Let’s take a look at this person’s mistakes and how you can avoid them. I came across this story recently, and it’s a prime example of how Millennials and Gen Z still don’t understand how corporate works. The title of their post was "Hired External Candidate—Should I Quit?"

And as you probably already know, most of the replies are just total utter shit, coming from an emotional response, not a logical one, which presents 0 solution or value to the OP.

Here’s the gist: This person has been at their job for two years, going above and beyond every single day. And that’s mistake number one—a big one. Why are you going above and beyond every single day? This is how corporate works: 90% of the time, you’re not hired because you’re exceptional or irreplaceable.

You’re hired because someone likes you. Period. Millions of people have the same skill set. Your job? Figure out who likes you, why they like you, and how to fit into their clique.

Corporate Isn’t About Skills, It’s About Cliques

In corporate, there’s a friendship hierarchy. Your task is to learn that hierarchy and figure out where you belong.

It’s a chain that starts from the moment you’re hired and extends upward—through operations, marketing, sales, wherever. Somewhere along that chain, either the person who hired you or the person who authorized your hire likes you.

That’s your clique. That’s your power base.

But here’s the catch: If the top of your clique gets fired, leaves, or jumps ship, the entire chain collapses. You’ve got to find a new clique, or else you’re toast.

So, your real job once you get hired? Make that clique look good. Socialize with them, expand their influence, get them more budget, whatever it takes. But going above and beyond, saying yes to everything, and doing the work of three people? Completely irrelevant if you’re not in the right circle.

Who Holds the Power to Promote You? (Hint: It’s Not Your Skills)

The employee in the story mentioned they were a "Level 3" and wanted a "Level 5" position, but the company went with someone external.

That brings us to mistake number two—you didn’t know who actually had the power to give you that promotion. If the people in your clique don’t know you, and more importantly, don’t see you as an asset, you’re not getting that promotion.

It’s not about your skills; it’s about who holds the power and whether or not you’ve aligned yourself with them.

External Hires Always Get Paid More—Here’s Why

Another crucial point: Management has more money for external hires than for internal promotions. Anyone who’s been in senior management knows this.

It’s a well-kept secret that companies allocate more budget to external candidates than to promote internally. This shows up in data all the time—people who change jobs get paid more than those who stay.

From personal experience, I’ve managed to increase my annual income by 10 folds in the last 10 years, and it’s largely because I leveraged being the external hire.

When a company headhunts you or approaches you with a job offer, you hold all the cards in negotiation. You can ask for more, push for better benefits, and even negotiate your role because they’ve already decided they want you.

Companies are willing to pay a premium to bring in fresh talent from the outside because they need to fill a gap. Meanwhile, internal employees are viewed as a fixed cost—they’re already in place, and management assumes they’ll stick around, even without a raise.

Why Employees Tolerate Low Pay

But why do employees tolerate low pay? It boils down to comfort and fear.

Most people are too comfortable in their current roles. They hate the idea of looking for a new job, so they stick with what they know, even if they’re underpaid and underappreciated.

There’s also the fear of risk—people don’t want to gamble on their own abilities. Many employees lack confidence in their skills or know they don’t possess the skills to stand out in the job market.

They fear the unknown, the rejection, or the idea that they might not be able to cut it in a new environment.

Staying in a job that feels safe, even if it’s unfulfilling or undercompensated, feels more secure to them than the thought of having to prove themselves all over again.

It’s about avoiding discomfort. People will tolerate bad situations for years because the comfort zone is easier to live in than risking it all to step outside.

The Performance Review Lie

The employee continued to explain that their performance reviews were "amazing," but the company couldn’t promote them because no Level 4 position existed.

This leads to mistake number four—believing that performance reviews are for you. Newsflash: Performance reviews aren’t for you. They’re for the corporation.

The performance review is there to document why you don’t deserve more money. That’s why there’s always an area for "improvement." Your compensation was set by a budget committee a year ago, and no matter how hard you work, you’re not blowing anyone’s mind or "overachieving." Your pay is pre-determined.

For example, I’ve seen people get glowing reviews about their work ethic and team spirit, but when it came time for raises or promotions, nothing happened. Why? Because that "area for improvement" box wasn’t there for them—it was there to protect the company from giving them more money.

Another example is when companies use performance reviews as a paper trail to justify future terminations. It’s not about assessing your actual work. It’s about having documentation ready in case they need to let you go.

Every "area for improvement" is a potential justification for termination down the road. If you’re not paying attention to that part of the review, you’re playing right into their hands.

Ignoring Office Politics Will Cost You

Now, let’s talk about office politics. Ignoring them is a rookie mistake. I’ve seen people lose out on opportunities, promotions, and even entire careers because they thought hard work alone would be enough. It’s not.

Office politics is the unspoken game that runs every organization. If you ignore it, you’ll miss out on critical information, be left out of key conversations, and, ultimately, get sidelined. You need to understand the social dynamics at play—who holds power, who’s aligned with whom, and where you fit in. Otherwise, you’re flying blind.

The people who get ahead aren’t just the ones doing their jobs well; they’re the ones who know how to play the political game, form alliances, and position themselves strategically.

If you don’t know the power dynamics in your office, you’re playing with one hand tied behind your back.

Job Security Is a Myth—Be Smart About It

Hopefully, this person will figure it out. If not, they’re going to spend decades being frustrated and underappreciated, wondering why they’re not getting ahead. They’ll probably also still believe in the myth that a corporation can provide job security.

Here’s the truth: The only job security you’ll ever have is becoming financially independent. That’s it. A company isn’t your friend, and loyalty doesn’t get rewarded. In fact, the longer you stay, the more likely they’ll take you for granted.

Hard Work Still Matters—But Only When Combined with Strategy

Now, I’m not saying hard work is meaningless. It’s still important, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Hard work only gets you ahead if you combine it with strategic positioning. You can be the hardest worker in the room, but if you don’t know who holds the power or how to align yourself with them, your effort is wasted.

So, don’t ditch hard work—but don’t rely on it alone. You need to play the game smartly. Build relationships, know your clique, and understand the social dynamics in your workplace. When hard work meets strategy, that’s when you see real progress.

Final Thoughts—Play the Game, Don’t Get Played

If you’re going above and beyond thinking it’ll get you a promotion or a raise, you’re playing the game wrong. Learn who holds the power. Figure out who’s in your clique.

And remember—skills can be learned, but connections can be the difference between getting ahead and getting left behind.

Stop thinking your hard work will get noticed. Corporations don’t care about hard work—they care about influence, budgets, and who’s in the right social circles. Play the game smarter, not harder.