If you have ever heard the old expression that your success in life is more about whom you know than what you know, you have most likely either nodded at its obviousness, or shaken your head at its ultimate sadness. Seriously, a person could simply go through life being a glad handing kiss up, and do a hundred times better than a far more competent person who is content to simply toil on their latest masterpiece in some austere yet charming little closet somewhere. This takes a lot of justice and damages it terribly.
First off, unless they are really mean to you first, be kind to everyone. Never bother with their station in life, because you just never know who might be connected to whom. And you can not afford to take the chance, especially early in your career, of angering someone who might have friends in places where you want to be. Of course, later in life you will have the ability to unleash your fury upon your underlings. Just be patient, and brood in private.
Another thing that you are going to need to do in order to advance your career properly is to make sure that everybody above you knows your name. Of course, whenever you make a mistake, do everything you can to distance yourself from it, and try to steer the blame to somebody to very few people like. This way, it is easy to believe they are incompetent, and you are just unlucky.