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Episode Recap: Job Fair
Maybe I’m just nitpicking here, but do high schools really have job fairs? The event apparently contains both job offers and possible internships, but either way it seems much more like something you would see at a college campus. For example, how do you sign up for an internship that might give you college credit if you haven’t even enrolled in a college yet? Not that this is exactly a huge deal for me; I’m just surprised because The Office is usually pretty convincing when it comes to the smaller details of how a workplace functions in the real world (although they’re a bit looser when it comes to the characters within said workplace).
We get a welcome break from coked-up Ryan in this episode, although his presence is still felt when Jim hits the golf course in order to land a new client. Thanks to Ryan’s warning that he’s been goofing around too much lately and his own desire to make a little extra money in order to provide for Pam in a long-term relationship, Jim is willing to do something he’s never even attempted before at Dunder-Mifflin: “Try.” Such is Jim’s smoothness that he’s able to overcome Andy’s unctuousness and Kevin’s gambling addiction to convince the skeptical businessman (alright, I didn’t catch his name and I don’t have TiVo – anyone want to help me out?) to come back to Dunder-Mifflin. It’s good to see Jim back on top after getting humiliated by Ryan and Toby last week and made to look like a fool when he locked everyone into the parking lot the week before that.
But while Jim is actually trying to improve his lot at Dunder-Mifflin, Pam has her eye on bigger and better things. If the high school job fair felt unrealistic to me, the moment when the recruiter at the graphic design company told Pam that she needed several crucial skills and more schooling just to get her foot in the door was sadly believable. It’s that old Catch-22: you need experience to get a job, but you need a job (or an expensive grad school) to get experience. Still, the finale is right around the corner, and the producers of the show are promising some huge life changes will be happening. Could Pam be moving away to pursue her dreams?
Oh yeah, and one thing I didn’t catch – when Pam went into the art room, the camera fixated on some discarded art project right after she walked out. I feel like I show know what it was (since the show obviously was trying to make it look important), but it’s not ringing any bells. Was it supposed to be something of hers that she gave to the school at some point?
Nothing new on the Dwight and Angela front, except that they’re able to work alone together in the office with only the bare minimum of communication. I was sure they were either going to get back together or have a violent confrontation, but no such luck. And Michael continues to be a tool (no surprise). His behavior at the school job fair demonstrates yet again one of his defining characteristics: he judges every person he meets in terms of how cool he or she is, and then treats that person accordingly. When he’s around Pam in the office, he’s eager for her to be his friend. But when he’s trying to recruit a hip new intern to replace Ryan, he’ll treat Pam like dirt in order to impress somebody new. No wonder Pam is so desperate to leave.
And now, tonight’s Dundies:
Best Creed Does Nothing Productive Around the Office Moment: His rallying cry to Angela is “Let’s ditch this bitch!” (Runner-up: admitting “I finished my work months ago.”)
Least Romantic Jim/Pam Moment Ever: Making out while Kevin does his best impression of a porn soundtrack and Michael advises him to “kiss her… kiss her good.”
Best Michael Ruins Everything Moment: Telling everyone else at the job fair (including the people manning the concession stand) that their companies suck – although he does have the common sense not to insult the Air Force.
Best Overall Moment: Andy crashing the golf cart. Into the sand trap.
Just one week left to go before the season finale. Post your thoughts on what the plot twists might be and join me back here next Thursday for my blog recapping the super-sized episode.
Check out full length episodes of The Office and more at our online video guide.
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May 8, 2008 11:00 PM
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Yeah, some high schools have job fairs. Well, at least mine did. It wasn't anything special. Pretty basic offers.
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May 9, 2008 1:05 AM
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Hey Jack, thanks for the awesome recap.
The show was a bit weak for me overall tonight, but I know I'll like it better upon second viewing and reading comments. You guys always help when I feel an epi isn't that great!
I completely thought Angela and Dwight might have mad sex in the office. But she did speak to him, which was an improvement. I thought it was funny how she was made to wait for the copier.
I want to know what was up with the art project too. I think we were suppose to get something from that shot, but not sure what.
I loved Oscar calling Michael out on not telling Pam she was a great artist to her face. I have seen people say that this show isn't realisitic, but I don't even work in an office and it is realistic to me. I once had a coworker do the same thing. Make a nice comment about an employee, and when she walked over, literally right after, I asked her to repeat it and she wouldn't. Another employee and I literally told her "Say it!" over and over until she did. I found it very sad that she couldn't compliment a fellow worker (who happened to be her subordinate) to their face.
And Michael belittling Pam about only bringing one piece of paper is right along the lines of something going on at my workplace right now. Folks, my boss is one step away from being Michael Scott ~ only he doesn't have the redeaming qualities that Michael has!
Jim was pretty awkward trying to make that sale, and he had to stoop pretty low (15 minutes in front of his car), but it worked.
I loved how excited Pam got when she found out Jim made the sale. And they joyous hug and kiss, and then the embarrassment of the camera only to have Jim say to heck with it, and smooch her some more! Then Michael making it creepy for all of us with his "Kiss her...kiss her good." YUCK!
Loved Darrel dressing up and Michael dressing down, and Michael's conceptual idea for their booth.
Pam needs to get a bit more education before she heads off to NY or PA. That's what I heard the guy say anyway. But she jumped right to moving. I guess 'cuz that is the thing that made her think that if she wants to really pursue this career she will have to make some changes.
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May 9, 2008 1:06 AM
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I don't know what to think of the graphic design recruiter scene (besides he being such a tool himself.) It felt out of place and just there to show Pam is worthless or something!? It's enough that Michael is such a tool that he treats her like trash (dating office comment) and the arts classroom sad look around.
The writers really want to lead us into the "sad" lifes of Jim and Pam I guess. I wish they weren't so mean all suddenly.
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May 9, 2008 1:07 AM
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Jack, in these days of ridiculous over-achievers you can now receive college credits before entering college (such as taking an AP class or ten) which don't always carry over to college. When I was in high school we had some sort of college fair as well.
I didn't realize it until reading somebody's post, but Michael's belittling Pam for only bringing one piece of paper reminded me way too much (albeit slightly exaggerated) of one of my bosses... sigh... this show is too real sometimes. Another thing that's too real- Pam's Catch-22. I wonder if she'll end up trying to go back to school.
Why didn't Oscar tell Pam what Michael said? I'm sure it would mean a lot to her.
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May 9, 2008 1:33 AM
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High schools have job fairs all the time. Depending on the size of the schools in the area, students may go to a job fair held by another school. These days, most kids (especially those from upper middle class white suburbs) are downright expected to garner college credit through advanced classes, summer programs, community college classes, or internships. The Office's portrayal of a job fair was pretty accurate.
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May 9, 2008 2:45 AM
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{redacted}
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May 9, 2008 3:47 AM
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Oooh, I had a nasty thought about the finale that I can't seem to shake, so I'm hoping to purge it from my head by posting it here. It's not really a spoiler, but more in the way of speculation. You can stop reading now if you want to.
Jim almost certainly is going to propose in the finale. No surprise there - in fact, he couldn't have been clearer over the past few weeks than if a 2X4 were smacking us over the heads with that.
What if the twist for the finale isn't the proposal, but Pam's thoughts of leaving, so the proposal presents a conflict? Unless of course, Jim wants to leave to, and it seems like he might. I think the lingering shot in the art room was foreshadowing.
For me, Jim and Pam are like the everyman and woman and a window into (besides the camera) and counterpoint against this cast of oddballs. (I agree with most of what was said about Michael, et. al., so no sense in echoing it.) The show would definitely lose something if they were to go to the spinoff or just disappear completely.
I warned you it was a nasty thought.
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May 9, 2008 5:57 AM
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Don't forget there's going to be a sequel (?) next season....we just don't know who's going to be in it yet.
I hope they don't split up our office!
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May 9, 2008 6:59 AM
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I really liked the episode. I thought it was great that they could get an episode outside of the office but still have it be about work. As for the discarded art supplies - I definitely agree that we were supposed to know what that symbolized, but I have no idea what. For the graphic designer scene at the end -- (wasn't that John Krasinski?) -- I'm pretty sure that her repeating "New York" at the end is giving her a professional reason to follow Jim to New York after Ryan gets fired and Jim gets Ryan's job at corporate.
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May 9, 2008 8:32 AM
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eneidig-
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought the graphic designer was JK!! I kept pausing and staring at the screen until I finally gave up. I never did decide if it really was him or not- I was leaning towards no, it wasn't him- but if you got the same impression then at least I'm not completely crazy.
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May 9, 2008 9:07 AM
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I loved this episode! Kevin giving all the names of games to gamble on, Kelly telling Darryl he looked like Barack Obama, almost all of Andy's scenes- the "blisties"- it's actually not funny at all, it's really painful. But my favorite is the moment was when Andy took of with the golf cart and him saying "I feel in the sand trap" had me laughing so hard!
Great Show- great Scott!!!
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May 9, 2008 9:08 AM
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Last night's episode was ok. Better than some of the others since the writer's strike, but a step down from last week.
You know, I'm glad that they are choosing to handle Pam's "art" drive in a really realistic way. instead of just giving her a job, they are showing that you have to actually learn a lot of skills, etc. to apply it to the "business world". I think a lot of people just think "I like to draw. I can be a graphic designer." And so showing that there's a difference between liking something and pursuing it for a career is a good thing.
Loved Michael's idea for the booth - and how he seemed to know how to dress like a "cool kid" but didn't know that he'd need something at his booth to really draw in the kids.
I too thought that Dwight and Angela would end up making out in the office after everyone left.
And Jim, with his sale, that was great. Mind you I don't play golf - but it seems like Jim's efforts to sell on the golf course are probably very close to how it is in realy life in a lot of cases. Many clients will accept the chance to golf or go to lunch or whatever, but when it comes down to the sales pitch, they just want to ignore it and avoid it. But that's why they got invited!
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May 9, 2008 9:18 AM
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Yeah schools have jobs fairs. I guess you're supposed to pick your career early and then learn it probably won't work out. I loved the golf club scenes the most. Andy crashing that golf cart was the best. Probably because it was so believable. How hasn't crashed one of those?
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May 9, 2008 10:02 AM
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axemte,
How was the graphic design recruiter being a tool? He simply explained the skillset required for working at his company. It's not his fault Pam is currently completely unqualified. You can't just go up and say, "Hey, I like to draw and paint, but I don't know how to use any of the software your company uses. Hire me anyway." Pam got a huge reality check and it does look like she might be mulling over a move to New York or Philly to pursue her dreams. How that clashes with Jim's plans to propose will probably play out in next week's season finale.
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May 9, 2008 10:45 AM
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