The Best Job Resource Centers in the Bay Area
It’s day 23 of job searching. The clock just turned 12 and you’re still in your pajamas scrolling through Indeed.
It’s become clear that Indeed isn’t working but you’re not sure how else to find work — it feels like it’s the only way nowadays.
Well, the good news is, there are other ways! And it’s not just another job board.
Look, Indeed is great but it’s not perfect.
For one, it doesn’t help job seekers who are missing job searching essentials, like a strong resume or a cover letter.
And then there are other job seekers who need more than Indeed — they need networking events, job fairs, and real connections to land something.
This is when you use your local job resource centers!
And if you’re in the San Jose, Fremont, or Palo Alto area, there’s a lot of them.
As a staffing agency, we’ve had the privilege of working with so many of them. Ones that know the local job market and have all the tools needed to help you succeed.
We’ve created a list below, so you can get the same help we’ve seen so many other job seekers receive. It’s seriously a game-changer.
Table of Contents
JobTrain
Founded in 1964 under a different name, JobTrain has always been about empowering workers. At the time, Palo Alto was plagued with high rates of unemployment, poverty, and crime. And JobTrain was devoted to being part of the solution.
Today, they recognize another problem — student access to careers. They’ve since added more resources dedicated to upskilling students and connecting them to potential employers.
We’re always proud to collaborate with JobTrain. The passion they have for helping the community is unmatched and we’re positive they can help with your job search!
Who it’s for
JobTrain is committed to helping everyone in the community. Sometimes they’ll have events focused on students, but you can always find more generalized resources as well.
What they offer
- Q&A sessions
- Resume building
- Interview practice
- Job placement services
- And more
Learn more
Click here to learn more about what Job Train is doing to help Bay Area job seekers
Work2Future
Part of the Santa Clara County local Workforce Development Board, Work2future is devoted to helping the community with job resources and services.
We’ve worked with them in the past attending their job fairs. They do a great job giving job seekers the tools they need to find work!
Who it’s for
Work2future works with anyone in the community, whether it’s to help find a job or build your career.
What they offer
- Guidance with career planning
- Job search and placements
- Career upskilling
- And more
Learn more
Click here to learn more about what Work2Future is doing to help Bay Area job seekers
Ohlone College Career Center
Now, before you keep scrolling. Yes, this is a college career center. But, you don’t actually need to attend the school to take advantage of all their benefits.
Ohlone College is a unique case where they’ve extended their career services to more than just their students. If you’re in the Fremont, Hayward, or Dublin/Pleasanton area, they can help!
They even offer their ‘Level Up’ Program designed for young adults that experience barriers to education or employment.
The team over at the Ohlone Career Center is incredible. So passionate about helping job seekers — we can’t recommend them enough!
Who it’s for
While some of their programs are closed to their students only, Ohlone College Career Center has plenty of events and workshops open to the general public!
What they offer
- Job fairs
- Career support
- Workshops
- Coaching programs
- And more
Employment resource links
Click here to learn more about what Ohlone College offers job seekers
Click here to learn about their ‘Level Up’ career program
Phase2Careers
Imagine this. You’re in your 40s and you’ve been in your role for almost a decade. You’ve really come to love where you work and you see yourself retiring here.
But then out of nowhere, you’re laid off. Now what? You’ve been out of the job market for 10 years and you’re not really sure where to start.
This is the harsh reality for so many job seekers. And Ron Visconti, the founder of Phase2Careers, knows this all too well.
He noticed this type of worker is usually forgotten about and needs a special type of help most organizations don’t offer.
That’s why he started Phase2Careers. To be the champion of the “over 40” jobseeker crowd. And with over 30 years of career development knowledge and 2 books under his belt, he’s the perfect person to do it.
Who it’s for
Phase2Careers has its eyes set on professional workers over 40 years old. They tailor their resources towards those who are mid-career and need to reskill or change careers.
What they offer
- Free webinars
- Career fairs
- Live networking events
- Coaching sessions
- And more
Employment resource links
Click here to learn more about how Phase2Careers can help with your career growth
Goodwill Career Center
Yes, that goodwill. It’s not just a place to find hidden gold, they also offer some great job services. All at no cost and funded by their in-store revenue.
Who it’s for
Goodwill has a lot of programs to take advantage of. Their two main employment programs are:
- Their Career Development Program. For those having difficulties finding any kind of job. This includes individuals who’ve been unhoused, displaced, previously incarcerated, or needing any support to self-sufficiency.
- And their Career Technical Education Program. Which works to provide people with long-term employment, usually by developing skills for use in trade fields.
What they offer
- Career development programs
- Technical education programs
- Veteran assistance programs
- And more general job help
Employment resource links
Learn more about all the Goodwill job services
Learn more about the Career Development Program
Learn more about their Career Technical Education Program
PARS Equality Center
In the same way Phase2Careers focuses on a certain type of jobseeker, PARS Equality Center is passionate about helping immigrants from Persian-speaking countries.
This won’t apply to most of you reading but we’ve seen their work firsthand and we could not recommend them enough. If you know anyone who’s immigrated from a Persian-speaking country, please send them here!
Who it’s for
PARS Equality Center focuses on immigrants from Persian-speaking countries. They’ve tailored their programs to help this specific demographic of people and they do a great job at it.
What they offer
- Job placement programs
- Vocational training
- Networking opportunities
- Educational seminars
- And other immigrant resources
Employment resource links
Learn more about the PARS Equality Center
Thanks for reading!
We hope this list helped! If you’re having a hard time finding work, we highly recommend opening up your strategy and taking advantage of these resources.
We can help as well!
As a job agency, we have connections to all types of jobs. Send us your resume and a recruiter will reach out to you if we have work!
Click here to send us your resume
Happy job hunting!