you spent any part of 2010 pounding the Internet pavement, you know that jobs are hard to come by. But things are looking up. According to CareerBuilder’s annual job forecast, 13 percent of employers expect to hire part-time employees this year, and 24 percent plan to hire full-time, permanent employees. And the largest growth is projected for temps and contractors – 34 percent of employers reported that they will hire contract or temporary workers in 2011.

It’s really not surprising that temp jobs are on the rise, given the uncertain economy and a desire on the part of employers to save money on payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, insurance, and benefits. But being a temp or contractor confers benefits for you, too – even if they’re not medical.

Become a Temp
If you want to become a temp, you’ll need to head down to a local staffing agency and pass tests that evaluate your software skills and typing speed. Once that’s done, you can usually get a job in a matter of days. If your computer skills are up to snuff and you’re not picky about assignments, you could even have a job in a matter of hours.

Temp jobs typically range from one-day assignments to those lasting four months or longer if you get in good with the company. If you like meeting new people and traveling to different offices regularly, temping could be a perfect fit.

The Beauty of Temping
Temping is a great way to make cash quick while you’re looking for another job, but don’t burn bridges in the meantime. Do a good job, and the company will ask for you again. Do a bad job, and once your temp agency gets wind of it, it may not send any more work your way.

Plus, as a temp, you can get an inside perspective on the organization and see for yourself if it’s a place you want to work full time. The powers-that-be are watching, and they could decide to keep you on as a full-fledged employee. And even if the company isn’t one where you see yourself long-term, keep your networking hat on. You can still use the experience to garner good references or even leads for a job at another company.

Temp vs. Contractor
Neither temps nor contractors are employees of the company, but there is a difference between the two. Independent contractors (like freelance writers, for example) are hired by a company to do a specific job or project. Contractors are 1099 workers, which means they’re responsible to get their own insurance and pay their own taxes. (But don’t think contractors can skip out on paying Uncle Sam – the company that hired them reports the amount paid to the IRS, so there’s no getting one over on the man.)

Temporary workers, on the other hand, are W2 employees of a staffing agency. The temp agency acts as the contractor, covering temps’ liability insurance and workers’ comp, and withholding taxes.

When you become a temp, you can get your foot in the door of a decent organization, make some fast cash, and buy yourself time while you figure out what you want to do long-term. What have you got to lose?

-Robyn Tellefsen

If you’re looking for a new career, or want to see if you made a good choice with the career field you’re in, a great place to look is U.S. News and World Report’s list of the 50 Best Careers. The annual report provides job outlook data and advice on landing a job in these career fields.

Just think, that’s a whopping 50 career fields where people are hiring, and where career education will prepare you to excel! Here are five of those fun and fast-growing jobs where career education is essential:

1. Film and video editor: Check into training from film schools to learn the skills and degrees to snag work as a film and video editor. The magazine reports that jobs are expected to grow by 3,000 between 2008 and 2018, but “only the most skilled, persistent, and adept at using technology will land salaried positions or attract enough work to freelance full time.” Many make more than $50,000, and there’s also some jobs in the six figures.

2. Commercial pilot: Soar into a successful career as a commercial pilot with training from a professional flight school. The magazine reports that a 19 percent growth is expected in commercial pilot jobs from 2008 to 2018. The duties can range from flying people and cargo from place to place, or dusting crops, or working in rescue situations, or test flying planes, the magazine says. It cites government data showing the median 2009 income for commercial pilots was $65,840.

2. Dental hygienist: One of the many health care-related jobs on U.S. News’ list of 50 best career is dental hygienist. It reports that there are an estimated 30 accredited dental hygiene programs, many of which grant associate’s degrees for dental hygienists. Graduating from an accredited dental hygienist school will help you earn your license to practice, too. There’s plenty of focus in career education on dental hygienists because of the demand for professionals. Job growth is expected to jump from 174,000 in 2008 to 237,000 jobs, the magazine reports, citing government data. Median annual earnings are about $67,000, the magazine says.

