PF Round-up for The Office Fans

I am a huge fan of NBC’s The Office. Huge.

I’m also a 20-something professional who’s trying to manage my finances.

Put those things together, and you get the following round-up: PF for The Office fans:

7 Career Lessons from NBC’s The Office
CLIP: “You can do what you love. When Pam turned down a graphic design internship, viewers groaned. Pam is a great artist, so what’s she doing as a receptionist at a paper company? It’s hard for most of us to believe that we can follow our passions and actually get paid for it, but it is possible. Do your homework: Look at various careers and positions that would allow you to somehow use your interest or hobby. Try careerinfonet.org for a skill-based job search. Try to do some related work part time so you can explore if it’s really for you. Also, join an association in the industry that interests you.”

Money Lessons from the Boob Tube
CLIP: “For instance, in the one-hour episode titled ‘Money,’ Michael is deeply in debt, thanks to his penchant for making extravagant and unnecessary purchases, from a Porsche to bass fishing equipment and an $80 magic kit, which he planned to use to entertain potential clients. In the same episode, Michael takes on a second job as a telemarketer to bring in extra cash.”

Financial Lessons from Television Fiction: The Office
CLIP: “For one holiday party, Michael organized a ‘Secret Santa’ gift exchange with a spending limit of $20. He went above and beyond his own limit by purchasing a video iPod for his Secret recipient. However, when he was unsatisfied with the home-made gift from his Secret Santa, he decided to turn the gift exchange into a ‘White Elephant’ (or ‘Yankee swap’), in which one person can ’steal’ the gift from another. Everyone obviously wanted the iPod, the only gift worth more than $20.

If there’s anything to learn from The Office, it’s not to be a selfish jerk about money.”

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