The Job (The Office) - Plot

Plot

Confident that he will get the corporate job, Michael Scott (Steve Carell) sells his condo and names Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) his successor as Regional Manager. Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) cheerfully withstands her colleagues' teasing over her speech from "Beach Games," and tells Karen Filippelli (Rashida Jones) that she is not sorry about what she said but regrets putting Karen in an awkward position. Karen tells the camera that Pam is "kind of a bitch." Meanwhile, Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner) asks Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) whom he finds more attractive between Karen and Pam. Though Jim initially refuses to answer, he becomes intrigued when Kevin starts to compare the two women. He tells Kevin to keep thinking about it in a joking way, but appears to be very interested in the results.

Jan Levinson (Melora Hardin) arrives at the office to win Michael back. In a panic, Michael consults the women of the office. Pam tells him not to reconcile with Jan. Michael attempts to reject Jan, but reverses himself immediately when he sees that she has had a breast augmentation. Jim and Karen drive to New York City together and spend the night before their interviews. Karen tells Jim that if either of them gets the job, both should move to New York. She promises to do so, but is met with awkward silence when she asks Jim to reciprocate. Meanwhile, Dwight begins his new regime, assigning Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) the role of his number two and asking Pam to be his secret "Assistant to the Regional Manager." Dwight's new motivational style is not popular. He and Andy repaint the walls of Dwight's new office black in order to instill fear.

During his interview at Corporate, Michael learns from CFO David Wallace (Andy Buckley) that he is interviewing for the job currently held by Jan, who will be fired. Michael goes to Jan's office after the interview and quickly bumbles into revealing her impending termination. Jan storms into Wallace's office, interrupting Karen's interview, and refuses to leave. After Jan is escorted out by security, Michael learns that he will not be getting the position. On the drive home, Jan tells Michael that she will make their relationship her "full-time job." Michael is visibly uncomfortable.

Jim's interview with David goes well until he discovers an encouraging note from Pam along with a yogurt lid medal (reminiscent of the original series finale). Jim recalls a conversation with Pam after her confession on the beach. He discreetly admits that he left Scranton because of her rejection and that he feels that he has "never really come back," meaning that he has been actively fighting his feelings for her. Pam tells him that she wishes that he would come back.

Just as Pam is telling the cameras that she does not think that it would work out between her and Jim, he bursts into the room and asks her out to dinner. Stunned, she agrees, and Jim says, "Alright. Then, it's a date." After Jim exits the room, Pam becomes visibly joyous and forgets what she was talking about. David Wallace offers the job to Ryan Howard (B. J. Novak), who accepts and immediately breaks up with Kelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling).