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Career Management Meg Applegate Career Management Meg Applegate

The Anatomy of a High-Performing Resume

Two words that frustrate when it comes to resume writing? “It depends.” Cue the collective sigh.

It's the common answer to many resume writing questions, because well… It does! On what? Your work experience, the job you want, your unique blend of skills, market obstacles and the list goes on.

While there isn’t an official rule book, there are modern resume writing principles to follow that'll fish your resume out of the aughts and into the present day to open the door to your next opportunity. Here are 11 must-have elements for a high-performing resume and how to defeat the frenemy duo of blinking cursor and blank page.

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Career Management Meg Applegate Career Management Meg Applegate

The Career Woman’s Ultimate Gift Guide - 2023

Women corner the market on buying power and influence. I’m talking $31.8 trillion globally. With women projected to own 75% of the discretionary spending by 2028, we’re the local (and global) purchasing decision-makers who lay down the cash for the wants in our homes.

The holidays are no exception. Two out of three women say they champion holiday shopping for their families. 65% of women buy their own Christmas gifts. So, don’t get your tinsel in a twist as you not-so-secret-Santa your own gift. Snag one of these practical picks for smoother sailing in 2024.

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Job Search, Career Management Meg Applegate Job Search, Career Management Meg Applegate

Three Minutes or Less: 15 Quick Tasks to Level Up Your Career

The hourglass is so last decade to illustrate the passing of time (I’m looking at you, Days of Our Lives).

Time is on a stopwatch for working parents. From 32 minutes to 4.2 hours, reports range on how much free time is at the disposal of working parents.

No matter the minute mark, it can feel like a personal and professional tug-of-war. Not to mention when a job search is added to your already crowded calendar. Short work bursts are the name of the game when you're on the market (and on the clock). 

Try these 15 quick tasks that take 3 minutes or less to accelerate your job search in your in-between moments.

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Career Management, Networking Meg Applegate Career Management, Networking Meg Applegate

10 Best Networking Tools for Mid-Career Women in 2023

Sweaty palms, butterflies in your stomach and awkward comments tumbling from your mouth…Are you networking? These are the hallmarks of networking nerves, not to mention the thought of ‘doing it right’ and executing with perfection. Cold reachouts, building relationships, industry events or Zoom…It’s all anxiety-inducing.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. That’s why I asked 10 career experts who partner with women in the trenches to dish on what networking tools work in 2023 to not only negate the ick and social hangover, but skyrocket your career growth.

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Career Management Meg Applegate Career Management Meg Applegate

6 Ways to Try on a New Job

It’s challenging to know if you're making the right choice when deciding on a new professional path. But what if you can test out career fit like trying on a new outfit? I’m here to say you can! Skip occupational hazards, like you would a fashion faux pas. Use these six tricks to try a role on for size without all-in career commitment.

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Career Management Meg Applegate Career Management Meg Applegate

Navigating the Gig Economy:

“Have it your way” isn’t just the infamous Burger King tagline from the 70s, but an anthem for the freelance economy. And women workers are here for it. Women make up 48% of the freelance workforce, a popular way forward for career autonomy and flexibility, not to mention a way to cash in your skills at a higher rate than traditional employment. The big question though is: Is it right for you? And if so, how can you ensure competitive compensation as you take control of your career? Take my hand, friend, and let’s wade through the waters of the gig economy together, with 7 tips to bolster your contracting confidence and get paid what you’re worth.

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Career Management Meg Applegate Career Management Meg Applegate

5 Conversation Cures for Career Advancement

“𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧” and “𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺” is common commentary from high-achieving women. And it's one of the obstacles blocking female career progression. It’s time to cozy up to your impact and get comfortable articulating your unique promise of value. If this is a struggle, try one (or all) of these five conversation cures to catalyze your career mobility.

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Career Management Meg Applegate Career Management Meg Applegate

A New Shade of Professional Development for Working Women

What comes to mind when you think of professional development? Coursework, upskilling and leadership development, perhaps? You’re not alone. Personal style seems, well, personal, not a professional way of life. With 75% of executive women experiencing imposter syndrome, per 2020 KPMG study, cultivating confidence goes beyond clothing yourself in skill development.

Consider not only heightening your expertise but harnessing your brilliance by embracing the uniqueness of who you are and feeling at home in your own skin.

While you’ll have to hold off on that professional development funding request for your next shopping spree, the gift of showing up as your best self pays dividends in your career impact and earning potential.

Join me as we take a peek behind the curtain of this new-to-me phenomenon called Personal Color Analysis where the colors of confidence are unveiled and the hidden layers of who you are peeled back for true transformation.

