So It Goes
every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end
Hello Friends in the Computer,
How are you doing? I hope well. I must admit that I have been better.
I mean, I’m still quite good and everything’s going to be fine, don’t worry. It’s just that I find myself rather unexpectedly on the job market and seeking new employment starting January 2023.
Initially my reaction was a volume and variety of the F word (not said in anger just shock and fear) that surprised even me, and then I indulged in some magical thinking and waited for some deus ex machina to appear but now, perhaps subconsciously because Bob Ambrogi recently compared me to Vonnegut, I’m easing into “so it goes.”
The past 18 months have been amazing. I’ve stretched, learned a lot, and - maybe more importantly - really got back a lot of the mojo that I have been missing for years. And I got to work with some of the best in the business and If a resume with Reynen Court on it crosses your desk, snatch them up.
Even knowing what I know now, I’d do all over again and I’m thankful I had the opportunity.
So what’s next? Good question! I don’t know.
Since this was all a bit of a surprise and I wasn’t really planning on moving on anytime soon, I hadn’t been thinking too much of what I wanted my next position to be. There’s lots of things I can do, there’s lots of things I’d like to do, and - maybe more importantly- I know what I don’t want to do.
Basically, I like demystifying technology and innovative practices for people and helping them do whatever it is they do in a better way - be it faster, more cost efficient, or less annoying. I have excellent communication skills and enjoy writing in a variety of formal and informal styles. Also, I can perform and synthesize multiple modes of research. I’m not a programmer but I know some things and give me a low or no-code app or website builder and I’m Hell on wheels. Finally, I know more about legal technology (across just about every vertical in law) than anyone probably should.
I have handily put my resume here and of course there’s LinkedIn.
Here’s some rough ideas of what I’d be interested in:
On the vendor side, either a community development and/or customer success type role or somewhere in product development
For firms and other organizations, I would be well suited to the innovation or technology departments or consultancies and working to implement technology or process changes either in a direct manner or in more of a research position
If an academic institution is looking to ramp up their legal tech and innovation curriculum, I’m your huckleberry
I can also see myself as an independent floating consultant and researcher/writer for hire
Basically things are wide open right now. Please keep me in mind if you have or see an opening that might work for me. I’m applying to things as well, so don’t be surprised if you see my resume.
(Oh, and FYI I really don’t want to move and I would prefer to telecommute most days. Currently bicoastal (Lake Michigan and Ohio River) and divide my time between Chicago area and Cincinnati area. I’m not good at sales. After the deal is done bring me in and I can keep everyone happy but I don’t have the sales person constitution. Also, and I know this is risky to say, but I don’t live to work and need a good work/life balance.)
I have often said over the past few months that I was in my last city job and for my next act I was just going to move back to Kentucky to raise wool and fiber bearing animals. If nothing shakes out, maybe that’s gonna happen!
Don’t get me wrong, I love working in the legal world. Law is the operating system of society and anything that can make it function better is eventually an overall good. But I am very lucky that I grew up on a farm and am not scared of work that doesn’t involve sitting at a desk in front of a computer and that my parents raised me to care about things other than making money.
I really felt this Eve Ewing tweet she wrote upon getting tenure.
That being said, I think I have at least one more act in me in the legal world.
In the meantime, after the dust settles and we get through the holiday season, I have my writing and some projects that I have wanted to tackle, so at least I have that to keep me busy.
First Twitter and now this…man, I am going to have A LOT of hours to fill.
Take care,
Sarah
p.s. About Twitter, I was trying to make it to my 15th anniversary next month, but I think the time has come that I don’t feel good about creating content there. I’ll still auto share newsletter and blog posts for a while but that’s the extent I will contribute. It feels like 2007-2008 where I’ll be signing up and trying different services. I’m not sure what will end up sticking, but I’ll keep running list on my main website if you’d like to find me.
And if you’re new here because someone shared this…