When Gary McNeil needed to redo a bathroom in his home, he didn't get out the Yellow Pages. Instead, he called the concierge service provided by his employer. The service arranged for estimates from several reputable contractors.

"They just removed a whole headache that I don't have to worry about now," says McNeil, the director of marketing and sales operations for Authoria, a provider of Web-based human resources communications tools in Waltham, Massachusetts. "I can concentrate on the task at hand, which is to try to do the best job I can."

Concierge services may seem like a novel perk at first glance, but companies are increasingly offering those and other unusual benefits to attract and retain qualified workers. In today's market with unemployment at its lowest in years, creative benefits are crucial.

"The war on talent is over. A truce has been declared, the white flag has gone up and employees have won," says Michael Lotito, a partner with Jackson Lewis, an employment law firm in San Francisco, and the current chair of the Society for Human Resources Management. "With these historic 30-year low unemployment rates, employers are making all kinds of deals that may not directly impact the regular rate of pay but will impact the overall package of economic inducement."

Mallary Tytel, PhD, president and CEO of Education and Training Programs, a workforce development training company in East Hartford, Connecticut, divides benefits into three tiers. She cites some of the perks you may be able to snag from your next employer.

First Tier

This is the basic benefits package that virtually every company now offers. It includes everything from health insurance to dental and vision packages, life insurance, vacation time and retirement plans. Look for companies that offer several health insurance options and the ability to purchase additional life insurance. Find out when you're eligible for coverage and whether preexisting conditions are excluded. Ask about coverage for your family and make sure your doctors are in the plan.

Second Tier

This is where things start to get interesting. More and more companies are offering flexible work schedules, job sharing, casual dress, on site health clubs, tuition reimbursement, transportation allowances and the like. Some companies have even implemented employee assistance programs, which offer financial assistance and/or information on child care, elder care, counseling services and the like. Depending on your situation, some of these benefits may be enough to sell you on a particular job regardless of the salary boost that will probably come along with it.

Third Tier

The benefits in this tier are the hallmark of truly innovative companies. You'll find concierge services like the one at Authoria, trips, hefty signing bonuses, stock options, free lunches and personal shoppers. Some are like icing on the cake: nice, but not necessary. Bonuses and stock options, however, are serious business. Make sure that, when combined, the salary and sign-on bonus equal a competitive salary. In today's market, there's no reason to settle for less. Look carefully at the value of those stock options. "Just because I'm offering you a stock benefit doesn't mean it has any value," Lotito says. "Consider your risk aversion. You may never see that money."

Benefits are an important part of your compensation package. Keep in mind, however, that they are not the only ingredients for job satisfaction and success. "Make sure you find a place where you'll really enjoy working," says Brent Longnecker, executive vice president for resources at Resources Connection in Houston. "The top companies in the US are not the highest payers out there, but they don't have any turnover because people really enjoy the culture. Make sure you find the right company first and then deal with the money issue later."