We cannot be serious brother

An archon and Exalt are two exclusive routes. Archon route is way easier and you don't get replaced nor you have to fight for for it once you get it .Exalts is the hardest competition ever and you need to be from inner Kingdom it's easier to be archon because you get training and help early while exalts need to toil away and become top tier 15k+ ap and then they participate in the comp between other top tiers from their inner kingdom 10-15 people with 15k-19k ap usually and then defend their title every 50 years.I have even explained this before.
The entire point of An archon is to be the least politically charged side while Exalts fight politics since the Start your grand kid could have a shot of becoming one or your child though the entire thing is infinitely harder than becoming Archon.
Same ways no inner kingdom person can become an Archon if they were allowed to nothing would come from outer lands except the top 5-10 talents who would be scouted and then invited.
So no you cannot be exalt your job and the archonate Exists because of the Exalts and are two separate exclusive lines.
You could become friends with one advisor of one when you are as strong as them similar tier.
You work for the exalted council your position is secured while your boss fights for their titles, some of the top tiers of inner kingdom don't even participate simply because in the end all the people who qualify for the comp are top tiers and have already achieved so much power both personal and political some are even sect masters of the biggest inner kingdom sects which are equal to Archonate each inner Kingdom has atleast one sect or organisation equal to Archonate overall Archonate simply have more number of mid and lower tier fighters among them but at the top all of them have as many top tiers and as good of a treasury.So some of the people don't even participate because the position is more about prestige an Exalt is the strongest political person and also a top tier but again even the can be schemed to death by his own people that's why I say no matter how powerful you are in AC everyone needs to be smart too many people at the top exist with comparable level of powers so if you make decisions as an exalt that your people dislike at some point they will stop caring and attack and then regardless of who wins the collateral will be always too much.