Jim Halpert is Dunder Mifflin's resident goof-ball salesman. When he's not flirting with Pam at reception, he's pranking Dwight and making faces at Michael. As much as Jim wants to succeed at his job, he can't help but get bored at Dunder Mifflin and yearns for something greater.
As The Office fans know, Jim gets everything he ever wanted: a future with Pam and a job doing something he loves. And while Jim has made mistakes in the past, he's matured a lot in the course of nine seasons. And this includes his style. The rather conservative young professional opted for simple colors and ties but it was his hair that transformed the most. To see Jim's slow transformation from a quiet salesman to a bustling entrepreneur and family man, keep scrolling!
Working For A Paycheck In Season One
There's something Jim said in the first episode that defined his first season on The Office: " "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." Jim likes working at Dunder Mifflin because he has a crush on Pam, has a relaxed boss, and enjoys pranking his desk-mate. That's about it. Style-wise, Jim looks like a young guy who rolled out of bed, put on his dress pants, and left the house. He had shaggy hair and bangs in season one, which is a younger look than in season nine.
He's Lovestruck In Season Two
Jim grew up a lot in season two. His style remained the same but his hairstyle changed a bit. His hair looked lighter and had more flare on the sides. Jim kept his classic white shirt and dark tie getup, which looked nice, but what fans really wanted to know was his future with Pam.
The two seemed closer than ever in season two, especially when they kissed briefly in "The Dundies." He also matured within hours of being on the booze cruise after being honest with his feelings for Pam. He never said the words out loud until the second season and the first person he confided in was Michael Scott.
Big Tuna In A New City
In the third season, Jim moved from Scranton, Pennsylvania to Stamford, Connecticut. After Pam turned him down, he realized Scranton had nothing to offer him. He transferred branches and started a new life for himself. He looked far more dapper in Stamford. He wore blazers, his hair was nicely brushed, and he was falling for a fellow co-worker, Karen.
When Jim got transferred back to Scranton, having Karen by his side made the move a little more bearable. While Pam was single then, she made it clear they were just friends. Jim also used this move as a chance to get more serious with his career. He was promoted and stopped goofing around with Pam.
Moving Onward & Upward In Season Four
At the end of season three, Jim turned down a chance to work at corporate and went back to Scranton to ask Pam out on a date. In the fourth season, Jim and Pam were now a new, happy couple. They already knew each other so well and were already in love with each other.
Jim was in the best place he's been in since the start of season one. He cut back on the pranking and focused on work because he wanted to start a life with Pam and needed the finances to do it.
He Was A Lone Wolf In Season Five
In season five, Pam took a chance on her future and went to art school in New York. She and Jim were on the phone every chance they got and they visited each other on weekends. After a few weeks, the long-distance began to wear them down. They became out of sync and Jim felt alone at work.
The only person he had on his side was Michael — and that's saying something! He had the courage to fight his fears and propose to Pam so the two could start their lives as soon as possible. At this point, Jim was finally a man. His style evolved, he looked more put-together, and he was soon-to-be-happily married.
A Married Father In Season Six
A lot happened in Jim's life by season six. He was now a married man with a child. After years of crushing on a woman he worked with, he finally won her over and was starting their lives together. But that's not all. Jim's personal life may have been at an all-time high but so was his professional life.
He was promoted to co-manager with Michael, and when Sabre bought out Dunder Mifflin, Jim went back to being a salesman because he could earn more money. Jim ended up being one of the top salespeople at the Scranton branch, meaning he was finally getting his professional life up to speed with his personal life.
Adapting In Season Seven
Just as things were progressing for Jim, Michael decided to leave Dunder Mifflin in season seven. This meant things were about to change at the office and Jim didn't know if that meant good or bad things. However, it seems like he was most comfortable with himself in season seven.
He and Pam were a happy couple and he went to work day by day to bring home a paycheck. Viewers could tell Jim could be doing something better with his time by this point but he was comfortable where he was. His looks have also come full-circle. His hair is brushed to the side in season seven and looked like a professional man instead of a young salesman.
Things Got Hectic In Season Eight
In season eight, Pam is pregnant with her second baby, which means even more changes are going on in Jim's life. With Robert California as the new CEO and Andy as the manager, everyone at Dunder Mifflin was just trying to roll with the punches.
And although Jim looked handsome and in his element, fans could tell something was missing, especially when he was asked to go to Tallahassee for work. However, when Jim saved Dwight's position with the company, he proved that he has a soft side for Dwight even though it's rarely shown.
Season Nine Was Bad Before It Got Good
Not too many fans like season nine Jim. In this season, he started working with his friends in Philly without telling Pam. When he finally talked it over with her, they agreed it was a naive decision as parents of two small children. But Jim didn't seem to care and started the job anyway.
Watching Jim throw his relationship and job connections down the drain was sad to see (thankfully the actors have a solid relationship). It was as if he was taking 10 steps back. Jim deserves to love what he's doing professionally but getting his wife on board should have been his first to-do instead of an after-thought.
Changing For The Better In The Series Finale
Remember when we said Jim changed for the worse in season nine? Well, by the end of the season he had redeemed himself. He finally realized he was choosing a job over his family and didn't communicate well enough.
Pam met him in the middle and forced him to take his dream job, it just took her some time to come to that conclusion. By the time Dwight's wedding rolled around, Jim was in a great place physically and mentally. Not to mention he never looked better!