San Jose Drafting Jobs Overview
Do you have a hard time choosing between a creative and technical career? Consider applying for drafting jobs, where you can combine your artistic abilities with your computer skills to help craft new buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. Drafters—also known as draftsmen, draftspeople, or drafting technicians—translate the ideas of architects and engineers into technical drawings that are easy for construction or manufacturing crews to read and build. In this career, you'll be following in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci, who many consider to be one of the first master drafters—his technical drawings of inventions were revolutionary.
Today, most drafters use computer-aided design (CAD) software or computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) software. Drafters can also draw by hand using a tilting table or a drafting machine, but this is mostly limited to the concept stage. Software is used for the final design.
Drafters usually specialize in one of the following areas:
- Mechanical drafters prepare diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices.
- Architectural drafters work with architects to produce designs for buildings and infrastructure.
- Civil drafters work with civil engineers to create maps, drawings, and diagrams of buildings and infrastructure.
- Electrical and electronic drafters work with electrical and electronic engineers to produce diagrams and drawings of equipment and parts.
You can expand your search for engineering jobs by checking out these similar positions:
About Working in San Jose, California
Lots of people have found their way to San Jose. Specifically, 1,800,000 residents live in the Bay Area city known as the "Capital of Silicon Valley." Nearly 13% of all San Jose jobs are in the tech, computer, and electronics industry—15 times the national average. Fittingly, the Tech Interactive museum and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are located there. Through the years, people of diverse heritages have found a place where they can stay in San Jose. Among the many colorful neighborhoods in the city are Little Portugal, Japantown, Little Italy, and Little Saigon, each with authentic eateries, architecture, shops, and entertainment.
Just a few of the world-famous tech companies headquartered in San Jose are eBay, Cisco, Adobe, and PayPal. If you're thinking of relocating for a San Jose job, you can really breathe in San Jose: Expect good air quality and sunny, warm weather with an average of just 17 inches of rain and 257 sunny days per year. And if you don't find the right-fit job in San Jose, you can expand your job search to the surrounding communities of Milpitas, Mountain View, and Palo Alto.
Update Your San Jose Drafting Resume
Are your new resume and cover letter still in draft form? Transform them into completed documents and learn how to make them stand out with Monster's library of career resources. You can read our articles on resume writing tips and our sample cover letters for some ideas.
How Much Do Drafting Jobs Pay in San Jose, California?
Got money on your mind? You should! Make sure you’re getting paid what you’re worth. Our Salary Tools can help you understand what you can expect to make in drafting jobs in San Jose, California, as well as the skills that can boost your value and what the next steps in your career might be. Right now, the median drafter pay in San Jose is $40.00 per hour, which is 39% higher than the national average.
Find Your Next San Jose Drafting Job. Monster Can Help Get You Started
Are you prepared for a career in drafting? If so, set up your profile on Monster for free and begin clicking on those drafting jobs. When you sign up with us, you’ll receive custom job alerts and expert advice on how to negotiate your salary in San Jose, how to nail your job interview, and more.