His tips include:

1. Do you have the experience we need?
2. Are you an expert?
3. How do you stay ahead?

Click HERE to read about Larry’s advice.

Culled from years of experience and interviewing hundreds of people, I have some ideas that will give you an edge, separate you from the pack.  The central point is to create your personal brand, the authentic you.  Do that first and exemplify it through these following three areas and I guarantee you’ll stand out from the crowd:

1. LinkedIn
2. Blog
3. Lose Big

LinkedIn

How long have resumes been around?  I have no idea.  My guess is that it has been common practice to deliver those one or two sheets of paper to potential employers for at least a hundred years.

You still need to do it, so definitely put in the effort, but don’t stop there.  LinkedIn should be your new best friend.  It is the amped up online version of your resume.  It offers you the opportunity to not only expand on your work history, it also allows you more room to emphasize your experience and make the words jump off the page.

Most of your contemporaries haven’t embraced LinkedIn yet.  For those of us who have been working for several years now, we have learned to make LinkedIn our go to resource for sharing information about our careers.  But college students have typically been slow to board this train.  So, while your sorority sisters are busy checking out what photos have been uploaded to Facebook today, you can be leaping ahead of them by building out your LinkedIn profile.  By all means keep up the tweets, check-ins and status updates, just be more conscious of what you’re putting out there for potential employers to see.

When we post a job at Fanscape we get hundreds of resumes within the first day of the post.  Do you know how hard it is to go through that many resumes?  It is a giant pain.  So, we go through a weeding out process.  If your resume pops and my hiring manager likes what they see, then it gets sent to me.  My next step is to go to your LinkedIn profile.  Your page better look great.  Well written, no spelling errors, great insight into you; that is what I want to see.

You can drop in widgets on your LinkedIn profile that point me to your blog posts, your Twitter feed, even what books you are reading.

And don’t forget about recommendations.  Have people recommend you.  Haven’t had that many jobs?  Start with your teachers, your counselors, the bosses where you did your internships.  Ask them nicely if they will give you a recommendation on LinkedIn.  I bet they use LinkedIn.  Another tip, recommend others.  The best way to get people to recommend you is to recommend them first.  Nothing makes me happier than to see that you’ve actually recommended more people than have recommended you.  Yep, I can see all that when I look at your LinkedIn page.

Fill that profile up.  You can’t write too much.  LinkedIn will stop you if you get too wordy.  It will force you to fine-tune your descriptions and make them pop.

Trust me on this.  Your friends aren’t doing any of this.  Do this and you jump 10 steps ahead of them.  LinkedIn is my favorite social media tool.  For the business world it is the most important social network and you need to get a handle on this now!

Blog

Want to know where I go after I’ve read your LinkedIn profile?  Your blog.  What?  You don’t have one?  You really should.

See, your resume and your LinkedIn profile give me insight into your professional capabilities, but what about your personality?  How can I see where your passions lie?  What do you do when you aren’t working?  What movies have you seen?  What do you collect?  What is important to you in this world besides your career?

You are probably asking, “Why do you care?”  You are wondering, what your personal life has to do with your work life?   .

Look, like I said, I’m trying to make a decision on hiring a new employee.  I want someone that is not only a professional fit but someone who is also a cultural fit.  My company is filled with people who love reality television, play video games, and check in on Foursquare.  I’ve hired some who looked good on paper, but turned out to be loners who’d prefer to code in a dark room than participate in a brainstorm about a new client. And they never worked out.  I need to know upfront whether or not you’d be a good fit and whether or not to interview you.  Your blog helps me make that determination.

If you are not blogging, start now.  Set yourself up on Blogger, Wordpress or Tumblr.  It doesn’t cost a thing.  Start writing or posting photos.  Maybe video is more your thing.  Start a YouTube channel.  Just do something that shows your personality.  Try to post something every few days.  It might take you a couple of months to find your voice, the thing you want to share with the world, but it will come, you just have to start.

Again, want an edge over the competition?  Blog.  And let me know it.

Lose Big

Here is the brutal reality.  You are not going to get most of the jobs you apply for.  You are not even going to get an interview.  When you send in your resume, understand that hundreds of others did the very same thing.

But when you get the interview, and you will get a few, know that you will most likely lose.  So lose big.

I have interviewed over 500 people since I started Fanscape 12 years ago.  95% of them were nervous and told me what they thought I wanted to hear.  Only a couple of them stood out and only one ever looked me in the eye, stood up, and told me I needed them.  That person told me I was missing out on huge opportunities and that they would make those happen for me.  That person told me that I didn’t have to pay them much, that they would prove their value immediately, and that soon I would be paying them much more.

