Potential Job Offer in South San Francisco

@chemicalalizero feel free to message me if you want to chat more. I’m a recruiter for a biotech right near where you’re going to be working. I can give you inside scoop and pointers on what salaries are competitive for this area.

 

If there's one thing I miss about my old job in the South Bay, it was the commute: Two miles and five turns on city streets. Commuting from Walnut Creek to Oakland right now, it's about 15-20 minutes in the morning, but nearly an hour in the afternoon; I can only imagine how bad it will get when things get back to normal. I really need to start taking BART.

The irony, of course, is that I can work from home, but I absolutely hate working from home, so I go into the office instead.

 

I feel like working form home is one of those things you do only when you need to focus. I feel like WFH encourages people to work longer hours because you're right there. That said, an office in your home is the best idea if that's what you do. Walk out, done with work.

 

I'm far less focused at home than at the office; there's far too many potential distractions. The only time I'll do it is for long conference calls and training.

 

With mask mandates being lifted by the CDC, things will go back to normal by next year's time I'd wager. Right now the 101 commute isn't bad at all but 880 is still a pain. I can only imagine how bad things will get once we all go back into work. For those of us that WFH for the past year, it will be a huge adjustment going back. Last year the talking heads on the news have been saying that companies may keep employees WFH forever but I'm just not seeing it. Some companies may do it...but I don't see the majority doing it. In fact, a lot of the tech companies are already saying that they will most likely roll employees back in by year's end. My company initially said that WFH will be permanent but recently there have been talks about bringing people back in by September. I think at the end of the day, employers want to see ass-in-chairs since the rent is already paid.

 

Some companies, like Google, are allowing extensions of WFH indefinitely. When you think about it, it works to their advantage because it saves an average of 210sf per butt (the size of office plus common space). Depending on the type of business and where the office is, that's $500-$1000/month/butt saving. Of course, there are other costs besides rent associated with butts in seats and that just assumes people don't ever come to the office-but we know those who work offsite will have to have a shared place to sit when they're in the office. If 20% of the workforce decides on this, that means they can potentially lower their footprint or grow the company without having to lease additional space.

There are a lot of ways to slice it with pluses and minuses for each.

 

I work in construction and tech companies are still building offices like crazy.

 

Just a few of the things I've read recently-Google is moving forward with its downtown SJC campus. They've also leveled several city blocks in Sunnyvale. NetApp has sold its Sunnyvale campus and is moving into a building near/at Santana Row. There are buildings in all phases of construction. Apple hasn't stopped building either-they're building another tower next to the Kayak and the spaceship isn't even full. There's something like 5 million sf of commercial space plus 1500 units of housing and some amount of retail being developed near Levi Stadium.

I don't think you'll see construction stop or even slow down much but I do think you'll see changes in how companies use the space.

 

Where in Houston do you live?

 

We have the new google campus in Sunnyvale and it’s supposed to be a monster. Currently doing the new Adobe tower in downtown SJ and finishing a new tower at Santana row that is only the 1st of a few on that side of Winchester. I agree how they use their space will change but not slowdown.

 

It does crack me up that Moffett Park has only two ways in and out tho and it’s already got way more square footage than it had back when Lockheed occupied it.

 

Who do you work for? I work for Truebeck Construction.

 

GMR fire sprinklers

 

Bay area resident for the last 6 years from Marin through SJ. Minimize your commute. Don't cross any bridges on your commute if you can avoid it at all (except maybe taking the Golden Gate northbound in the morning, which is amazing).

My happiest commutes have been when I went against traffic, could take Bart, or could ride my bike. Most larger employers will subsidize your transit cards. In all cases, use Google maps to understand what you'll be taking on.

Lots of hate for the housing prices. Compared to the rest of the country, it is a little insane. The reality is either your employer can pay you enough to live here or they can't. Best of luck and hope it works out in your favor!

 

It's even harder to focus at home with little ones. Can't wait till I'm back in the office.

 

We live in the east bay and our youngest daughter works in SSF in the biotech region / industry that you are describing.

There definitely are a lot of people moving out, but it is still crowded.

Apartments have gone from "nothing available" to "its possible to find them" and in some areas real vacancy.

My daughter has had success living along the 101 / Caltrans corridor both north and south of that area. Communing across the bay is a pain using either public transit or personal vehicle.

I still won't go on public transit due to covid but maybe someday in a few years. Yes I am vaccinated but some of the variants can push through it.

There is some culture shock moving from Houston to the SF Bay area. It is a bit of a nanny state.