Dear Elpis

Career advice for today’s workplace

Feeling stuck in your career?

Trouble asking for a raise?

Too many good offers?

Work life integration?

Is it time to move?

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Dear Elpis,

How do you know if its time to move to another company or team?

………Read more

Office culture too chirpy

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Dear Elpis,

I started a new job as a UX designer recently and while I was expecting several challenges during the ramp up phase, this one has me stumped.

My co-workers have a group chat for social chatting for things like vacation pics, pet updates etc. The problem is that almost everyone gets really competitive about their post’s popularity. I am not a social media person at all and don’t want to pay attention to this group chat………Read more

Job Seeker’s Dilemma

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Dear Elpis,

I have been looking for a new job since I got laid off in January 2023. I finally have 2 promising opportunities. Before that, a bit of background: I have 2 small kids (5 and 8). I am the primary breadwinner - we live in a high-cost-of-living area and my husband does not work in the tech industry. So, his income is not sufficient to pay the bills. As expected, the last few months have taken a toll on our bank accounts……….Read more

Is it burnout or something else?

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Dear Elpis,

I have been at my current job for 7 years - mostly pleasant ones with some ups and downs. I have had 2 promotions, led several important projects, and have earned a good reputation overall. The path in front of me is uphill but I have the right support and good projects that will help me get to the next level. However, for the last few months, it feels like something is missing. While I am still a high performer at work…….Read more

Frequently asked questions

  • Any questions and dilemmas related to career are welcome - including, but not limited to - promotion readiness, disagreements with colleagues, team management, organization development, changes in workplace, office politics, job seeker dilemma, IC vs manager career paths, scaling the team.

  • I am a Silicon Valley Executive on hiatus. During my 22 years in the software industry, I led large engineering teams, handled projects across regions, and helped several engineers and managers grow in their careers.

    Navigating one’s career is not easy and there is no one size fits all. In my observation, having a friendly ear to provide timely advice can mean a difference between making leaps and bounds vs staying stuck in the situation for years. It helps one take a meaningful step with conviction and more importantly, take ownership for that step. In this way, they control their career one step at a time. That has led me to start dearelpis.com,

  • Please use this form.

  • A response by Dear Elpis will be posted within 10 working days on the responses page. To find out the status of responses, you can check the status page.

  • No. This service is free.

  • I provide very limited 1-1 coaching. If there is sufficient interest, I will consider expanding the program. Please provide feedback on this form.