This won’t be shocking news to those in my Microsoft circle. Earlier this summer a group of extremely talented people were let go from my group, including me. There was an org decision to invest more in algorithms that could program and publish the web product I have been a part of for one-and-a-half decades. Such is life in tech. Microsoft News made significant advances over the past several years, and there are still more yet to come.

For someone with “excellent written and verbal communication skills” I have had a hard time putting into words what it has meant to say goodbye to Microsoft after 16+ years. It took time away to understand how much of my identity I had wrapped into my career. I’ve spent the last few weeks trying to gain some of that identity back.

I am grateful for the good and bad days because I wouldn’t be who I am without the whole package. I’m proud of the product and features we released, of the problems we solved and experiments we tried. I cherish the friends I made, going all the way back to my very first days as a contractor. I am a better manager because of managers I had. I experienced authentic leadership that made me want to be a better employee and better person.

I am still writing my next chapter. If you or someone you know is seeking a content manager with excellent written and verbal communication skills, among many other skills, hit that Messenger button, find me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter (or is now an awkward time to ask for a follow?). Email or text or call if you must. Even if I’m not the right fit, I know several editors and managers who could be your next awesome hire.