4. Radiologic technologist: Learn how to take X-rays, MRI scans, CT scans and important tests like a mammography from radiology technology schools, and you’ll be on the track to landing an in-demand career. The magazine reports that there will be a 17 percent increase in radiology technician and radiologic technician jobs from 2008 to 2018, and the median 2009 salary was $53,240 while top paid professionals earn more than $75,000. You’ll find programs offered by colleges and universities, and vocational and technical schools with associate degrees as well as the opportunity to earn your bachelor’s or master’s degrees for career advancement.

5. Biomedical engineer: The biomedical engineer job will have the most job growth of any jobs (wow!) over the next decade, the magazine reports. It cites government data projecting a 72 percent growth in jobs from 2008 to 2018. It’s no surprise, really, since there have been and people want more advances in the field of health care. So as a biomedical engineer, you can have a role in coming up with the technology, equipment and devices so we can live healthier and longer lives. The jobs pay well, with $78,860 in 2009 median annual wages, according to the magazine’s data. Accredited biomedical engineering colleges offer undergraduate degrees and also the opportunity for graduate degrees.

These and other careers on the list might have you thinking about new opportunities that could be professionally and financially rewarding!

I was playing a game with a group of friends the other day, and we each had to write down what we thought were the Top 5 New Year’s resolutions. Of course, “top resolutions” are in the eye of the beholder, but I think we hit the major ones: lose weight, exercise more, quit smoking, manage money better, sleep more, stress less, etc. (Unlike Scattergories, the point of this pencil-and-paper game is to come up with items that you think everyone else in the group will write down, and then each person gets points for the number of people who wrote the same answer. Beware: this game can lead to heated arguments!)

Anyway, all of this got me thinking about education goals (an occupational hazard, I know), and how they relate to popular New Year’s resolutions. And so I present my very own Top 5 Education Resolution Relatability List … or something like that.

How Going Back to School Is Like:

1. Going to the gym.
You might dread the thought at first, and you’ll probably have to pay some money to get started, but once you’re there, you’ll start getting into the groove. It helps that you’ll be surrounded by other people with similar goals, and their presence alone can motivate you to keep showing up and doing the work. If you stick with it, you’ll be proud of your accomplishments, and you might never want to stop – going to the gym or to school!

2. Quitting smoking.
Sometimes, when you want to make a resolution stick, you’ve got to go all in. Quitting smoking can be like that. If you let yourself dabble a little here and there, it can be that much easier to slip back into the old pack-a-day (or more) habit. The same rule applies to school – if you go into it with the idea that you’ll just try it out and see how it goes, you could be setting yourself up to fail. Commit to achieving your goal, no turning back.

3. Paying down debt.
It’s always lurking somewhere in the back of your mind, and it haunts you that you haven’t gotten on top of it yet. You can’t move forward without addressing the issue, and you can’t take action until you make a plan. Stop putting it off – debt or education – and call an adviser who can walk you through the steps you need to take to get where you want to go. And get ready for greatness.

4. Losing weight.
If you’ve ever been on a diet, you know that eating right requires an enormous amount of self-discipline. And just as it’s tempting to open the fridge for a late-night snack, you might feel the urge to put off your school work and watch a movie instead. The best way to make this resolution stick? Accountability. Let those closest to you in on your goals, and ask them to keep you on course when you’re tempted to stray.

5. Stressing less.
School is a great testing ground for the stress-less resolution. There are certain things that are in your control, like how many courses you’ll take and how you’ll manage your time, but there are plenty of things that are outside your control, like how your professor will grade and whether your group project members will do what they say they’re going to do. Letting go of the things you can’t change is a decision you make every day. And as you achieve success in lowering your education stress, you can apply the same principles to every other area of your life.

What are your top solutions for making resolutions stick?

–Robyn Tellefsen