[coditor]

At every job when I started no one knew me yet and I didn't push for change. I focus on simply doing the best I can do and after you deliver high quality software (or whatever you are doing) and push out small ideas the actually improve things you get usually get a reputation as someone who is worth listening to. Then you can push a little harder. Until then you can't do much. Evidence of being smart is always better than claiming it.

I once had a 5 week contract at a University where I saw everything the group was doing was a horrible security nightmare but the manager had no interest in anything I might say and made it clear; by the end after delivering way more on my part than anyone thought possible suddenly the manager wanted to know everything I had to say and then made sure it got fixed.