Dilip Saraf's blog

Having a career coaching practice in the Silicon Valley has its demands! Although I have clients in 23 countries, it is only some (about 10%) from the Silicon Valley who engage me have the desire to either start their own venture or to join one.

As a career coach I get many requests from parents during this time of the year when high-school students and degreed graduates are dealing with deadlines for college-admission applications. They often seek my help in choosing a career path and then colleges that will best prepare them for their career choice.

After working with over 6,000 clients from all ages (16-75 years), almost all levels (apprentices to CEOs) and from diverse disciplines (I have entrepreneurs, physicians, and neurosurgeons in my client pool) I have come to realize that nearly 90% of those coming to me let the career happen to them.

Only the brave make the dangerous tenable! –JFK

We all get inspiration from great quotations by famous people. We often revisit them when we feel conflicted, confused, or constrained by forces surrounding us. We interpret them in the context of our own predicament and derive inspiration to move forward. This blog is about some of my most favorite quotes and how they translate for me into actions that I take or to help my clients take.

A client, who is a senior-level engineering manager at a Silicon Valley high-tech company, is an archetypal, immigrant, engineering manager (a shy, reticent INTJ, a bit socially awkward, but technically quite sharp, in his late 30s). He frantically called me the other day asking for help!

During their long careers clients often come to me when their role is suddenly changed to a “lesser sounding” title and ask me to tell them how to deal with this “demotion.” In their case this change has happened involuntarily. Sometimes, too, different companies have titles that are inflated to begin with, and when changing jobs into a different industry that title is difficult to carry.

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, but it is about learning to dance in the rain! —Unknown