Jim Halpert is one of the most honest and loyal guys on The Office. With his charm and charisma, Jim could have gone on to work at any company in the area and make more money doing it. But due to his love for his co-workers and comfortability at Dunder Mifflin, he stayed at the Scranton branch. As much as Jim would hate to admit, those at Dunder Mifflin became his family.
Jim is defined as a good guy but like many of his co-workers, he's had some sad things happen throughout his life that have played a role in his decision-making.
His Brothers Picked On Him
Upon meeting Jim's older brothers, fans soon realized where Jim's pranking spirit came from. In one episode, Jim's brothers teamed up with Pam to go against Jim but it was obvious that they went too far by Jim's reaction.
Even when they said they were kidding around, Jim was didn't find the humor in their prank. One can only imagine how Jim's childhood was like with two older brothers who were constantly trying to embarrass him.
Jim Hated His Job As A Paper Salesman
It's unknown where Jim went to college but he's a very well-read young man who could have had the world in the palm of his hands if he wanted it. He started working at Dunder Mifflin in the late '90s and never left.
Over time, however, Jim could have moved on from Dunder Mifflin but he was far too comfortable (not to mention he was in love with the receptionist). When he and Pam became serious, she saw how much Jim hated his job and resorted to pranking Dwight to make the time go by. It was a sad reality Jim couldn't face.
He Was Stuck Between His Wife & His Passion
It was shocking when Jim told the cameras that his friend was starting a company based on an idea Jim had when they were younger. What's more, he wanted Jim to work alongside him in Philadelphia. Although Jim initially refused the offer because his life was in Scranton, Jim eventually went forward with working with Athlead (later, Athleap).
However, marital issues arose between him and Pam as she was not on the same page as him. Jim had to choose between a career he was actually excited about and his wife and kids. It was one of the toughest choices he had to make and fought to have both before giving in to Scranton.
Jim Loved A Woman Who Couldn't Love Him Back
One of the saddest things about Jim's storyline was being in love with his best friend. Pam was engaged to Roy when Jim met her but they quickly became best friends. Some would even say that Pam was closer with Jim than she was with her own fiance. After years of internal torture, Jim finally told Pam how he felt. However, instead of being met with a similar emotion, he was met with heartbreak.
Pam told Jim that she couldn't be with him and that she was going to go through with her wedding to Roy. But in a twist, she agreed with him that she had always wanted to kiss him too. Jim had no choice but to leave Scranton and it was an emotional exit for him.
Wanting To Progress At Work (And Being Denied)
In the episode "The Meeting," Jim had a brilliant idea for David Wallace. Jim would be promoted to Regional Manager of the Scranton branch, and Michael would be in charge of the Northeastern branches. David Wallace loved the idea but when he asked Michael what he thought about Jim, Michael threw him under the bus.
Michael was scared of losing his job, so he had no choice. But after he heard what a great idea it was, he backpedaled. Regardless of Michael's pleading, it was a sad moment for their friendship and for Jim's career.
Charles Could Have Fired Jim
It's not often that people don't like Jim. He was good at his job (when he tries), he has a great personality, and he was friendly. But as soon as Charles Miner came to Scranton, viewers saw Jim on someone's bad side. Due to pranking Dwight, Jim came to work dressed in a tuxedo. Charles didn't find Jim's prank funny and found it to be inappropriate.
Jim tried everything he could think of to be on Charles's good side but nothing worked. To make things worse, Dwight knew how much Charles disliked Jim and fed into it. For once in Jim's life, he had to try at work for fear of losing his job.
He Moved Away From Scranton For A Reason
Jim called Scranton home but he couldn't work there any longer knowing Pam was going to go forward with her wedding to Roy. Moving to Stamford and working for that Dunder Mifflin's branch gave Jim a chance for a fresh start.
He got his own apartment, started biking to work, and created instant friendships with Karen and Andy. Things were finally looking up for Jim. But as soon as Stamford closed shop, he had no choice but to go back to Scranton. A place he had finally outgrown.
He Was Assaulted For Being Honest
There were two instances where Roy almost beat up Jim. In one episode, he was holding on to Pam while they were laughing about Dwight, and Roy cam in just as Jim was giggling with her. In another episode, Roy had just found out about Jim kissing Pam and had nothing to lose.
He showed up to work and was ready to attack Jim. What's upsetting is that as much as Roy's rage was justified, Jim was a great guy who was only being honest. It wasn't just Jim that kissed Pam, Pam kissed him back.
Jim Wasn't Manager Material
From a distance, Jim seemed like he would be an outstanding Regional Manager. He had a great report with all of his co-workers, he knew the company like the back of his hand, and he was one of the highest performing salesmen. However, when Jim finally had the opportunity to become a manager, it didn't go as expected.
His colleagues didn't take him seriously and they thought he favored the salesmen because that's where his roots were. Jim finally had a chance to make a name for himself and have an important role. Instead, he was made a mockery of.
Pressure Overload
It's not mentioned in the series but Jim was under a lot of pressure. Once he started dating Pam, he tried stepping up in all aspects of life to give them the life he once dreamed of. He bought his parents' house, he bought a ring to propose, and he tried climbing up the ladder at work to make more money for these new life changes. That's a lot of pressure on one person.
The pressure to support his family continued when Pam quit Dunder Mifflin and began working for the Michael Scott Paper Company; a job that probably paid her nothing. Through it all, Jim was optimistic but he should be given more credit for working so hard to achieve his personal goals.