I hired that person.  That person won more business for me than anyone ever had before.  I’ve never forgotten that first meeting.  Everyone I’ve met since has been compared in my mind to that person.

Now a different boss might have been turned off by that approach.  They might have thrown that person out of the office.  That’s the risk you take.  Remember, the odds are you are not going to get the job.  So if you are going to lose, lose big.

In conclusion, what I’ve explained here is not difficult.  It doesn’t cost any money and it doesn’t require any technical experience or training.  Everyone can do it.  But they don’t.  So it’s up to you.  You are setting out on the next great adventure in your life.  Have fun with it.  You are great.  You know that.  But you are about to meet a lot of people who don’t know that yet.  So you need to let them in on your secret.  You rule!

One final thing I’d like to share.  Many in the working world (especially those of us in the digital marketing world) have seen this video – but it’s incredibly inspirational.

It’s a speech given by Gary Vaynerchuck, creator of WineLibrary.tv where he encourages you to “Kill it!”  Follow my thoughts, create your personal brand, watch this video and you will in fact, kill it!

Something that all three agree with is to research the company before applying and again before interviewing. Allie simply states, do your homework before you speak with a potential employer and Irene suggests that you also check out the company’s social activity (Facebook page, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) to see if it’s one you’d like to work for. But before you even get to the application process, Andrew (Fanscape’s most recent hire) strongly suggests that your public image serves as your professional image – clean up those Facebook pages everyone. Here are six other great tips that can help you land that perfect first job:

• Get organized – Not all job opportunities are listed on Mashable and Monster. Make an excel spreadsheet with your dream places to work in one column, and links to their job opportunities pages in another. Check each link daily or every other day. That’s how I found my job at Fanscape – right on the careers page! (Allie)

• Identify your strengths and recognize your core competencies – This can be tricky, especially if you have little or no work experience, so take some time to evaluate yourself – main takeaways from previous experiences and what you hope to learn from the new position.  As honestly as you can, try to find things that distinguish you from your peers.  Try to think of your skills that will translate to the professional world (communication, project management) rather than academic skills (courses completed, GPA).  Leverage those skills and you will be more confident and comfortable when talking about yourself. (Irene and Andrew)

• Tailor that cover letter – this may sound like a no-brainer, but when employers receive hundreds and even thousands of applications via various online sources, this is your way to stand out. They may be one of the hardest things to write but this is your chance to illustrate why you want to work for the company, what you can offer the company and how THEY can benefit from hiring you. Feel free to be bold – using phrases like “I am writing to request an interview in person at your earliest convenience so that we may discuss my potential fit for this opening in more detail,” this shows to an hiring manager that you are confident and clearly expresses that you are serious. (Allie and Andrew)

• Professionalize your online life – just as you are researching a company online, they are also researching you. Once you make the more obvious edits, such as cleaning up those photos on your Facebook or MySpace pages, “Google” yourself and check out the first 8-10 pages to make sure there’s no erroneous or inappropriate results that could be hazardous to your job hunt. The more and more you congregate online, the more and more it is available to the general public, so be careful what you’re saying out there, it could hamper your ability to land that dream job.  Also make sure those Facebook privacy settings are set to your liking – keep in mind that Facebook defaults its settings to public. It is up to you to if you want those photos, opinions and “likes” private or public. (Andrew)

• Blog about it already – With sites like WordPress, Tumblr and Posterous, blogging has become incredibly easy. Host a blog and contribute to it regularly. If it is not already taken, you should immediately secure the web domain of your name, for example, JoeSmith.com.  Domains are very affordable ($10 or less per year) and are something that will add to your professional appearance.  Also, most blog sites will let you use another domain as the blog’s address. If the first result on Google is yourname.com and your site contains postings about topics relevant to your potential industry, you are pretty much guaranteed to have made a great impression on the employer and have given yourself the edge you need. (Andrew)

• Look sharp and be prepared for that interview – in addition to getting a good night’s sleep the night before, a good rule of thumb is that it’s always better to over dress than under dress. Sure, it can be sort of weird when you’re in a suit and the person interviewing you is in jeans – but it leaves a lasting impression and shows you mean business. Take that research you did on the company and be prepared to ask questions that are germane to the position and company and while you’re at it be prepared to answer why you feel that you’re the right person for the job. (Allie and Irene)

And by all means send a Thank You note. In addition to being polite and the right thing to do, it keeps you top-of-mind in this competitive job market.

Congratulations on graduating and good luck on the job hunt!