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Career Management Meg Applegate Career Management Meg Applegate

Spark Hope: Gifts for Working Women That Unleash Lasting Peace & Joy in 2023

“Hope is not a strategy” is a popular quip. But without hope, life is futile. Take one glance at your favorite news outlet and you’re inundated with headlines of a looming recession, skyrocketing inflation and imminent layoffs. It’s easy to get fearful, caught up in the rising tide of uncertainty that can leave you wading in your own personal pool of anxiety. We need a solid foundation in the calm and the crazy. Check out 11 resources recommended by working women that point to an immovable hope that lasts.

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Career Management Meg Applegate Career Management Meg Applegate

Level Up After Layoff: 4 Career Clarity Tactics for a Targeted Path to Employment

You lost your job. Now what? Well, first, let’s get honest. It’s a good cry and fists to a punching bag to let it all hang out. Then, address the nuts and bolts of your new reality including the ever-looming question: “What’s Next?” Arm yourself with confidence using four career clarity exercises for a targeted path to employment.

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Career Management Meg Applegate Career Management Meg Applegate

Career Growth Made Simple

Make things easier for yourself. That's Kendra Adachi’s “Lazy Genius” way. And I’m here for it. Late to the party on the 2020 read, Adachi provides a simple system to be a genius about what matters and lazy about what doesn’t. Applied to all areas of life from your silverware drawer to your closet, I’m ready to apply her one magic to kill career (and job search) overwhelm.

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Return to Work Meg Applegate Return to Work Meg Applegate

Top 6 Resume Tips for the Return-to-Work Mom (with a proven resume template)

What does back to school mean for you as a mom? Kids aren’t the only ones calibrating to a new rhythm. Returning to school brings a world of new possibilities for students and parents. Whether it’s the first time all your kids are out of the nest or you’re reordering your work and life, the “What’s next?” question can be a daunting one. Leverage these six proven resume tips to transition to paid work with ease.

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Career Management Meg Applegate Career Management Meg Applegate

Top 10 Career Resource Picks for Moms - Updated 2022

Motherhood is an all-out, hands-on, messy course in leadership. From the stork’s arrival to beyond the empty nest, moms enroll in the most-character building (and trying) boot camp there is: Raising children.

Mother’s Day's flowers fade and fall, but career longevity lasts a lifetime. Our ode to moms is more than fresh flowers, but a career resource bouquet to grow with the seasons.

From returning to work and leaning in to scaling back, we need each other (and expert resources) to bloom over the long haul. Here are ten picks that will help you (or the mom in your life) grow in 2022.

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Career Management Meg Applegate Career Management Meg Applegate

14 Ways to Maximize your Career Through the Seasons

There is a saying in Indiana that if you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes. We are notorious for 80-degree weather one day and snow the next. Life (and your career) can be a bit like that, too.

Thanks to Pete Seeger and (the Bible’s book of Ecclesiastes), we know “to everything, there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.” While I know this deep in my chilled, snow-comes-in-late-spring bones as a Midwesterner, we don’t always acknowledge it in our lives and especially not in our careers.

While nature’s life cycle is on repeat, the phases of our life aren’t so reliable. We can skip from a career season of plenty to dire straits in a heartbeat. Try these 14 DIY practices to make the most of each season (and flourish).

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Job Search Meg Applegate Job Search Meg Applegate

101 Questions for Women to Uncover Wins for Career Advancement

Women sell themselves short. From inner thought loops to career collateral, it's time to tackle this very real issue residing in so many female brains and career trajectories. Whether you are updating your resume, asking for a raise or taking a boxing glove to beat back the lies in your head, do it with this simple practice. Unpack your career contributions with confidence to put your irreplaceable impact on full display. It's time well spent now for that next-level role or raise. Trust me. Your future self thanks you.

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Job Search Meg Applegate Job Search Meg Applegate

For the Love of Recruiters: How to Best Partner with a Recruiter for your 2022 Job Search

The ONE. It’s the age-old dating question: Is there one person we are destined to love? It’s Valentines’ week and no matter where you stand on the matter, the Hallmark holiday is about celebrating love: From your affection at the moment to your ride-or-die for life.

But in a job search, multiple partners at the same time are a must. There isn’t just ONE person who will mobilize your career advancement. It takes a village. From mentors and coaches to sponsors and resume writers, to company insiders and decision-makers - It takes a network. And this Valentine’s holiday, let’s show our love to one beloved job search partner: The recruiter.

So if you are behind your screen fumbling over your words in a reach out, unsure on how to keep contact or maintain a connection, I got you. I took my burning relational questions to nine recruiters to uncover what works to cultivate a real connection with a recruiter.

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Career Management, Branding Meg Applegate Career Management, Branding Meg Applegate

From Employee to Entrepreneur: Why Working Moms Need a Personal Brand in 2022

“I feel like I'm always running on defense" + "Over it!"

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, women are taking the pressure off and leaning into their values, priorities and needs within work more than ever before. Whether you are leveraging your skills for an employer, as a freelancer, or looking to launch a business, there is one constant you need to cultivate no matter the zig and zag of your career - Your personal brand.

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