Michael Scott served as the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch for most of his time on The Office, but how exactly did he get the gig? Steve Carell portrayed the central character of the NBC sitcom for the better part of seven seasons before departing. Despite not being completely focused on his responsibilities as a manager, Michael was crucial in keeping the branch afloat during the series.
According to The Office, Michael was born on March 15, 1965, which was around 16 years after Dunder Mifflin Paper Company was founded. Growing up in Scranton, Michael didn't have the best childhood since he suffered from loneliness and tension with his stepfather, Jeff. After high school, Michael didn't go to college, explaining that he lost his tuition money from a pyramid scheme. Instead, Michael entered the workforce and eventually ended up at Dunder Mifflin.
Michael officially joined Dunder Mifflin as a salesman in 1992. By then, Ed Truck was the manager and the only other character from The Office that worked there already was Creed Bratton. Throughout the '90s, they would be joined by notable figures like Dwight Schrute, Angela Martin, Stanley Hudson, Jim Halpert, and Pam Beesly. In 2001, Ed retired from his position as Scranton's Regional Manager. Rather than hire from the outside, Michael was promoted as the head of the branch. At the time, he was only in his mid-30s, which was relatively young to run a major branch. Michael's achievements as a salesman, however, proved that he was capable of bigger things when it came to the paper business.
Michael Scott Was Always A Great Salesman At Dunder Mifflin
Michael was an extraordinary salesman in the years that followed his initial hiring. In fact, he won the Best Salesman award on multiple occasions and was said to acquire nearly half of Scranton's long-term clients. Based on his sales record, Michael became the clear choice to replace Ed based on his understanding of what made the company successful. While that was true, he had a much different management style than what the branch was used to.
Unlike his predecessor, Michael viewed his employees as his friends, which would often cause distractions with his interest in workplace fun and celebratory gatherings. Though many of his employees viewed him as incompetent, there was no doubt that Michael was a people person. In addition to his unorthodox management style, Michael always had a way to acquire clients or get the business out of a tough situation. Even after leaving to start The Michael Scott Paper Company, he came back to help the business continue to thrive. When Michael eventually left, the paper company was in good hands for Andy Bernard's time as manager, and eventually, Dwight's time as the one in charge at the end of The Office.