The RISE Again Job Hunting & Interview Playbook
Land Your Ideal Job with Clarity, Confidence & Strategy
From Homeless to Google: How I Built a Career Against the Odds
Fifteen years ago, I had no network, no roadmap, and no clear path forward.
Today, I lead high-impact initiatives at Google.
But I didn’t get here by blindly applying to jobs—I got here by using a strategic, repeatable system that combines technology, networking, and smart positioning.
Why does this matter?
80% of jobs are filled through networking—but most job seekers waste 90% of their time applying online.
Hiring managers don’t hire based on volume—they hire based on relationships, positioning, and perceived value.
I know job hunting today feels harder than ever. That’s why I created The RISE Again Job Hunting & Interview Playbook.
It’s not about sending 500 applications—it’s about winning the right job, faster.
The RISE Again Framework: Your Blueprint for Career Success
This playbook is built on two powerful systems:
🔹 The RISE Again Framework
A structured, action-driven method to job searching:
1️⃣ Reflect – Align your job search with your strengths & goals
2️⃣ Intent – Set clear, measurable job search goals
3️⃣ Strategic Action – Take purposeful steps (not scattershot applications)
4️⃣ Evaluate – Review progress, refine your approach
5️⃣ Authenticity & Forgiveness – Stay resilient and true to yourself
🔹 The Four Pillars of Career Fit
Ensure you’re choosing the right role based on:
✔ Character – Does it align with your values?
✔ Connections – Do you have the right network?
✔ Capacity – Are you truly ready for this role?
✔ Calling – Does this job move you toward meaningful work?
The RISE Again Framework: A Strategic Approach to Your Job Search
Finding the right job isn't just about sending out applications—it’s about being intentional, learning from experience, and refining your approach. The RISE Again Framework provides a structured, repeatable method to ensure you stay focused, make progress, and build confidence throughout your job search.
RISE Again – The Five-Step Cycle
As you go through the job search process, work with a coach, mentor, or AI-powered career tool to apply the RISE Again method. This will help you refine your approach, improve your performance, and land the right role faster.
1) Reflect – Are You Chasing the Right Goals?
Are you chasing money, status, or true career alignment?
What is your weekly focus—practicing interviews, networking, or refining applications?
Use AI career assessment tools or a coach specializing in AI-driven applications to analyze past job matches and determine patterns in your job search success and failure.
2) Intent – Set Clear & Measurable Goals
Define weekly intentions—apply to a set number of jobs, build relationships, or improve skills.
Instead of vague goals like “network more,” set SMART goals: “Connect with five professionals in my target industry this week.”
3) Strategic Action – Take Purposeful Steps
Customize each resume and application using AI optimization tools to match job descriptions.
Be proactive—follow up on connections, send thank-you notes, and track responses using AI-powered job tracking tools.
Avoid mass applying—focus on tailored, high-quality applications.
4) Evaluate – Learn & Improve Weekly
Review job application responses—where did you get interviews? Where did you get ghosted? AI can analyze trends in which applications got responses and provide insights on areas for improvement.
Rewatch interview recordings—analyze your body language, confidence, and clarity.
Work with a coach or use AI feedback tools to get objective insights into how your resume, cover letter, and interview techniques can be improved.
5) Authenticity & Forgiveness – Stay True to Yourself
Align your job search with your core strengths and values.
Forgive mistakes—don’t let one rejection derail your confidence.
Ensure AI isn’t distorting your voice. AI-generated content is useful, but make sure your resume and cover letter still sound like you.
Practical Exercises to Apply RISE Again
Use these exercises with a coach, mentor, AI tools, or on your own to refine your skills and approach:
✅ Record Yourself Interviewing – Play it back and assess clarity, confidence, and areas for improvement.
✅ Mock Interviews with a Coach or AI – Have them pause you when you ramble or go off track.
✅ Use AI to Analyze Your Interview Transcripts – Identify filler words, weak responses, and areas for improvement.
✅ Refine Your Elevator Pitch – Work on articulating why a role aligns with your skills and values.
✅ Develop Active Listening & Connection Skills – Strengthen networking through intentional conversations.
How an AI Career Coach Can Help You
A career coach specializing in AI-driven job search strategies can:
✅ Analyze your resume against job postings and optimize it for ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems).
✅ Provide AI-assisted feedback on interview performance—helping you adjust your tone, clarity, and confidence.
✅ Use AI tools to uncover hidden job opportunities based on your experience and skills.
✅ Ensure your AI-enhanced applications still sound authentic—helping you maintain credibility while maximizing visibility.
However, if you're working on your own, you can still achieve similar results by leveraging AI-powered career platforms and consistently applying the RISE Again method.
The Four Pillars of Career Fit
1. Character – Who Are You & What Do You Stand For?
Before applying to any job, ensure it aligns with your identity, values, and long-term vision.
✅ Does this job align with your core values?
✅ Does it leverage your strengths and personality, or will it drain you?
✅ Could it expose you to unhealthy habits or environments that don’t serve you? (e.g., a bartender role for someone in recovery)
Action Step: Define Your Personal Value Statement
Craft a Personal Value Statement that articulates how the role aligns with your strengths and values while mitigating potential weaknesses.
Example:
"I thrive in leadership and problem-solving roles. This job in operations management will allow me to use my strategic thinking while avoiding excessive travel, which conflicts with my family values."
RISE Again Framework: Apply Character to Your Job Search
Reflect – Are you choosing roles based on money and prestige, or genuine alignment with who you are?
Intent – Define what you truly want in a job and what non-negotiables you won’t compromise on.
Strategic Action – Apply only to jobs that align with your strengths, values, and long-term goals.
Evaluate – Weekly, assess how applying to aligned roles is moving you forward (or holding you back). Discuss your progress with a mentor, coach, or through journaling.
By ensuring alignment with your character and values, you’ll not only land a job but build a career that fuels your growth and fulfillment.
2. Connections – Who Do You Know?
Most jobs aren’t found through online applications—they’re found through networking.
✅ Do you know anyone in this industry?
✅ Do you have connections within the specific job, company, or team you want to join?
✅ Have you tapped into your existing network—friends, family, or former colleagues—letting them know you’re exploring new opportunities?
Action Step: Build & Strengthen Your Network
If you don’t have the right connections, it’s time to network. Each week, identify and reach out to at least five professionals on LinkedIn or through your personal network.
🔹 Key Rule: Don’t start by asking for a job! Hiring managers screen for technical skills but hire based on personality and values. Instead, focus on making genuine connections. Build rapport, show curiosity, and offer value—when the time is right, they’ll naturally ask how they can help.
Networking Message Example:
"Hey [Name], I came across your work in [industry] and would love to learn more about your experience. If there’s anything I can do to support you, let me know!"
RISE Again Framework: Apply Connections to Your Job Search
Reflect – Are you genuinely building relationships, or are you just reaching out for favors?
Intent – Set a clear goal to connect with at least five professionals weekly.
Strategic Action – Follow up, engage meaningfully, and offer value to your network.
Evaluate – How did your networking efforts go this week? Did your approach lead to meaningful connections and open doors, or did you struggle to gain traction? Identify what worked, what didn’t, and adjust accordingly—reflect with a mentor, coach, or through journaling.
By building authentic relationships, you’ll gain insider knowledge, referrals, and unexpected opportunities—all without feeling like you’re simply asking for a job.
3. Capacity – Are You Ready for the Role?
Landing the right job requires both skill and readiness.
✅ Do you have the technical skills for the job? If not, what can bridge the gap? ✅ Do you have the energy & resilience for its demands? ✅ Can you financially support yourself during the job hunt? If not, do you need a bridge role?
ACTION: Identify any skill gaps and create a learning plan. This could mean taking a certification, shadowing a professional, or doing freelance work to gain experience.
🔹 Capacity Readiness Test: Score Yourself (1-10 on Each)
Skills – Do you meet at least 70% of the job’s required skills?
Energy – Can you realistically commit to this job’s lifestyle?
Financial Buffer – Can you handle 3-6 months of job searching if needed?
Market Readiness – Have you talked to at least 3 people in this field to confirm expectations?
Scoring:
30+ Points: You’re ready—start applying strategically!
20-30 Points: You might need skill-building or networking first.
<20 Points: Consider a bridging role or further preparation.
RISE Again:
Reflect – Where are your biggest gaps, and how can you fill them?
Intent – Set learning goals (e.g., “Complete one relevant certification this month”).
Strategic Action – Improve skills before applying for jobs.
Evaluate - One of the biggest issues I personally see with people is imposter syndrome when job searching. Most job descriptions are written for a perfect candidate who doesn’t exist. If you meet 70% of requirements, apply. Hiring managers expect gaps—they hire based on potential, not perfection
Make sure you aren’t being too hard on yourself, and work with a coach, mentor, or friend or journal to make sure you are grounded in reality and staying confident.
Step 4: Calling – Are You Aligned with Your Purpose?
Your career should be more than just a paycheck—it should be a pathway to meaningful work that excites and fulfills you. True career satisfaction comes when your job aligns with your strengths, passions, and the impact you want to make.
Key Questions to Ask Yourself:
✅ Will this move bring you closer to the long-term impact you want to have?
