How to hire a computer aided drafter

How to hire a computer aided drafter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step computer aided drafter hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a computer aided drafter job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new computer aided drafter
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a computer aided drafter do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The computer aided drafter hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A computer aided drafter's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, computer aided drafters from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of computer aided drafters.

   Type of Computer Aided Drafter	Description	Hourly rate
   Computer Aided Drafter	Drafters use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings. Most workers specialize in architectural, civil, electrical, or mechanical drafting and use technical drawings to help design everything from microchips to skyscrapers.	$15-27
   Design Technician	A design technician's role revolves around conducting extensive research and analysis to determine a company's needs. The technician will develop system plans and collaborate with fellow technicians and engineers... Show more	$17-50
   Architectural Internship	The job of architectural interns is to assist an architect with all aspects of architectural work. Their duties and responsibilities may include maintaining project files, conducting research on construction sites such as zoning laws and regulations, and preparing presentations for clients... Show more	$19-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CAD Standards
   • Revit
   • Aided Design
   • CAD Drawings
   • Shop Drawings
   • Autocad Release
   • Layout Drawings
   • Construction Drawings
   • Design Drawings
   • Civil Engineering
   • Engineering Drawings
   • Auto CAD
   • Sketch
   • Technical Drawings

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Clean up architectural drawings to bare walls, convert layers and add masonry reinforcements to walls, doors and windows.
   • Used VBA to program business tools.
   • Create detail blue prints for jigs to be build for production.
   • Translate REVIT (BIM) files into AutoCAD-ready files from contract architect.
   • Create PowerPoint presentations to introduce the flows of the conveyor belt systems.
   • Conduct field and sketch analysis to determine the most effective approach for plan development.

   More computer aided drafter duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your computer aided drafter job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A computer aided drafter salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a computer aided drafter in Wyoming may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level computer aided drafter usually earns less than a senior-level computer aided drafter. Additionally, a computer aided drafter with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average computer aided drafter salary

   $43,520yearly

   $20.92 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level computer aided drafter salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average computer aided drafter salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$54,013	$26
   2	District of Columbia	$51,728	$25
   3	California	$49,217	$24
   4	New York	$46,726	$22
   5	Minnesota	$46,195	$22
   6	North Carolina	$45,940	$22
   7	Pennsylvania	$45,129	$22
   8	Colorado	$45,117	$22
   9	Massachusetts	$44,977	$22
   10	Washington	$44,614	$21
   11	Illinois	$44,314	$21
   12	Missouri	$43,828	$21
   13	Oregon	$42,857	$21
   14	Texas	$42,403	$20
   15	Tennessee	$42,054	$20
   16	Ohio	$41,743	$20
   17	Georgia	$40,850	$20
   18	Florida	$40,830	$20
   19	Alabama	$39,123	$19
   20	Michigan	$39,104	$19

   Average computer aided drafter salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Johnson Controls	$55,882	$26.87	9
   2	BlackRock	$54,307	$26.11
   3	IDEX	$53,656	$25.80
   4	Clear Channel Airport	$53,003	$25.48
   5	AMETEK	$52,966	$25.46	3
   6	Stantec	$52,316	$25.15
   7	Fellowes Brands	$51,951	$24.98
   8	GPAC	$51,423	$24.72
   9	Cyient	$50,732	$24.39	2
   10	Fishbeck	$50,468	$24.26
   11	Twin Cities Stores	$50,421	$24.24
   12	Systems	$50,128	$24.10
   13	McAdams	$49,741	$23.91	10
   14	Virginia's Community Colleges	$48,631	$23.38	2
   15	Kimley-Horn	$48,239	$23.19	70
   16	Richmond American Homes	$48,076	$23.11
   17	VisionCorp Rep	$47,941	$23.05
   18	Engineering Consultants Group	$47,612	$22.89
   19	D.R. Horton	$47,525	$22.85
   20	NIKA	$47,465	$22.82

4. Writing a computer aided drafter job description

   A computer aided drafter job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a computer aided drafter job description:

   Computer aided drafter job description example

   Mt. Holly, NJ 08060

   Industries

   Public Works Design Services

   Job Type:

   Full-Time, Hourly Employee + Benefits

   Years of Experience

   5 Years

   Education Level

   Associates Degree, Preferable

   Career Level

   Experienced (Non-Manager)

   About the Job

   Alaimo Group seeks an individual with a minimum of 5 years of experience in mechanical/piping design/drafting. Working knowledge and proficiency in AutoCAD required to create Construction Plan and Detail Drawings in accordance with Engineer’s direction and rough or detailed sketches and/or notes. Applicant will also be responsible for creating and maintaining Xref's for projects and coordinating with the project team. Experience with AutoCAD 2020 or later is a plus.

   Knowledge of MEP a plus but not required.

   Should have good written and verbal communication skills and ability to work with architects, engineers, and clients.

   This is a full time, hourly position, with strong benefits package.

   About our Company

   For over fifty-five years, Alaimo Group has provided engineering and planning services throughout the State of New Jersey and in the neighboring states of Pennsylvania and Delaware. Our firm is a composite of civil, sanitary, environmental, architectural, planning, structural, mechanical, electrical and hydraulic engineering individuals. We are one of the few firms that specialize in work for the public sector, thus avoiding any appearance of conflict in providing service to our clients.

   We have experienced continued growth in the number of people and the range of disciplines represented, and the capabilities of our professional and support staff. We now have some 100 employees, including some fifty registered engineers, surveyors, planners and scientists and three registered architects. These design professionals are supported by technicians, designers, drafters, survey and mapping teams and field services representatives. In the last fifty-five years, Alaimo Group designed and provided construction administration services for projects with a total estimated construction value in excess of $10 billion dollars.

   Alaimo Group, Inc. is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer.

   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find computer aided drafters for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any computer aided drafters they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level computer aided drafters with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your computer aided drafter job on Zippia to find and recruit computer aided drafter candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting computer aided drafters requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new computer aided drafter

   Once you've decided on a perfect computer aided drafter candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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