Nearly 20 years since its seismic premiere on NBC, The Office still stands as one of the most successful, hilarious sitcoms in the history of American television. Following the story of a crew of Dunder Mifflin employees, the workplace mockumentary aired for nine seasons - winning numerous Academy Awards along the way. While it's hard to pinpoint the primary series protagonist, Jim Halpert is a strong contender. Jim "Jim" Halpert, played by John Krasinski, appeared in every season and was an integral piece of the series' success. Jim is a humorous, mild-mannered paper salesman, endearing husband and one of the most beloved characters on The Office.
While his outlandish pranks and humorous one-liners have become synonymous with the character, Jim's impressive business acumen is often overlooked and was an underrated subplot of The Office. Despite his playful antics around the office, Jim was routinely among Dunder Mifflin's top sellers. Unwilling to allow himself to get stuck as a paper salesman in Scranton, as he stated in the series premiere episode, Jim worked tirelessly to advance his career. Eventually, the whimsical salesman harvests the fruits of his labor by accepting promotions and, in later seasons, co-founding a marketing company that partnered with pro athletes.
Jim always had plans beyond working for Dunder Mifflin
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Jim is first introduced in the "Pilot." He is adamant throughout the series that his job as a salesman at Dunder Mifflin Paper is temporary, saying, "Right now, this is just a job. If I advance any higher, this would be my career. And if this were my career, I'd have to throw myself in front of a train." Despite his unwillingness to remain there long-term, Jim is well liked around the office and is consistently one of Dunder Mifflin's top sellers.
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Even with his impressive track record for the company, Jim never intended for his tenure at Dunder Mifflin to be permanent. As much as he is amused by his boss Michael Scott's shenanigans and enamored by Dunder Mifflin's receptionist Pam, Jim knew that his time as a paper salesman was merely a pit stop in a larger journey. In later seasons, we see the amicable paper salesman branch out into other endeavors.
Jim Slowly Climbs the Corporate Ladder Throughout the Series
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After years of being a salesman at Dunder Mifflin, Jim begins his ascension within the company. In Season 3 of The Office, Jim makes the gutsy decision to leave Scranton and transfer to the Stamford branch. His decision was partially influenced by his desire for distance from his love interest Pam, who became engaged to another man. However, Jim also wanted to avoid getting stuck in Scranton and advance his career, which he was able to do at Stamford. Without the distraction of his complicated relationship with Pam, Jim seemed to have a newfound focus on his future with his new position. Jim did better with his sales in Stamford than he ever did at Scranton and enjoyed the novelty of living in a new city for the first time in years. Soon after, Jim was promoted to Assistant Regional Manager in Connecticut.
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When stationed outside of Scranton, Jim's impressive business acumen began to shine more. He was always a stellar salesman, but Stamford saw him take his performance to the next level. Plus, his promotion to a managerial position put him in a leadership role for the first time, highlighting that he had outgrown his salesman roots. Jim's time with Stamford was short-lived, however, as Dunder Mifflin decided to merge the branch with Scranton, reuniting Jim with his old coworkers once more. Upon the merger, Jim is promoted once more, this time to co-manager alongside Michael. As co-manager, Jim's approach differed vastly from Michael's, as Jim relied more on logic than emotions. Even when it pitted him against his coworkers, Jim made decisions that boosted employee and company revenue. Eventually, after Dunder Mifflin was bought out by Sabre and the previous bonus cap was removed, Jim returned to his sales position to capitalize on the increased earnings potential.
Jim Co-founds Athlead and Joins Forces with Pro Athletes
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During the final season of The Office, the full summation of Jim's business acumen is on full display. Following his tenure at Dunder Mifflin, Jim co-founds Athlead with a team of investors, including his friend and former co-worker Darryl Philbin. Athlead, which later changed its name to Athleap, is a sports marketing company based in Philadelphia. The company's goal was to bridge the gap between pro athletes and high-end brands, and it was Jim's most successful venture.
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One of the company's biggest partners was former NL MVP and Phillies star Ryan Howard, who appeared in the Season 9 episode Promos. A year later, Converse purchased Athleap. Upon becoming a subsidiary of Converse, Athleap's headquarters, along with Jim and Pam, relocated to Austin, TX. Athleap's success reflects Jim's impressive business acumen and helped him keep his self-imposed promise to outgrow Dunder Mifflin.
From salesman to executive of a multi-million-dollar marketing company, Jim experienced the type of career growth that many dream of. Despite his playful nature, he was all business when it counted, and it paid off significantly. His growth within Dunder Mifflin and beyond was an intriguing part of his character development and one of the more underrated subplots of The Office.
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The Office
TV-14
Comedy
A mockumentary on a group of typical office workers, where the workday consists of ego clashes, inappropriate behavior, and tedium.
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*Availability in US
Release Date March 24, 2005
Finale Year November 30, 2012
Creator(s) Greg Daniels
Cast Steve Carell , Rainn Wilson , John Krasinski , Jenna Fischer , Leslie David Baker , Brian Baumgartner , Angela Kinsey , Kate Flannery , Phyllis Smith , Creed Bratton , Oscar Nunez , B.J. Novak , Mindy Kaling , Ed Helms , Paul Lieberstein , Craig Robinson , Ellie Kemper , Zach Woods , Melora Hardin , Andy Buckley , Catherine Tate , David Denman , Rashida Jones , James Spader , Robert R. Shafer , Hugh Dane , Jake Lacy
Main Genre Comedy
Seasons 9
Creator
Production Company
Story By Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant
Writers Mindy Kaling , Paul Lieberstein , Michael Schur , ricky gervais , Greg Daniels , B.J. Novak
Network NBC
Franchise(s) The Office
Directors Greg Daniels , Paul Lieberstein , Paul Feig , Randall Einhorn , Ken Kwapis
Showrunner Greg Daniels
Character(s) Michael Scott , Dwight Schrute , Jim Halpert , Pam Beesly , Stanley Hudson , Kevin Malone , Angela Martin , Meredith Palmer , Phyllis Vance , Creed Bratton , Oscar Martinez , Ryan Howard , Kelly Kapoor , Andy Bernard , Toby Flenderson , Darryl Philbin , Erin Hannon , Gabe Lewis , Jan Levinson , David Wallace , Nellie Bertram , Roy Anderson , Karen Filippelli , Robert California , Bob Vance , Hank , Pete Miller
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