✅ Does it allow you to pursue your passions while making a difference?
✅ If you say YES to this, are you also saying NO to something that matters more?
🔹 Self-Assessment: Rate Your Purpose Alignment (1-10)
Does this move align with your long-term vision?
Will it allow you to contribute in a meaningful way?
Will you feel fulfilled doing this every day?
Score: ___ / 10
Self-Discovery Exercises to Define Your Calling
Ikigai Model: Finding Your Career Sweet Spot
Use the Ikigai framework to explore where your passions, strengths, societal needs, and earning potential intersect. Draw a Venn diagram with four circles:
What you love (Passions)
What you’re good at (Skills & Strengths)
What the world needs (Market Demand)
What you can get paid for (Financial Viability)
ACTION STEP: Write down 5 career roles or paths that sit in the middle of these four circles. Which of them excites you the most?
“Perfect Workweek” Visualization - Imagine your ideal workweek:
What kind of work are you doing?
Who are you working with?
What problems are you solving?
How does it feel at the end of the day?
What lifestyle does this job allow you to have?
ACTION STEP: Write a day-by-day description of your perfect workweek. Compare this vision to your current job or career path—where are the biggest gaps?
Examples of Purpose-Driven Career Transitions
Finance to Social Impact – A CPA with years in corporate finance transitions into nonprofit financial consulting, using their skills to help charities and impact-driven organizations become financially sustainable.
Tech to Education – A software engineer pivots to teaching AI & coding in underserved communities, combining their expertise with their passion for mentoring.
Corporate to Entrepreneurship – A high-level executive leaves a Fortune 500 company to start a coaching business, guiding professionals through AI-driven career transitions.
ACTION STEP: Find professionals who have made similar career shifts and connect with them on LinkedIn. Ask about their experiences, lessons learned, and advice for transitioning into a more purpose-driven career.
Final Thought: Purpose is an Evolution, Not a Destination
If you’re feeling uncertain about your next step, don’t rush. Your calling can evolve over time, and career shifts are normal. The key is to align your career with your values, strengths, and long-term goals—while staying adaptable to new opportunities.
Why Coaching Still Matters in the AI World
AI can help with efficiency, but it can’t replace:
Human intuition
Emotional intelligence
Authenticity in communication
A career coach specializing in AI-driven job search strategies can help:
✔ Ensure your AI-enhanced applications still sound authentic
✔ Provide AI-assisted feedback on interview performance
✔ Guide you in using AI tools effectively without over-reliance
✔ Hold you accountable to strategic actions rather than defaulting to mass applications
Want a shortcut? Studies show that job seekers who work with a coach land roles 2x faster and negotiate higher salaries on average.
If you earn $120K per year, and a coach cuts your job search from 6 months to 3 months, that’s an extra $30K in your pocket.
Even if you invest $5K in coaching, that’s a 6x return on investment—the same as letting that money sit in the S&P 500 for 25 years!
And the higher your salary, the bigger the impact:
✔ $240K salary? 12x ROI—you’d need 37 years in the S&P 500 to match that return.
✔ $360K salary? 18x ROI—that would take 43 years in the market.
🚀 Not ready for coaching? You can still fast-track success by leveraging AI-powered career platforms and consistently applying the RISE Again method.
AI Tools That Can Help (But Won’t Replace the Work)
AI is a game-changer, but it’s not a substitute for effort. Too many job seekers rely on AI-generated resumes—but the best candidates use AI to enhance their strategy, not replace it.
Best AI Tools & How to Use Them
✔ Teal – AI-powered resume optimizer & job tracking system
✔ ChatGPT for Job Search – Tailors resume bullet points & cover letters
✔ Rezi – Ensures ATS compliance for resumes
✔ LinkedIn Career Explorer – Maps career transition opportunities
✔ Otter.ai – Transcribes interviews for feedback
✔ VMock – AI-driven resume & LinkedIn profile insights
AI can optimize applications, but referrals and personal branding are what truly land jobs—far more than an ATS-friendly resume.
Action Plan: How to Apply This Today
Your dream job won’t happen by accident.
✔ Stop mass applying—start strategizing.
✔ Use AI to optimize—not replace—your efforts.
✔ Build authentic relationships, not just connections.
Want a shortcut?
👉 Want a faster, smarter way to land your next role?
📩 Book a free 1:1 career strategy call now—first come, first served!
📍 Visit devoncoombs.com/contact and claim your spot before they fill up!
Your next job isn’t about luck—it’s about strategy. Use the RISE Again method, AI-powered insights, and structured career coaching to land not just any job—but the right job. Let’s make it happen.
