San Jose & Bay Area classifieds: jobs and room shares
The Bay Area is the ring of cities around San Francisco Bay. San Jose sits at the south end, San Francisco at the north tip of the Peninsula, and Oakland and Fremont on the east shore. In San Jose, a lot of Vietnamese shops and restaurants are around Story Road and Tully Road, on the east side of the city.
Area names you'll see in posts
- South Bay: the south end of the bay, including San Jose, Milpitas, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.
- East Bay: the east shore, from Fremont up through Hayward and San Leandro to Oakland.
- Peninsula: the strip of land between the bay and the ocean, from Palo Alto, Redwood City and San Mateo up to San Francisco.
- Khu Story, khu Tully: the blocks around those two roads in San Jose, where many Vietnamese shops are.
Driving to work
- 101 links San Jose and San Francisco along the bay side.
- 280 also goes to San Francisco, but on the west side, closer to the hills.
- 880 runs up the east shore from San Jose through Milpitas, Fremont, Hayward and San Leandro to Oakland.
- 680 leaves San Jose through Milpitas and Fremont, then turns inland toward Pleasanton and Dublin.
- 87 is a short freeway that stays inside San Jose.
Living on one side of the bay and working on the other often means crossing a bridge: the Dumbarton from Fremont, the San Mateo Bridge from Hayward, or the Bay Bridge from Oakland into San Francisco. When you call about a job, ask which side of the bay it's on.
Without a car
Transit works if both your room and your job are near a station. VTA runs light rail and buses in Santa Clara County, which includes San Jose. Caltrain runs up the Peninsula from San Jose to San Francisco. BART has stations in Milpitas and at Berryessa in San Jose, and goes north through Fremont, Hayward and Oakland into San Francisco.
- Get a Clipper card. The one card works on VTA, Caltrain and BART.
- On a late shift, ask when the last train leaves. Miss it and you're stuck.
- If a post says "near BART" or "near light rail", ask which station and how long the walk is.
Calling about a job
Each kind of work has its own questions. Ask them on the phone before you make the trip.
- Nail and hair work: in California you need a California license. If yours is from another state, check with the California board whether it can be transferred before you start.
- Kitchen and dining room jobs: ask about shift times, whether a meal is included, and whether you need a food handler card and who sorts that out.
- Babysitting and elder care: ask whether it's live-in or you go home after, which days are off, and whether pay is by the hour or by the day.
- Delivery: ask whose car you drive and who pays for gas.
- Any job: ask whether you get a pay stub. If a post names a pay figure, check it again when you call.
Sharing a room
Housing in the Bay Area is expensive, so sharing is common. Before you hand over money, find out:
- Whether the person posting owns the place, or rents it and is subletting. If it's a sublet, ask whether the owner knows and is fine with it.
- Whether the room is in the main house or a small unit out back (an in-law unit or ADU), and whether it has its own door.
- How many people share the bathroom, and when you can use the kitchen.
- Driveway or street parking. For the street, ask about street-sweeping days when cars have to move.
- Whether electric, gas, water, trash and internet are part of the rent or split each month.
- See the room and meet the person before any deposit, and get a receipt. If someone wants money before they show you the room, don't send it.
Posting and alerts
Posting is free and needs no account. Enter your email, then click the confirmation link we send you. Name the area clearly, like "San Jose, near Story and King" or "Fremont, near 880", so readers can tell if it suits them. Posts stay up 45 days. About 5 days before the end, you get an email, and one click renews it at no cost.
Looking for work or a room and don't want to check every day? Sign up for new-post emails in San Jose. For Fremont or Oakland, pick that city on the form instead.
Post a free ad in the Bay Area →
Frequently asked questions
Which cities count as the Bay Area?
The ones around San Francisco Bay. San Jose, Milpitas and Santa Clara are at the south end, Fremont, Hayward and Oakland on the east shore, and San Francisco at the north tip of the Peninsula, the strip west of the bay.
Do I need a car in the Bay Area?
Not always. If you live and work near stations, VTA, Caltrain and BART can cover it, all on one Clipper card. BART stops in Milpitas and at Berryessa and runs up through Fremont and Oakland to San Francisco. Away from stations, a car is still easier.
What if the person renting out the room is a tenant too?
Ask whether the owner knows and agrees to the room being shared. See the room, meet the person, and get a receipt for any deposit.
Can I get San Jose job posts without checking every day?
Yes. Sign up for new-post emails, pick San Jose and the Jobs section, and you will hear by email when new ones come in.
Does it cost anything to post in San Jose?
No, and you don't need an account. Posts stay up 45 days, with a renewal email about 5 days before they end.