Allie, Irene & Andrew

I would be remiss if I didn’t point out a commercial that will run during the 3rd quarter of #SB44 (don’t forget your official SB 44 has tag y’all!), that was produce by our client, Kia Motors. You can check it out before #SB44 right here:

But I digress again.

Fanscape’s Larry Weintraub wrote another interesting piece for his blog. This post is about Super Bowl Commercials and how the campaigns  are created and executed from different perspectives – on the telecast front, banned front and social media approach. Check it out.

I did some research on Super Bowl ads today. Every year I look forward to the ads and thanks to social media, you can find a lot of the ads (or parts of the ads) online in advance of the big game. The cost of an ad in this year’s Super Bowl is between $2.5 – $2.7 Million per 30 second spot. The reason an ad costs so much is mostly because of the size of the audience watching the Super Bowl but also because the ads themselves get extended shelf life because news programs feature the “top ads” and Internet websites carry the ads.

This year I’ve also found several categories that correspond with the ads such as UGC, Facebook components, and Stunts – i.e. “banned” commercials.  I’ve listed this all below with some commentary.

Superbowl Ads via Facebook

• Budweiser – www.facebook.com/budweiser

Budweiser made it so if you became a fan of their Facebook page, you could vote on what commercial got picked to run during the Superbowl.

• Coke – www.facebook.com/coke

Coke took a very active Social Media approach to their Super Bowl ads in response to Pepsi pulling their Super Bowl ads in favor of digital marketing.  Coke took the social part literal and geared some extensive social media marketing around their Super Bowl ads towards social cause.  Per an article I read:  “Coke plans to give up to $500,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and will raise half of that money through a campaign tied to the company’s Facebook page. As of Wednesday, Coke started offering branded virtual gifts that Facebook users can send to their friends for free. For each gift sent, Coke will donate $1 to the Boys & Girls Club.”

Click HERE to read more from Larry’s Blog.

Happy Viewing!

I am willing to bet the most common resolution is to either lose weight or get in better shape. Sure you could do a Google search to find a good diet, but is that really connecting you to the right people or places? What about looking to your Facebook friends or starting (or join) a group to keep the motivation of the resolution going? A mobile phone app maybe? Not any one particular destination is the solution for everyone, it’s really about finding what’s right for you. But, social media can definitely lend a helping hand.

Looking for more quality time with the family or friends? Be it looking for Girls/Guys weekend get away to finding what to cook for dinner with little-to-no time? Social Media to the rescue. A recent article in the Chicago Tribune went into some detail on how social media shifts the way we travel and Mashable reported back in July 15 of the top social media sites for foodies, which includes everything from where to find local farm fresh fare to user submitted recipes.  You can even visit a directory site like The Mom Blogs or Blog Catalog to find the right blog for you and your family.

Trying to save some money? Yeah, social media’s got that too.

Not quite sure what you want to resolve? Take a look at what other people’s resolutions are at 43 things. It’s a great place to set up goals or wishes year-round and to connect with people who have similar aspirations. Once you meet the criteria you’ve set forth in your resolution, you can also provide tips and tricks on how to achieve it to help make it easier for others to complete their efforts.

There are plenty of other resolutions out there that I haven’t touched upon. Suffice it to say that there’s likely a way social media can help you out.  If your resolution happens to be figuring your way into  social media, jump into the pool already, the water is warm and we’re waiting for you.

If you go to www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can’t pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services. A great way to bring so many of us together to say thanks that is FREE and only takes a few seconds.

Volunteering is always an excellent way to make a big league impact on the lives of others and doesn’t cost anything but a little bit of your time. Idealist.org is a great site to check out to find opportunities in your area. The site complies single-day occasions as well as ongoing situations. Be a mentor to a child/youth, go to your local food bank and donating blood at the Red Cross are just a few simple ways you can give this holiday season and beyond.

Want to be a little more social about your volunteer efforts, try Facebook. There are plenty of organizations that have set up pages offering great ways to help out – food banks, children and seniors to name a few.

Sure I said that there were some cool things to do that don’t cost money, and there are, but what if you really just don’t have the time? The perennial favorite is to donate money to your favorite charity. It’s as simple as dropping a little bit into the bucket or bin before walking into a store. If you don’t have a favorite non-profit, you can visit a site like Charity Navigator that helps you find a worthy cause for your donation. Non-profits always appreciate money, but they also love their volunteers too.

Just a little food for thought.

Since the late 20^th century, Thanksgiving also meant the official start to the holiday shopping season. Are you ready?

As we’ve previously mentioned in our Shopping Goes Social piece, many retailers are leveraging their social media clout to connect with consumers by offering them something extra they can’t see on a particular retail site or in a weekly circular. Other sites are there to aggregate this information for you – like Black-Friday.net.

