Receptionist Jobs in San Jose, CA
Receptionist jobs in San Jose pay above the California average, with a metro median near $22.66 an hour and professional offices posting $25 to $35 for experienced front desk staff. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and what the work pays.
Current receptionist Openings in San Jose, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Receptionist Work in San Jose
San Jose receptionists work in three very different settings. Tech companies in North San Jose and along the First Street and US 101 corridor staff lobby desks that handle badges, visitor check-in and deliveries for engineering campuses. Accounting, law and property firms downtown and in West San Jose want a polished front desk that also formats documents and supports partners. And community clinics in East San Jose and Alum Rock hire receptionists to check in patients and field calls, where a second language such as Spanish, Vietnamese or Mandarin is a real asset.
Pay reflects the cost of living. Federal wage data puts the middle of the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara market at about $22.66 an hour, above the statewide median of $21.20, and staffing firms routinely place temporary receptionists in San Jose, Sunnyvale and Los Gatos. Many openings are temp-to-hire, which makes a contract assignment a practical way into a permanent desk.
Top San Jose Employers Hiring Receptionists
These San Jose employers have hired receptionists and front desk staff recently:
- NEMS (North East Medical Services) - the community health center is hiring a full-time PACE Receptionist for its San Jose program serving older adults.
- Frank, Rimerman + Co. - the accounting firm's San Jose office hires an Office Support/Front Desk Associate at $27 to $35 an hour for reception, document production and partner support.
- Supermicro - the server and storage maker headquartered in San Jose filled two receptionist openings at its San Jose campus in May 2026.
- Robert Half - the staffing firm places temporary and temp-to-hire receptionists in San Jose, Sunnyvale and Los Gatos, with posted rates from about $20 to $32 an hour.
- Manpower - the staffing agency recruits front desk receptionists in San Jose who answer multi-line phones, greet visitors and help accounts payable.
Receptionist Salaries in San Jose
- Entry level: about $19 to $23 an hour for general front desk and temp assignments.
- Experienced: roughly $23 to $28 an hour for receptionists with two or more years and strong phone and scheduling skills.
- Senior / corporate front desk: $28 to $35 an hour at professional firms and executive lobbies.
These are estimates built from federal wage data for the San Jose metro and current local postings. Pay rises with a second language, experience with scheduling or billing software, and work for law, accounting or tech firms. Temp roles through staffing agencies often pay at the top of the band but may not include benefits until you convert to a permanent hire.
How to Become a Receptionist in San Jose
California does not license receptionists, so there is no state exam or board to deal with. Most San Jose employers ask for a high school diploma or equivalent, and professional offices typically want two years of administrative or customer service experience plus Microsoft Office skills. If you want formal training, Evergreen Valley College in the Evergreen foothills offers a 30-unit Information Processing Specialist Certificate of Achievement through its Business Information Systems program, covering office software, business writing and records. Bilingual applicants should list every language they speak on the application.
What the Job Involves
Receptionists are the first person a visitor or caller meets. A typical shift includes greeting and signing in guests, issuing badges, answering a multi-line phone system, routing calls and messages, scheduling appointments and conference rooms, sorting mail and packages, ordering office supplies, and keeping the lobby and kitchen areas in order. Many San Jose desks add light bookkeeping, document formatting or patient check-in to the role.
Skills Employers Look For
- Friendly, professional phone and in-person manner
- Microsoft Office and calendar or scheduling software
- Bilingual ability in Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin or Cantonese
- Accurate data entry and record keeping
- Discretion with confidential client or patient information
- Ability to juggle phones, visitors and deliveries at once
- Reliability and punctuality for fixed front desk hours
Career Path and Advancement
A front desk job is one of the most common starting points for an office career in San Jose. Receptionists who take on scheduling, purchasing and document work often move up to administrative assistant, then office coordinator or office manager, and those who support leadership can step into executive assistant roles, which pay a median above $51 an hour in this metro. At tech campuses the path also runs toward workplace experience and facilities coordination.
Related Careers in San Jose
If front desk work interests you, these San Jose office roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a receptionist in San Jose?
No. California has no license or certification for receptionists. Employers set their own requirements, usually a high school diploma or equivalent, customer service experience and basic computer skills.
How much do receptionists make in San Jose?
Federal wage data puts the San Jose metro median at about $22.66 an hour, with the top tenth earning around $33. Current local postings range from about $20 an hour for temp desks to $35 an hour at professional firms.
Is it worth being bilingual for receptionist jobs in San Jose?
Yes. San Jose has large Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese speaking communities, and clinics and public-facing offices serve patients and customers in those languages. Listing every language you speak can set you apart from otherwise similar applicants.
Can I get a receptionist job in San Jose through a staffing agency?
Yes, and many people do. Agencies such as Robert Half and Manpower place temporary and temp-to-hire receptionists across San Jose, Sunnyvale and Los Gatos, and a good assignment often turns into a permanent offer.
What should I bring to a receptionist interview?
Bring a printed resume, references, and a list of the phone systems, scheduling tools and office software you have used. Dress for the office you are applying to, and be ready to show how you handle a busy phone line and a waiting visitor at the same time.
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