The Little Mermaid — A Surprising Cautionary Tale for Modern Workplaces

“I hired you as a favor,” a woman once told me

Author’s photo — The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France

“I hired you as a favor”, a woman from a famous museum in France once told me — a woman I didn’t know.

I was 20 years old, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Arts and Culture, when I took a job at that famous museum in France. Little did I know, this professional encounter would remain in the back of my mind for a long time, serving as the perfect introduction to modern-day work culture — where, far too often, individuality is suppressed, and conformity is rewarded.

An introduction to modern-day work culture

At the time, I was a few months away from graduating, and one of my classes was held in the museum’s auditorium as part of the program.
I was looking for a weekend job, and since my background aligned with one of the museum’s roles, I applied. After my resume was selected, I interviewed with that woman, the manager.

She hired me, but when she called to give me the good news, she ended the conversation with a sentence that has stuck with me for over 15 years:

“I hired you as a favor.”