Want to get a head start on those Black Friday deals? This site simply lays out the ads and deals in advance of the biggest shopping day of the year. You can see preview circulars, online deals of the day and even create your own shopping list.

Know what you’re cooking on the big day? Want the best pumpkin pie or green bean casserole recipe or have one to offer? Several popular recipe sites offer not only great recipes and tips, they also offer real reviews from real people who have made that particular dish. Sites like allrecipes.com are offering a free Webscast to show how dishes are made – you can watch it on their .tv site or from your iPhone.

And what would Thanksgiving (or one of my posts) be without the time-honored tradition of the NFL. Since the league’s inception in 1920 fans have been able to skip away from the Thanksgiving table to catch the games. Since the advent of the television, it makes getting up from the table a tad bit easier. As our mobile devices have become more sophisticated, we don’t even have to leave the table to get the scores. But don’t tell my family about that.

When all is said and done, it’s all about being with your loved ones, celebrating being together and giving a little bit of thanks. So to everyone out there, have a great Thanksgiving weekend, wherever and however you may be spending it.

The holidays are just around the corner and no doubt you’ll be doing a lot of shopping. If the idea of going into a department store makes your skin crawl, then you are probably turning to the Internet to avoid those snarky sales clerks long lines and virtually non-existent parking spaces.

Have you noticed all the great features that retail sites now have to help you with your shopping experience?  Amazon started it a few years back when they introduced customer ratings.  This helped you decide which particular digital camera to buy based on comments from real people and not just professional critics.  Best Buy recently one upped Amazon by enabling you to ask your friends what they think of your potential TV purchase if you go to their Facebook page.

Meanwhile if you shop on Hot Topic’s website, you can tweet to your friends how you want to look like someone from Twilight this Christmas.  Go to a site like Kaboodle.com and you can entrench yourself in a whole social shopping experience where you can meet people just like you who are looking to make purchases and you can do comparison shopping and create wish lists. Trust us, holiday shopping has gotten a lot easier thanks to social shopping features that most retailers are utilizing this year.

Retailers got bit by the Social Media bug and bit hard. With this new found wild west of marketing opportunities in front of them, retailers big and small are gearing up for a very social season; which includes brand and product Facebook / Twitter sites, populating them with shipping offers and discount codes to developing online promotions and even scavenger hunts that engage as well as connect us to brands as consumers decide on their online expenditures.

The past few years alone has brought the modern-day shopper light years beyond the weekly circular and television ads. Even banner ads seem so yesterday when online communities such as I Like totally Love It and the aforementioned Kaboodle present and encourage a philosophy of how much more fun it is shopping with friends.

A spate of recent articles reflect the increasing popularity of the social shopping trend; a piece by Reuter’s, Nicole Maestri talks directly about companies keeping up with consumers thirst for social media, while AdWeek’s Brian Morrissey reported that the secret to brand social popularity is discounts.  All of this ties nicely into a recent statistic that comes from the Brand Experience Study stating that 97% of people’s digital experience had an influence on whether or not they purchased that particular product or brand. That’s pretty strong stuff.

Facebook and Twitter have become the social media outlets of choice for retailers that are trying to generate additional buzz around their product offerings this season according to a new Shop.org report. Brands that have jumped into social media with both feet from early on like Best Buy with its Twelpforce and Target with its Daily Deal are building a loyal community of followers and participants. Retailers that utilize social media to further brand themselves will only grow as they welcome more consumer interaction in the way products are sold, purchased and marketed.

From free shipping and discount codes to a forum for discussing new products and accessing real-people reviews, consumers have a remarkably interactive connection to how to research and purchase, unimaginable just a few short years ago.

Shopping has not only gone social, it just got a little more exciting!

Today is not just another Wednesday, it’s Veterans Day. Yeah, yeah, most government offices are closed, some of you even get the day off and we don’t get mail. But, it’s really the one day of the year where we American’s say a special thank you to all of the men and women who have served our great country in the armed services. A great opportunity to get social if there ever was one.

There are plenty of ways to give your thanks but here are some that are just a few keystrokes away.

On Facebook:

Veterans group

Veterans

On Twitter:

@helpingveterans

@supportmilitary

Hey all you West Coasters (especially you in SoCal), hit up your local Hooters today through Friday where 20% of your purchase (food, drink, merch) goes to the Yellow Ribbon Foundation. Also in full swing is ‘Operation Calendar Drop’. Guests can buy a Hooters calendar to be sent directly to a service member overseas.

Have a great day and Thank You, Thank You, Thank You to ALL of our Veterans and those who are currently serving in our armed services.