001a - Help Wanted

A narrator with a French accent introduces SpongeBob SquarePants, a sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. The scene moves closer to where SpongeBob lives, who actually lives in a pineapple. SpongeBob's foghorn alarm clock rings, waking him up in the morning. He tells his pet, Gary the Snail that he must be in good shape because this particular day is important. He jumps off his diving board and then lands in his pants. He goes to his exercise room and lifts a bar-weight (which is actually two stuffed animals put with a metal bar). Afterwards, SpongeBob declares that he is ready. He runs outside and down the street to The Krusty Krab, repeatedly saying, "I'm ready" while his neighbor and best friend, Patrick Star, cheers him on.

SpongeBob sees the "Help Wanted" sign on the Krusty Krab window. He then declares that he is ready to obtain the job, which he has dreamed of for years; however, he loses his confidence when he nears the Krusty Krab. Patrick confronts him and quickly convinces him to go for the job, and SpongeBob does so, thereby declaring he is ready three more times. Squidward Tentacles, the head cashier, is cleaning the window (his head is drawn and "loser" is written above it). Squidward sees that SpongeBob wants the job, and so he runs into the Krusty Krab in an attempt to warn the restaurant-owner Eugene H. Krabs that SpongeBob does not qualify for the job. However, SpongeBob walks into the Krusty Krab and asks for the job before Squidward can say anything. To get rid of him, Mr. Krabs tells SpongeBob that he can join the Krusty Krew if he passes a "test" - which is to obtain a "hydrodynamic spatula with port and starboard attachments and a turbo-drive" (essentially sending SpongeBob on a wild goose chase) and to not come back until he gets one. SpongeBob then leaves trying to find one with Squidward and Mr. Krabs laughing and believing that SpongeBob won't find the spatula and will never come back.

As soon as SpongeBob leaves, 5 buses drop off a large crowd of hungry Anchovies. They barge into the Krusty Krab, demanding Krabby Patties. Trying to keep things in order, Squidward complains about their behavior, and then requests that there be a neat, single-file line in front of the cash register. The anchovies furiously protest, forming a riot of angry anchovies that resembles a stormy sea. This forces Squidward and Mr. Krabs to climb up the mast. Thinking that it is the end for them, they say their goodbyes. Suddenly, SpongeBob arrives, flying with his "hydrodynamic spatula with port and starboard attachments and a turbo-drive" (according to SpongeBob, the Barg'N-Mart only had one in stock). Squidward and Mr. Krabs are flabbergasted at the fact that SpongeBob actually passed the "test." SpongeBob flies into the kitchen and, as fast as he can, SpongeBob plays with ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise pumps in the buns, and squeezes ketchup and mustard bottles, and then he satisfies the needs of the angry anchovies.

When the last anchovy gets his Krabby Patty, Mr. Krabs is delighted. He immediately hires SpongeBob, by welcoming him to the Krusty Krew and giving him a nametag. Then, Mr. Krabs calls for three cheers for SpongeBob (in which Squidward unenthusiastically replies "Hooray" all three times). Even though Squidward is upset, Mr. Krabs doesn't listen to him because he wants to go and count the "booty" he had just made in his office.

At the end, Patrick walks in and asks for a Krabby Patty. SpongeBob then flies into the kitchen and makes a huge stream of Krabby Patties, which hit Patrick and sends him flying out of the restaurant. Squidward, in a sarcastic and sing-song tone, tells Mr. Krabs to come see his new employee.