After graduating from university, al-Sarraf began to teach in a high school in Baghdad. He also worked in journalism, starting as an editor at the "al-Hatif" magazine, that was issued by prominent Iraqi writer, Jafar al-Khalili. al-Sarraf was the first Iraqi journalist to hold an interview with Iranian revolutionary, Navvab Safavi, when he was in Baghdad. He then did reporting at a Lebanese magazine called "al-Adib", that was issued by Lebanese laureate, Albert Adib. He also worked at two other magazines, also Lebanese, "al-Adaab" and Egyptian, "al-Kaatib", where he produced many articles and interviews. Between 1967 and 1972, he worked at the Council of Arab Economic Unity in Cairo. He then returned to Iraq after completing his doctorate, and began teaching at the University of Baghdad, in the Eastern Languages department. In 1980, al-Sarraf's health deteriorated, and so he travelled to London to seek treatment. However not long after his arrival, the Iran-Iraq war set off, rendering it difficult for al-Sarraf to return home. So he remained in the United Kingdom, and had to resign from the University.