San Francisco Bay Area Overview

Market Trends | Relocation Information

Tech Capital

The Golden Gate region includes large cities such as San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland. It’s also home to Silicon Valley – one of the largest technology hubs in the nation – making the Bay Area a prime spot for candidates searching for jobs in the IT sector. If you’re interested in discovering contract, contract-to-hire and direct-hire employment opportunities in the San Francisco Bay Area, our professional staffing specialists can assist you in your job search efforts. As local market experts, we’re able to provide you with insight into what the Bay Area has to offer at work and at home.

Bay Area Weather

Because San Francisco is surrounded by water on three sides, temperatures stay moderate year-round with an average between the high 50s and mid-60s. The highest temperatures occur in September and October, while the lowest occur in December and January. The rainy season lasts from November through March with average yearly rainfall totaling approximately 22 inches.

Many regions in the San Francisco Bay Area are also known for fog, occurring when the cool ocean air mixes with high heat from the mainland. Thick blankets of fog linger from spring to early summer, keeping the climate relatively cool during warmer months. It’s advised to keep a light jacket handy during the summer months. Many residents dress in layers due to the variety of microclimates throughout the Bay Area.

Getting Around

San Francisco hosts a very sophisticated public transit system, offering its IT professionals a number of ways to travel to and from work, including:

• BART. With more than 40 stations, Bay Area Rapid Transit is the main rail system serving San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Walnut Creek, Dublin and everywhere in between.
• VTA. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority operates along the perimeter of Santa Clara County and serves San Jose and the surrounding cities.
• Caltrain. Caltrain connects the North Bay to the South Bay from San Francisco to San Jose, with weekday commute-hour service to Gilroy.
• Muni. The largest transportation system in the Bay Area, the Muni operates historic streetcars, cable cars, alternative fuel vehicles, modern light rail vehicles, diesel buses and electric trolley coaches.
• ACE. The Altamont Commuter Express connects Stockton to San Jose through neighboring towns. ACE also connects to BART for more Bay Area access.
• Capitol Corridor Intercity Rail. This railway covers 170 miles between Sacramento and San Jose/Silicon Valley. The rail line connects to BART as well.
• Ferries. Ferry service links cities along the San Francisco Bay, including Alameda, Oakland, Vallejo, Marin County and other cities.
• Shuttles. More than 20 shuttle services provide transportation services throughout the Bay Area.
• Carpooling. Carpoolers enjoy access to carpool lanes and free bridge tolls during peak hours.

Best of the Bay

Living in both the past and present, the Bay Area is home to many attractions that are rich in culture as well as history.

• Golden Gate Bridge. Finished in 1937, this famous bridge links San Francisco with Marin County and beyond.
• Fisherman’s Wharf/Pier 39. Nestled along the water, this area features more than 100 restaurants and shops. The Wharf is famous for seafood, street performers, its sea lion population and more.
• Alcatraz Island. “The Rock” is home to the infamous Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, a prison that once housed notorious criminals like George “Machine Gun” Kelly and Al “Scarface” Capone.
• Lombard Street. Called by some the “crookedest street in the world,” Lombard exists on a 27% grade. This brick-paved street is extremely steep and windy and its design helps travelers handle the steep grade.
• Cable Cars. Take a ride on the city’s oldest moving landmarks, operated by Muni.
• Winchester Mystery House. Commissioned by the widow of gun mogul William Winchester, this ghostly Victorian mansion was under construction for 38 years and has approximately 40 bedrooms, five kitchens, 367 stair steps and doors that lead to nowhere.
• Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The boardwalk features rides such as the 1911 Looff Carousel and the 1924 Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster.
• Napa Valley. Enjoy the fine wines that Northern California has to offer at wineries situated throughout the countryside.

Other things to do in Northern California include:

• Monterey Bay. Visit the famous aquarium that attracts more than 1.8 million people each year. And check out Jon Steinbeck’s Cannery: a historical area once dedicated to fish canneries now is a vacation destination.
• Sacramento. Places to visit include the state capitol and historic Old Sacramento.
• Lake Tahoe/Reno. These cities offer icy fun in the winter and excellent hiking and fishing in the summer.
• Humboldt County.Home of the famous California Redwoods, this county features scenic trails and campgrounds.

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Bay Area Jobs — IT Market Trends

Job Search in the Bay Area

At the epicenter for everything IT, the San Francisco Bay Area maintains its reputation as one of the most powerful zones for tech jobs in the nation. Consisting of key markets such as San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose/Silicon Valley metro and home to countless technology-based firms, both big and small, the Bay Area is considered a top technology market for contract, contract-to-hire and direct-hire IT jobs.

Giant of All Giants

The San Francisco Bay Area job market attracts a record-high number of job seekers from other areas of the country. Data show 386,000 people employed in the Bay Area’s high-tech industry in 2006. In particular, San Jose/Silicon Valley ranked as a leading locale for workers in the information technology arena, with a concentration of more than 200,000 employees in 2006. This amounts to roughly 286 IT professionals to every 1,000 workers in private industry.

