Is it possible to solve interesting tech problems at work and not have office politics?

Apr 13 23 Comments

New grad here feeling jaded by work culture and work life.

Focused on studies at school and kept away from drama. Can I just do the same - focus on producing great work without all this politics stuff?

Is politics this common and normal?#culture #officelife #workplace

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TOP 23 Comments
  • Smaller company, less politics. Comes with other tradeoffs tho.
    Apr 13 3
  • Investment Bank
    Glinda

    Investment Bank

    PRE
    HP
    Glinda
    Welcome to the work world, OP. When you are working with people, in offices large and small, you have politics. The trick is finding the environment that works for you
    Apr 13 4
    • Google
      veritas0

      Go to company page Google

      veritas0
      "How do people succeed despite it?" is simply the wrong question. Politics is really just a dirty word for "diplomacy", which is basically aligning the interests of different stakeholders. If you can't see the value in that, then you are likely doomed to a life of toiling away on toy problems in solitude.

      At the end of the day, everything meaningful we do is for OTHER PEOPLE, not robots or ourselves. Try to ask yourself "how can I use my skills to be useful?" instead of "how can I be successful?"
      Apr 13
    • Investment Bank
      Glinda

      Investment Bank

      PRE
      HP
      Glinda
      OP, you will probably have a few jobs before you decide what is a good environment for you.
      Apr 13
  • Apple
    IpqL58

    Go to company page Apple

    PRE
    Intel Corporation, JDA Software
    IpqL58
    Rest and vest mode automatically makes you immune or indifferent to office politics.
    Apr 13 2
    • OP
      Hmmm I do find fulfilment from my career and want to get somewhere.

      Rest and vest feels like getting money and then I’ll retire and then what? I’ve always sought fulfilment from work rather than hobbies so I wouldn’t know what to do if I retired early
      Apr 13
    • Apple
      IpqL58

      Go to company page Apple

      PRE
      Intel Corporation, JDA Software
      IpqL58
      What about your work do you like most fulfilling? May be try to find that fulfillment in something that keeps you away from this politics you talk about which might come at the cost of leaving corporate world altogether! Which of you could do after you are financially secure. For example I’ve always been academically inclined if I were financially free I’d be doing something in that area may be as a student or even as a teacher.
      Apr 13
  • Amazon / Eng
    bry47

    Go to company page Amazon Eng

    PRE
    Infosys
    bry47
    Sure, just join Google as an L4 and don’t worry about promos.
    Apr 13 0
  • I think best option would be to be an open source contributor - independent.
    For money do some contract gigs.
    Apr 13 2
    • NVIDIA
      pallete

      Go to company page NVIDIA

      pallete
      lol. I hope this is sarcasm. Have you seen the abuse and entitlement open source maintainers have to deal with these days? It’s appalling
      Apr 13
    • It isn't, OP wants to get away from politics and do some interesting things, why rely on someone to provide that? One can only do it and enjoy their work by being independent. Now about the abuse, you ignore the community who cares if they like dislike your work, as long as you are independent no one can take away from you.

      Things that you refer to are the people who are into open source and also want recognition for their work. When you have expectations you are bound to be disappointed by someone.
      Apr 14