About Career Certain

Through Career Certain, Amy Phillip provides executive resume writing, interview coaching, and corporate services to her clients. She helps accomplished leaders capture and convey their value in the marketplace and provides organizations with talent development solutions and coaching services that address critical skill gaps, drive high performance, and unlock business potential.

Q: Amy, you refer to yourself as an “Executive Career Advisor.” What exactly does that mean?

Amy: It means that I help business leaders shape how they think about their value and achievements and determine their career narratives so they can fulfill their professional goals.

Q: Does that mean you help your clients find jobs?

Amy: No, not exactly. I help set my clients up for job search success and position them effectively for their next step. I specialize in executive resume writing and interview coaching. In other words, I write the best resume for my clients and help them become as marketable as possible.

Q: How do you write the best resume?

Amy: The process for achieving that finished product – the resume – involves a depth of engagement with my clients to help uncover their leadership strengths, differentiators, and successes. The resumes that make a real impact highlight value through career accomplishments – and the metrics associated with those accomplishments.

Q: Who hires you?

Amy: The majority of my clients are senior executives: C-level and heads of business divisions and corporate functions.  

Q: Do you specialize in a specific industry?

Amy: No, I specialize in writing career stories for a specific executive level. However, most of my clients lead organizations in tech, DTC businesses, financial services, media, fashion/home retail, CPG, hospitality, and healthcare.   

Q: You work with approximately 100 clients a year. Have you noticed any similarities between them?

Amy: Absolutely. I am incredibly fortunate because I get to work with some of the smartest, most successful, and talented people every day. They are driven, they know who they are, and they certainly know what they want next. They are also extremely busy.

Q: Is that a concern for them? The duration of the process?

Amy: Time is a concern for my clients and respect for their time is a foundation of my process. I do not use an intake questionnaire and create extra work for them. The majority of information I need to deliver a finished product is captured during a 90-minute call.

Q: What has surprised you most about your clients over the years?

Amy: My clients are among the most accomplished people in their fields and come from top global and U.S. companies. Yet so many of them struggle to tell their own career story, identify success themes, and put pen to paper. They have a tough time seeing themselves objectively and translating their value into words. Some of my clients were even unaware of their unique value until we worked together.

Q: What surprises your clients most about you?

Amy: That I understand their business and their role along with the leadership challenges they are up against. This is, after all, a world with titles like “Head of Business Transformation,” “Chief Data Officer,” “Chief Experience Officer” and “Head of Innovation.” 

Q: Why is that?

Amy: I’m immersed in their industries. Since I speak with their professional peers every day, I learn a lot. I’m able to draw comparisons and help my clients identify their differentiators. I also do corporate work that keeps me connected to business and organizational trends and in regular contact with leaders across different industries.

Q: What type of corporate work do you do?

Amy: I do general leadership coaching for executives looking to fine tune their skills in certain areas and conduct qualitative leadership, team and organizational assessments. 

Q: How do clients find you?

Amy: Word of mouth referrals. Almost 100% of my business comes from my clients.

Q: Amy, what do you do with someone who isn’t quite at executive level yet but needs help with their resume and their career narrative?

Amy: If someone is at the point where they are ready for a top-level role and want to elevate and broaden how they are positioning themselves, I will work with them as well. For those who are at an earlier professional stage, my business partner, Robin Kelley, at ResumePreferred will work with them utilizing the Career Certain process.

Q: If you could only say one thing to a potential client, what would it be?

Amy: Everyone needs an objective perspective and it’s hard to look at yourself in this way. I will help you capture and convey your value in the marketplace so you can feel prepared and confident about getting out there in front of people to tell your story.

Learn more about New York City resume writer Amy Phillip’s services or contact Amy directly at 718.833.3254 or amy@careercertain.com.

Amy Phillip is an Executive Career Advisor and Principal of Career Certain. Since launching her New York City-based practice in 2010, Amy has written more than 100 executive resumes each year, helping senior leaders capture and convey their value in the marketplace and achieve the next level of career success.

Prior to launching Career Certain, Amy spent more than thirteen years in a corporate environment leading Talent Management and Organizational Development functions for Macy’s, 3 Day Blinds, and The Children’s Place.

In addition to executive career services, Amy also provides corporate services. She is frequently contracted for executive coaching engagements, 360-degree leadership feedback, team and organizational assessments, and design of training classes and leadership development programs. These customized solutions help leaders address critical skill gaps, drive high performance, and unlock business potential.

A magna cum laude graduate of Hunter College, with a degree in Psychology, Amy is a certified professional resume writer and DiSC facilitator, and also earned credentials in leadership competency modeling and 360-degree feedback through Lominger, a Korn/Ferry International Company.

“Amy is the best career advisor/writer I have worked with. She is a brilliant strategist and advisor. I recommend her highly.”
– SVP, Design & Product Development 

“Amy is able to sort through and synthesize large amounts of information to tell a powerful career story. I highly recommend her services – she is the person you need to work with.”
– VP, Marketing

“I hired Amy to re-write my resume and couldn’t be any happier with the results. What sets her apart is her ability to draw out the relevant details with probing questions and then construct a compelling story. I would hire her again or recommend her to anyone without hesitation.”
– CIO

Career Certain’s partnership with Resume Preferred ensures that leaders and professionals at all organizational levels have access to Amy’s effective approach and process. Contact Robin Kelley at 415.596.4160 or robin@resumepreferred.com for more information.