California Jobs: Overview
California is a land of possibilities. In the mid-1800s, thousands of prospectors set out to see what was possible in Coloma, California. Many of them found gold. In 1871, Judge R.B. Ord brought the first avocado trees home to Santa Barbara from a trip to Mexico. Today, avocados are the official state fruit, and the avocado industry supports over 100,000 California jobs. Cable cars were invented in San Francisco when a local entrepreneur wanted to find a way to relieve the horses he saw struggling as they walked on steep, wet cobblestone streets. Today, cable cars are a beloved means of transportation and have been declared a National Historic Streetcar Landmark.
There's a lot of possibility when it comes to finding jobs in California too. Nearly one million businesses in California employ 15.5 million employees. You'll find diverse job openings across industries in the three largest cities in California—Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Jose.
Popular Jobs in California
There's a good possibility that almost all the olives and almonds in your grocery store were grown in California. Most strawberries and peaches are from California as well. Needless to say, agriculture is big in California, providing farming jobs in cities like Fresno, Tulare, and Monterey.
Thanks to Silicon Valley, computer and electronic product manufacturing has made production jobs huge in California. Intel alone employs about 12,500 people in the state. The film industry, desirable climate, and sandy beaches have made tourism an important component of California's economy. It generates a little over one million service jobs in the state.
Other popular jobs include:
Update Your Resume
Increase the probability of a successful job search in California with an impressive resume. Monster has a checklist of things to include on your resume in its library of resume tips. And if you need help formatting your resume, check out Monster's resume templates. We also have a checklist you can use while writing your cover letter.
Interviewing for California Jobs
What's your least favorite interview question? If it's "What's your biggest weakness," we have some suggestions about how to respond. That's just one of the articles we have about interviewing you can read in our library of interview tips.
How Much Do California Jobs Pay?
The median household income in California is around $75,000. What you can make in your job depends on your title and skills and where in the state you live. Go into your interview knowing what you're worth by using Monster's Salary Tools. Not only will you see the estimated range of pay for your job, you'll also see suggested skills that may make you more valuable to potential employers.
Want to Learn More About Companies in California?
Another smart move is to learn about the company that you're applying to work at before your interview. Monster's Company Profiles can give you insight into the company's history, as well as its:
- office locations
- number of employees
- current job openings
Now That You're Prepared, Search for Jobs in California Right Here
Click your way to a new job! Check out the California jobs on this page and start applying. Remember to fill out your Monster Profile while you're at it, so we can send you job alerts for new postings. When you create a profile, we'll also make sure your resume is seen by recruiters and employers in your area.