Politics

You look for a job.
Well ... you composed your resume, assembled your results, achievements and bla-bla-bla.
Suppose that you just left a big and corrupt organization and you are full of enthusiasm to find something better with no politics, you are eager to do real work with the real people.

You've found a company, which is small and in production domain. You think that there can be no politics. Well, wrong.

Politics exists even there. Apparently, someone in the board of investors is willing to keep things as they are now. Let engineering be led as it is, please, no changes. Regardless of how bad it is going on now. Regardless of how good you might be there to fix the situation. Politics, politics ...

Just be ready to accept this fact. Whether the company is a small or big one, whether it is a start-up or mature one, the politics will always exist. So, the only way to move on is to admit this fact first.

Then you realize that you must use all your skills to influence the situation: try to affect the decision makers, try to use insider's help. Just justifying it for yourself as you believe you can help those guys streamline the things and get better results by hiring you.

People hate making THE changes. It is much easier for them to play politics.