Popular tech industry sectors in the Bay Area include computer and electronic equipment manufacturers, communications equipment manufacturers, software publishing and computer systems design. Nanotech, cleantech, chip and Internet companies have also experienced rapid growth in the past few years, notably in Silicon Valley. Though the cost of living may be high in the Bay Area, proximity to industry giants compensates for it. More and more, companies and IT professionals are choosing to call the Bay Area home.

Let's Talk Money

IT professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area job market are among the highest paid in the country in comparison to those in other major cities. In 2006, San Jose was ranked first in the nation with a wage average of $144,000, while San Francisco and Oakland were ranked second and fourth with averages of $118,500 and $96,000, respectively.

Eastridge InfoTech recruits for IT jobs in the Bay Area including:

• Chief Information Officer
• Data Architect
• Database Analyst
• Data Entry
• Desktop Support
• Developer
• Engineer
• Help Desk
• Programmer
• Quality Assurance Analyst
• Technical Support

And more …

Eastridge InfoTech’s fit-focused hiring process not only connects you with top-rate companies that are looking for your unique abilities but also ensures the employment opportunities we provide match your personal and professional preferences. This tailored process, combined with our competitive benefits, job coaching and other exclusive recruiting and liaison services, makes us a valuable job search resource and differentiates us from other professional staffing agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area

Living by the Bay

The San Francisco Bay Area is diverse and rich in both culture and history. The IT staffing professionals at our San Francisco Bay Area company have formed exclusive partnerships with leading organizations, allowing us to provide you with employment opportunities that can’t be found elsewhere.

We offer valuable assistance in tailoring your job search efforts so you can find the position that’s right for you. Our local market expertise enables us to give you knowledgeable insight into the IT job forecast and way of life in the Bay Area, so you can make educated decisions regarding your search for IT jobs.

Bay Area Locals

Comprised of more than 100 cities across 7,000 square miles, the Bay Area is a diverse region. San Francisco County alone is home to a wide variety of people including students, families, professionals and more.

• Population: 757,604 (2007)
• Median age: 39.5 years (2007)
• Median income: $65,519 (2007)
• Family households: 44.1% of the population (2007)
• Average household size: 2.30 people (2007)

Note: Because the Bay Area comprises multiple cities, demographic statistics reported are based on numbers for San Francisco County.

Cost of Living

Similar to San Diego, the cost of living in the San Francisco Bay Area is among the highest in the nation. Real estate prices increased in the ‘90s due to the boom in the technology industry, among other things, but the wealth of employment opportunities for IT professionals and its unique culture often compensates for the high cost of living.

• Median real estate value: $789,400 (includes both houses and condos) (2007)
• Median mortgage costs: $2,946 (2007)
• Median rent value: $1,197 (2007)

Note: Because the Bay Area comprises multiple cities, demographic statistics reported are based on numbers for San Francisco County.

The Commute

Because the Bay Area is densely populated, traffic flow becomes heavy during peak business hours. However, transportation alternatives exist in the Bay Area that residents can benefit from. The city itself is not spread over a wide area, so most locals find they don’t need a car to travel from place to place.

• Average commute time: 29.1 minutes (2007)
• Commuters who drive alone: 161,2000 people (2007)
• Commuters who carpool: 30,951 people (2007)
• Commuters using public transportation (excluding taxicab): 131,258 people (2007)
• Commuters who walk: 38,840 people (2007)
• Commuters who use other means for transportation: 17,146 people (2007)

Note: Because the Bay Area comprises multiple cities, demographic statistics reported are based on numbers for San Francisco County.

Educational Opportunities

There are a number of school districts in the Bay Area featuring private and public schools recognized by the state for educational excellence.

• Pupil to teacher ratio for grades K-12 is 17.5 students (2007)
• Average class size for grades K-12 is 21 students (2007)
• Number of students per computer for grades K-12 is 4.2 students (2007)

There are also a variety of colleges and universities in the Bay Area to serve higher education needs. These include the University of California, Berkeley; Stanford University; San Francisco State University; University of California, San Francisco; University of San Francisco; California State University, East Bay; Golden Gate University; Santa Clara University; and more.

Economic Overview

As a region linked to the international arena by numerous major ports, the San Francisco Bay Area’s economy relies heavily on exports. In fact, one report states 60% of goods made in the Bay Area are exported. But it’s the area’s high-tech industry that plays a key role in the local economy. The number of jobs related to computers, engineering and mathematics, says one report, is two times the national average.

With a skilled workforce and a solid foundation in the global marketplace, the Bay Area’s economy is able to remain competitive and some say will continue to have one of the brightest futures in the United States.

• Consumer price index: 225.824 (San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose Metropolitan Area) (2008)
• Gross domestic product per capita: $62,300 (San Francisco) (2002)
• Gross domestic product per capita: $60,600 (San Jose) (2002)

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Is the San Francisco Bay Area your ideal location? Start your job search today by creating a profile with Eastridge InfoTech.